1929 Kilmarnock by-election

Last updated

The 1929 Kilmarnock by-election was a by-election held on 27 September 1929 for the British House of Commons constituency of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.

Contents

The first Scottish by-election since the general election in May 1929, it was won by the Labour Party candidate Craigie Aitchison.

Vacancy

The seat had become vacant when the sitting Labour Member of Parliament (MP), Robert Climie had died at the age of 61 on 3 October 1929. He had held the seat since the general election in May 1929, having previously been Kilmarnock's MP from 1923 until his defeat in the 1924 general election.

Candidates

The Labour Party candidate was 47-year-old Craigie Aitchison KC, who had been the Lord Advocate of Scotland since June 1929. He had stood as a Liberal Party candidate in Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire at the 1922 and 1923 general elections. He had contested the 1924 general election as a Labour candidate in The Hartlepools, and in May 1929 came within a small margin of winning the Unionist-held Glasgow Central seat.

The Unionist candidate was 41-year-old Charles MacAndrew, who had won the seat from Climie in 1924, but lost it again in May 1929.

The third candidate was Isabel Brown, of the Communist Party of Great Britain. The Liberals, who had finished third at the general election, did not field a candidate.

Result

The result was a victory for the Labour candidate, Craigie Aitchison, who held the seat with an increased share of the vote. However, his majority was lower than Climie's, the Unionists having benefited from the absence of a Liberal candidate.

Aitchison was re-elected at the 1931 general election as a National Labour candidate, having sided with Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald when the Labour Party split and MacDonald formed a National Government with the Conservative Party. He resigned his seat in 1933, when he was appointed Lord Justice Clerk.

MacAndrew returned to the House of Commons in 1931 as MP for Glasgow Partick.

Votes

Kilmarnock by-election, 27 November 1929
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Craigie Aitchison 18,465 55.6 +7.4
Unionist Charles MacAndrew 13,27040.0+9.6
Communist Isabel Brown 1,4484.4New
Majority5,19515.62.2
Turnout 33,18371.76.1
Labour hold Swing +12.6
General election, May 1929: Kilmarnock
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Robert Climie 17,368 48.2 +0.4
Unionist Charles MacAndrew 10,93930.421.8
Liberal J. R. Rutherford7,70021.4New
Majority6,42917.8N/A
Turnout 36,00777.80.7
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +11.2

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craigie Aitchison, Lord Aitchison</span> Scottish politician and judge (1882–1941)

Craigie Mason Aitchison, Lord Aitchison was a Scottish politician and judge.

Thomas Bridgehill Wilson Ramsay was a Scottish Liberal Party, and National Liberal Party politician and Member of Parliament (MP).

The 1925 Eastbourne by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Eastbourne, Sussex on 17 June 1925.

In the United Kingdom, general elections occur at least every five years. About 650 constituencies return a member of Parliament. Prior to 1945, electoral competition in the United Kingdom exhibited features which make meaningful comparisons with modern results difficult. Hence, unless otherwise stated, records are based on results since the 1945 general election, and earlier exceptional results are listed separately.

The 1925 Galloway by-election was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Galloway in Scotland on 17 November 1925. The by-election was won by the Unionist Party candidate Sidney Streatfeild.

Robert Climie was a Scottish trade unionist and Labour Party (UK) politician.

The 1930 East Renfrewshire by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 28 November 1930 for the British House of Commons constituency of East Renfrewshire in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Lindsay</span> British politician

Kenneth Martin Lindsay was a Labour Party politician from the United Kingdom who joined the breakaway National Labour group. He was the final Member of Parliament to be elected by the single transferable vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1936 Combined Scottish Universities by-election</span>

The 1936 Combined Scottish Universities by-election was a by-election held from 27 to 31 January 1936 for the Combined Scottish Universities, a university constituency of the British House of Commons.

The 1946 Kilmarnock by-election was a by-election held on 5 December 1946 for the British House of Commons constituency of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.

The 1933 Kilmarnock by-election was a by-election held on 2 November 1933 for the House of Commons constituency of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.

The 1929 Bishop Auckland by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 7 February 1929 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bishop Auckland in County Durham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1928 St Ives by-election</span>

The 1928 St Ives by-election was a by-election held on 6 March 1928 for the British House of Commons constituency of St Ives in Cornwall.

The 1929 Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election was a parliamentary by-election held in Scotland on 29 January 1929 to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP) for the House of Commons constituency of Midlothian and Peebles Northern.

The 1928 Tavistock by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Tavistock on 11 October 1928.

The 1929 Liverpool East Toxteth by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Liverpool East Toxteth on 19 March 1929.

The 1928 Epsom by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Epsom, Surrey on 4 July 1928. The by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting Unionist MP, Sir Rowland Blades. He had been MP here since winning the seat in 1918. Polling Day was set for 4 July 1928.

The 1940 Argyllshire by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Argyllshire, on 10 April 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1928 Ilford by-election</span>

The 1928 Ilford by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Ilford, London on 23 February 1928.

The 1925 Walsall by-election was held on 27 February 1925. The by-election was held due to the disqualification of the incumbent Unionist MP, William Preston. It was retained by Preston.