Abertillery by-election, 1950

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The Abertillery by-election of was held on 30 November 1950 in Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, following the death of the incumbent Labour MP George Daggar. Local minister Llywelyn Williams stood for the Labour Party, while Richard Body contested it for the Conservative Party. Williams was elected, with a majority of 20,783 (73%).

Abertillery was a county constituency centred on the town of Abertillery in Monmouthshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system of election. From 1950 up to 1970, it was the safest Labour seat in the United Kingdom.

By-elections, also spelled bye-elections, are used to fill elected offices that have become vacant between general elections.

Blaenau Gwent county borough

Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. Its highest point is Coity Mountain at 1,896 feet (578 m).

Contents

Background

At the 1950 general election, George Daggar held his seat for the Labour Party. He defeated the challenger from the Conservative Party, O.J. Lewis, with a majority of 25,206. [1] By September that year, Dagger was too ill to attend votes at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, including one on the steel debate opened by Winston Churchill; the largest opposition vote since 1924. Dagger was one of only two MPs not to be present, alongside Harold Roberts for the Conservative Party. [2] Although around the same time, Dagger was said to be showing signs of improvement. [3] Following his death, the seat was re-contested. [4]

George Daggar was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.

The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom which has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The party's platform emphasises greater state intervention, social justice and strengthening workers' rights.

Candidates

The candidates put forward by the parties were the Rev. Llywelyn Williams for Labour, and Richard Body for the Conservative Party. [1] Williams resigned his ministry of the Welsh Congregational Church at Abertillery in order to contest the seat. Body did not have any local links, and had contested the Rotherham constituency at the 1950 general election. [5]

Llywelyn Williams was a Welsh Labour Party politician.

Sir Richard Bernard Frank Stewart Body was an English politician. He was Conservative Member of Parliament for Billericay from 1955 to 1959, for Holland with Boston from 1966 to 1997, and for Boston and Skegness from 1997 until he stood down at the 2001 general election. He was a long-standing member of the Conservative Monday Club, and came second in its 1972 election for chairman. Body also served as President of the Anti-Common Market League.

Welsh Congregational Church

The Welsh Congregational Church is a historic church in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. Formed by some of Youngstown's large Welsh American community, it was once the center of Welsh life in Youngstown, and it has been designated a historic site.

Result

The by-election was held on 30 November, with the result announced the following day. It was the same day as the by-election in the Bristol South East constituency. [4] Williams held the seat for the Labour Party, with 26,622 votes and a share increase by just over half of one percent, while Body received 3,839 and saw his share decrease by the same amount. [5] [6]

Abertillery by-election, 1950
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Llywelyn Williams 24,62286.51-0.54
Conservative Richard Body 3,83913.49+0.54
Majority20,78373.02-1.09
Turnout 28,461
Labour hold Swing

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References

  1. 1 2 "Abertillery By-Election". The Scotsman. 23 November 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 1 May 2016– via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).
  2. ↑ "Govt. win by Six in Censure Division". Weston Daily Press. 20 September 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 1 May 2016– via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).
  3. ↑ "M.P. Slightly Better". Lincolnshire Echo. 18 September 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 1 May 2016– via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).
  4. 1 2 "Labour Votes Show Slump". Portsmouth Evening News. 1 December 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 1 May 2016– via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).
  5. 1 2 "Labour Hold Abertillery by 20,783". Hull Daily Mail. 1 December 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 1 May 2016– via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).
  6. ↑ "UK election statistics 1945-2003" (PDF). Parliament.UK. 1 July 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
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