Brighouse and Spenborough by-election, 1960

A by-election was held for the British House of Commons constituency of Brighouse and Spenborough on 17 March 1960. The seat became vacant following the death on 23 November 1959 of the Labour Party Member of Parliament Lewis John Edwards, who had held the seat since a by-election in 1950, but whose majority had been cut to only 47 votes at the 1959 general election.[1]

The result was a narrow gain for the Conservative and National Liberal candidate (In 1950 the National Liberal party, once strong in the constituency, merged with the Conservatives),[2] Michael Shaw, who had been the defeated candidate in 1959. However, Colin Jackson (the Labour candidate at the by-election) would go on to regain the seat for his party at the 1964 general election.

This was the first seat gained by an incumbent government at a by-election since the Sunderland South by-election, 1953. Other than the special circumstances of the Bristol South-East by-election, 1961, awarded to the Conservatives by an Election Court, this feat was not repeated until the Mitcham and Morden by-election, 1982.

Brighouse and Spenborough by-election, 1960
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Shaw 22,472 50.8 +0.9
Labour Colin Jackson 21,806 49.2 -0.9
Majority 666 1.5%
Turnout 44,278
Conservative gain from Labour Swing 0.8

References

  1. ↑ "Candidate To Fight Brighouse Again", The Times, 8 December 1959.
  2. ↑ "Puzzle For Brighouse Liberals", The Times, 10 March 1960.

See also