Are the following statements about by-elections to the UK
Parliament true of false?
1
When Jim McMahon won the Oldham West and Royton by-election for the Labour
Party in December 2015, it was with higher total majority than in the General
Election of May 2015.
False: The 10,722 majority in December was lower than 14,738 majority achieved in
May. However, the percentage of the winning vote (of the actual turnout) increased
from 54.8 %to 62%.
2
When Douglas Carswell resigned from his position as Conservative MP for Clacton
in October 2014, he stood in the resultant by-election as a candidate for UKIP. His
victory in the by-election meant he became the second UKIP MP in Parliament.
False: He became the first MP for UKIP. Mark Reckless resigned as MP for Rochester
and Strood (and won the by-election) to become the second UKIP MP. Reckless then
lost the seat in the General Election of May 2015.
3
True: He resigned his post as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in
February 2012 after being charged. However, he did not resign his seat until
conviction in 2013. The by-election, in February 2013, was retained by the Liberal
Democrats.
Chris Huhne was forced to resign his seat of Eastleigh after he was convicted (and
sentenced to jail) for perverting the course of justice. Huhne was also a member of
cabinet for the Coalition government. This occurred in 2013.
4
True: It was only when Parliament was dissolved in September 1964 and a General
Election held that the seat was filled. There was no by-election!
Denis Vosper resigned his seat of Runcorn in 1964 to take up a peerage and position
in the House of Lords. His seat remained vacant, without a replacement, for 17
months.
5
True: There have been some instances where this was not the case but generally
they will always be held on a Thursday. Until the mid-1960s, it was common to hold
by-elections on any day of the week (other than Sunday).
By-elections are almost always held on a Thursday.
6
True: This has happened on many occasions. In November 2012 there were two
groupings of three by-elections (15 November and 29 November).
It is possible to have more than one by-election on the same day around the
country.
7
Conservative David Davies resigned his seat of Haltemprice and Howden in 2008
leading to a by-election to force a debate on civil liberties. He contested the byelection but no Labour or Liberal Democrat candidates stood. Davies lost the byelection.
False: He retained the seat with 72% of the vote. The by-election broke several
records, including the highest number of candidates running in a UK parliamentary
by-election, the largest number of independents and the largest number of people
losing their deposits.
8
True: This is the longest period of such failure since records began, and more than
twice the previous record of the five years it took the then Labour opposition to gain
against an incumbent Conservative government.
Until the Crewe and Nantwich by-election of 2008, the Conservatives had not won a
by-election where they had ousted an incumbent Labour candidate for 11 years.
This is the worse record for a principal opposition party attempting to gain a seat
against an incumbent government.