1990 Paisley South by-election

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1990 Paisley South by-election
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
  1987 29 November 1990 1992  

Constituency of Paisley South
Turnout55.0% Decrease2.svg20.3%
 First partySecond party
 
Candidate Gordon McMaster Iain Lawson
Party Labour SNP
Popular vote12,4857,455
Percentage46.1%27.5%
SwingDecrease2.svg10.0%Increase2.svg13.5%

 Third partyFourth party
 
CandidateJohn Workman Alan Reid
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Popular vote3,6272,660
Percentage13.4%9.8%
SwingDecrease2.svg1.3%Decrease2.svg5.3%

MP before election

Norman Buchan
Labour

Subsequent MP

Gordon McMaster
Labour

The 1990 Paisley South by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 29 November 1990 for the UK House of Commons constituency of Paisley South, in the town of Paisley, Scotland.

Contents

It was caused by the death of the previous Labour Member of Parliament, Norman Buchan.

As in the by-election in the neighbouring seat of Paisley North held on the same day, the SNP saw a healthy increase in their share of the vote, but not enough to win, and the Labour Party retained the seat, with Gordon McMaster emerging as the victor.

The by-election was the first parliamentary election to take place under the premiership of John Major, who had succeeded Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister just two days earlier. Although the change of party leader sparked an almost instant upswing in Conservative support (which had been declining for the previous 18 months largely due to the poll tax) and ultimately saw them win the 1992 general election with their highest number of votes on record, the Tories failed to take advantage of this by-election; polling at a mere 13.4% and failing to alter the political climate in a traditional Labour stronghold.

Result

Paisley South by-election, 1990 [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Gordon McMaster 12,485 46.1 −10.0
SNP Iain Lawson7,45527.5+13.5
Conservative John Workman3,62713.4−1.3
Liberal Democrats Alan Reid 2,6609.8−5.3
Scottish Green Lizbeth Collie8353.1New
Majority5,03018.6−22.5
Turnout 27,06255.0−20.3
Labour hold Swing -11.8

See also

References

  1. Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1987-92 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Retrieved 1 October 2015.