1989 Vale of Glamorgan by-election

Last updated

1989 Vale of Glamorgan by-election
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
  1987 4 May 1989 1992  

Constituency of Vale of Glamorgan
Turnout70.7% (Decrease2.svg 8.6%)
 First partySecond party
  John Smith MP 2009.jpg Rodrogers1999.jpg
Candidate John Smith Rod Richards
Party Labour Conservative
Popular vote23,34217,314
Percentage48.936.3
SwingIncrease2.svg 14.2%Decrease2.svg 10.5%

MP before election

Raymond Gower
Conservative

Subsequent MP

John Smith
Labour

A by-election was held for the British House of Commons constituency of Vale of Glamorgan on 4 May 1989 following the death of Conservative MP Sir Raymond Gower.

Eleven candidates stood, which remains the most in any Welsh by-election.

The result was a Labour gain, the party's first by-election gain of this parliamentary term, which came at a time when it was starting to match and even overtake the Conservative government in the opinion polls, just after the controversial poll tax was announced.

Neil Kinnock believed the result, which was reported as 'a massive victory' for Labour, showed a change in the Labour Party's fortunes, and stated "the tide has turned". The swing of 12.35 was significant as if repeated at the next general election would have resulted in Labour winning power. [1] The result was reported by The Glasgow Herald as being a "humiliation" for both the Social and Liberal Democrats and SDP, the two centre parties which had emerged from the former SDP–Liberal Alliance. In the wake of the result the Social and Liberal Democrats' leader Paddy Ashdown called for SDP members to defect to his party, but this call was not supported by SDP leader David Owen, who instead indicated his party might be prepared to enter into a future coalition government with Labour. [2]

Ultimately the seat was narrowly won back by the Conservatives at the 1992 general election.

1989 Vale of Glamorgan by-election [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John William Patrick Smith 23,342 48.9 +14.2
Conservative Rod Richards 17,31436.3−10.5
SLD Frank Leavers2,0174.2N/A
Plaid Cymru John Dixon 1,6723.5+1.7
SDP David Keith Davies1,0982.3N/A
Green Marilyn Wakefield9712.0N/A
Protect the Health ServiceChristopher Tiarks8471.8N/A
Monster Raving Loony Screaming Lord Sutch 2660.5N/A
Independent Welsh SocialistEric Roberts1480.3N/A
Corrective Party Lindi St Claire 390.1N/A
Christian AllianceDavid Black320.1N/A
Majority6,02812.6N/A
Turnout 47,74670.7−8.6
Registered electors 67,549
Labour gain from Conservative Swing −12.4

References

  1. "Poll shock stuns partying Thatcher". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 May 1989. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  2. "Owen ponders coalition after Labour revival". The Glasgow Herald. 6 May 1989. p. 1. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  3. Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1987-92 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Retrieved 1 October 2015.

See also