1993 Christchurch by-election

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1993 Christchurch by-election
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
  1992 29 July 1993 1997  

Constituency of Christchurch
Turnout74.2%
 First partySecond party
  Baroness Maddock, September 2009 cropped.jpg
Official portrait of Lord Hayward crop 2.jpg
Candidate Diana Maddock Robert Hayward
Party Liberal Democrats Conservative
Popular vote33,16416,737
Percentage62.2%31.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg38.6%Decrease2.svg32.2%

MP before election

Robert Adley
Conservative

Elected MP

Diana Maddock
Liberal Democrats

A by-election was held in the British House of Commons constituency of Christchurch on 29 July 1993 following the death of sitting Conservative MP Robert Adley.

Contents

The result was a gain for the Liberal Democrats, notable for the swing necessary to take such a strong Conservative seat, gaining more than 60% of the votes cast and winning practically twice as many votes as the Conservatives. As of December 2021, the swing of 35.4% remains the sixth-largest by-election swing in British political history (the Bermondsey by-election in 1983 having the largest). It was also the largest swing (35%) against any British government since 1918. [1]

At the time, it was not necessary for candidates in British elections to register party names or ballot paper descriptions. Details on candidates at this election are taken from the official count [2] and David Boothroyd's election results site. [3]

Result

Christchurch by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Diana Maddock 33,164 62.2 +38.6
Conservative Robert Hayward 16,73731.4–32.2
Labour Nigel Lickley1,4532.7–9.4
Anti-Federalist League Alan Sked 8781.6New
Monster Raving Loony David Sutch 4040.8New
Ind. Conservative Andrew Bannon3570.7New
Sack Graham Taylor Peter Newman800.2New
Buy the Daily Sport Tara Bardot-Jackson670.1New
Save the National Health Service Peter A. Hollyman600.1New
Highlander IV Wednesday PromotionJohn Crockard480.1New
Natural Law Mark Griffiths450.1–0.3
Ian For KingMark Belcher230.0New
Alfred The Chicken Karl Fitzhugh180.0New
Rainbow Alliance John Walley160.0New
Majority16,42730.8N/A
Turnout 53,35074.2−6.5
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +35.4

See also

References

  1. "Top Ten Lib Dem 'breakthrough moments'". Epolitix.com. 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 12 May 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  2. YouTube video
  3. Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1992–97 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 20 July 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2015.