1908 Pudsey by-election
The Pudsey by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 20 June 1908.[1] The constituency returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.
The by-election was caused when the Member of Parliament, the George Whiteley resigned from Parliament by accepting appointment as Steward of the Manor of Northstead.[2]
Electoral history[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | George Whiteley | 7,043 | 66.5 | +14.1 | |
| Conservative | C W Ford | 3,541 | 33.5 | -14.1 | |
| Majority | 3,502 | 33.0 | +28.2 | ||
| Turnout | 15,909 | 66.5 | -11.7 | ||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
Candidates[edit]
Frederick Ogden, John James Oddy and J. W. Benson were the three candidates. Eccentric poet Arthur Hunnable announced that he would contest the election, but failed to submit nomination papers.[4]
Campaign[edit]
Polling Day was arranged for 20 June 1908, just 18 days after the retirement of the previous MP.
Result[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | John James Oddy | 5,444 | 45.1 | +11.7 | |
| Liberal | Frederick Ogden | 5,331 | 44.2 | -22.4 | |
| Independent Labour | J. W. Benson | 1,291 | 10.7 | New | |
| Majority | 113 | 0.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 12066 | 78.3 | +11.8 | ||
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | ||||
Aftermath[edit]
On 26 June, it was announced that Whiteley, the former MP, had been awarded a peerage and would take a seat in the House of Lords.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Craig, F.W.S. (1987). Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 102.
- ^ "Parliament - House Of Commons - New Writ", The Times, p. 6, 4 June 1908
- ^ "The General Election - The Polls", The Times, p. 10, 22 January 1906
- ^ "Pudsey by-election", Manchester Guardian, 8 June 1908
- ^ "Election Intelligence", The Times, p. 9, 22 June 1908
- ^ A Liberal Chronicle: Journals and Papers of J.A. Pease