Banffshire by-election, 1907

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The Banffshire by-election was a Parliamentary by-election. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.

A parliamentary by-election occurs in the United Kingdom following a vacancy arising in the House of Commons. They are often seen as a test of the rival political parties' fortunes between general elections.

House of Commons of the United Kingdom lower house in the Parliament of the United Kingdom

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster. Officially, the full name of the house is the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. Owing to shortage of space, its office accommodation extends into Portcullis House.

Contents

Vacancy

The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Liberal MP, Alexander William Black on 29 December 1906. He died from injuries received in the Elliot Junction rail accident, [1] forcing a by-election early in 1907. [2]

Liberal Party (UK) political party of the United Kingdom, 1859–1988

The Liberal Party was one of the two major parties in the United Kingdom with the opposing Conservative Party in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The party arose from an alliance of Whigs and free trade Peelites and Radicals favourable to the ideals of the American and French Revolutions in the 1850s. By the end of the 19th century, it had formed four governments under William Gladstone. Despite being divided over the issue of Irish Home Rule, the party returned to government in 1905 and then won a landslide victory in the following year's general election.

Alexander William Black British politician

Alexander William Black was a Liberal Party politician in Scotland.

Elliot Junction rail accident train wreck

The Elliot Junction rail accident occurred on 28 December 1906 between Arbroath railway station and Carnoustie railway station in Scotland, with 22 fatalities.

Electoral history

Black had been Liberal MP for the seat of Banffshire since the 1900 General Election. The seat had been Liberal since they gained it in 1837. They easily held the seat at the last election, with an increased majority;

Alexander Black Alexander Black.jpg
Alexander Black
General Election 1906: Banffshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Alexander William Black 4,101 68.3 +15.5
Conservative James Augustus Grant 1,901 31.7 -15.5
Majority 2,200 36.6 +31.0
Turnout 6,002
Liberal hold Swing +15.5

Candidates

The local Liberal Association selected 31-year-old Walter Waring to defend the seat. Waring was the son of Charles Waring, former Liberal Member of Parliament for Poole. He was unsuccessful Liberal candidate in Wigtonshire in the 1906 general election. The Conservatives chose 39-year-old William Whitelaw as their candidate. Whitelaw was elected at the 1892 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Perth, but lost his seat at the 1895 general election and was defeated when he stood again in 1900. [2] He was a director of the Highland Railway (HR) since 1898, [4] and Chairman of the HR since 1902.

Charles Waring was a Liberal Party and Liberal Unionist Party politician.

Poole (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

Poole is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Robert Syms, a Conservative.

Wigtownshire, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was represented by one Member of Parliament.

Campaign

Polling Day was fixed for the 16 February 1907.

Result

The Liberals held the seat with a slightly reduced majority;

Walter Waring Walter Waring.jpg
Walter Waring
Banffshire by-election, 1907 [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Walter Waring 3,901 67.3 -1.0
Conservative William Whitelaw 1,892 32.7 +1.0
Majority 2,009 34.6 -2.0
Turnout 70.8
Liberal hold Swing -1.0

The Liberal vote share of 67.3%, though less than in 1906, was higher than any other Liberal vote share since before 1885.

Aftermath

Waring was re-elected at the following general election against a new Conservative opponent;

General Election Jan 1910: Banffshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Liberal Walter Waring 4,066 66.4
Conservative James Crabb Watt 2,053 33.6
Majority 2,013 32.8
Turnout 74.8
Liberal hold Swing

Whitelaw did not stand for parliament again.

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References

  1. ↑ "Election Intelligence. Banffshire". The Times . London. 31 December 1906. p. 9.
  2. 1 2 Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 518. ISBN   0-900178-27-2.
  3. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  4. ↑ Hughes, Geoffrey (1987) [1986]. LNER. London: Guild Publishing/Book Club Associates. p. 14. CN 1455.
  5. ↑ The Times, 19 Feb 1907
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