List of United Kingdom by-elections (1979–2010)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English There were 131 parliamentary by-elections in the United Kingdom between the 1979 and 2010 general elections. In the list below, the names of the incumbent and victor and their respective parties are given. Where seats changed political party at the election, the result is highlighted: blue for a Conservative gain, red for a Labour gain, yellow for an SNP gain, orange for a Liberal, Social Democratic Party or Liberal Democrat gain and other colours for other gains.

Resignations

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Where the cause of by-election is given as "resignation" or "seeks re-election", this indicates that the incumbent was appointed on his or her own request to an "office of profit under the Crown", either the Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Steward of the Manor of Northstead. Accepting an office of profit under the Crown vacates the member's seat. This process is used because members of the House of Commons are not technically permitted to resign. A member who resigns in this manner may stand for re-election.

By-elections

2005–2010 Parliament

There were 14 by-elections in the 2005–2010 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing Labour party, three by the Conservatives, one by the Liberal Democrats, one by an independent and one by the speaker. Eight by-elections were won by the incumbent party, including in Haltemprice and Howden where Conservative David Davis resigned to recontest his seat. Meanwhile, Blaenau Gwent was won by a second independent candidate. Labour lost four seats; two to the Conservatives, one to the Liberal Democrats and one to the SNP. The speaker's seat was regained by Labour, the party speaker Michael Martin represented before he took up the position in a previous constituency. Eight by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP – five Labour MPs died, along with one Liberal Democrat, one Conservative and independent MP Peter Law.

At the dissolution of Parliament in 2010 there were three vacancies: North West Leicestershire and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, caused by the death of their respective Labour members David Taylor and Ashok Kumar; and Strangford caused by the resignation of the DUP's Iris Robinson. With the close proximity of the 2010 general election, by-elections were not held in these seats. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and Strangford were held by Tom Blenkinsop and Jim Shannon respectively, but North West Leicestershire was won by Conservative Andrew Bridgen.

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Glasgow North East^{[54 1]}	12 November 2009	Michael Martin	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Willie Bain	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation
Norwich North^{[54 1]}	23 July 2009	Ian Gibson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Chloe Smith	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation
Glenrothes^{[54 2]}	6 November 2008	John MacDougall	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Lindsay Roy	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (mesothelioma)
Glasgow East^{[54 3]}	24 July 2008	David Marshall	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Mason	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation due to ill health
Haltemprice and Howden^{[54 2]}	10 July 2008	David Davis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Davis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resigned to recontest
Henley^{[54 2]}	26 June 2008	Boris Johnson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Howell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Election as Mayor of London
Crewe and Nantwich^{[54 1]}	22 May 2008	Gwyneth Dunwoody	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Edward Timpson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Sedgefield^{[54 2]}	19 July 2007	Tony Blair	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Phil Wilson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation on appointment as Middle East Envoy
Ealing Southall^{[54 2]}	19 July 2007	Piara Khabra	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Virendra Sharma	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (liver problems)
Bromley and Chislehurst^{[54 2]}	29 June 2006	Eric Forth	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bob Neill	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Blaenau Gwent^{[54 4]}	29 June 2006	Peter Law	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Dai Davies	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Dunfermline and West Fife^{[54 3]}	9 February 2006	Rachel Squire	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Willie Rennie	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer/stroke)
Livingston^{[54 2]}	29 September 2005	Robin Cook	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Jim Devine^{[54 5]}	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart disease)
Cheadle^{[54 2]}	14 July 2005	Patsy Calton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Mark Hunter	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)

↑ ^a ^b ^c Gain retained at the 2010 general election.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Hold retained at the 2010 general election.
↑ ^a ^b Gain not retained at the 2010 general election.
↑ Hold not retained at the 2010 general election.
↑ Jim Devine was not allowed to stand at the 2010 general election due to an expenses scandal. Graeme Morrice was elected instead.

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2001–2005 Parliament

There were six by-elections in the 2001–2005 Parliament. Each were in seats held by the governing Labour party, four of which were held and two won by the Liberal Democrats. Four by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP.

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Hartlepool^{[53 1]}	30 September 2004	Peter Mandelson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Iain Wright	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation on appointment as European Commissioner
Birmingham Hodge Hill^{[53 1]}	15 July 2004	Terry Davis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Liam Byrne	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation on appointment as Secretary-General of the Council of Europe
Leicester South^{[53 2]}	15 July 2004	Jim Marshall	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Parmjit Singh Gill	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Brent East^{[53 3]}	18 September 2003	Paul Daisley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sarah Teather	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Ogmore^{[53 1]}	14 February 2002	Sir Raymond Powell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Huw Irranca-Davies	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (unknown; probable asthma attack)
Ipswich^{[53 1]}	22 November 2001	Jamie Cann	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Chris Mole	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (liver disease)

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hold retained at the 2005 general election.
↑ Gain not retained at the 2005 general election.
↑ Gain retained at the 2005 general election.

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1997–2001 Parliament

There were 17 by-elections in the 1997–2001 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing Labour party, five by the Conservatives, one by the Liberal Democrats, one by Plaid Cymru, one by the Ulster Unionist Party and one by the speaker. 14 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. The Conservatives lost one seat to the Liberal Democrats, and the Democratic Unionist Party gained South Antrim from the Ulster Unionists. The speaker's seat was regained by Labour, the party speaker Betty Boothroyd represented before she took up the position. Ten by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP; six were Labour, three Conservative and one was the Ulster Unionist MP Clifford Forsythe.

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Falkirk West^{[52 1]}	21 December 2000	Dennis Canavan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell/ Independent^{[52 2]}	Eric Joyce	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation in order to concentrate on his role as a Member of the Scottish Parliament
West Bromwich West^{[52 1]}	23 November 2000	Betty Boothroyd	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell^{[52 3]}	Adrian Bailey	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Life peerage
Preston^{[52 1]}	23 November 2000	Audrey Wise	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Mark Hendrick	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Glasgow Anniesland^{[52 1]}	23 November 2000	Donald Dewar	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Robertson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (Brain haemorrhage after heart surgery)
South Antrim^{[52 4]}	21 September 2000	Clifford Forsythe	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	William McCrea	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (sudden illness)
Tottenham^{[52 1]}	22 June 2000	Bernie Grant	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Lammy	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Romsey^{[52 5]}	4 May 2000	Michael Colvin	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sandra Gidley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (accidental fire)
Ceredigion^{[52 1]}	3 February 2000	Cynog Dafis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Simon Thomas	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation following election to the Welsh Assembly
Kensington and Chelsea^{[52 1]}	25 November 1999	Alan Clark	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Michael Portillo	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Wigan^{[52 1]}	23 September 1999	Roger Stott	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Neil Turner	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (long illness)
Hamilton South^{[52 1]}	23 September 1999	George Robertson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bill Tynan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Life peerage upon appointment as Secretary-General of NATO
Eddisbury^{[52 1]}	22 July 1999	Alastair Goodlad	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Stephen O'Brien	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as High Commissioner to Australia
Leeds Central^{[52 1]}	10 June 1999	Derek Fatchett	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Hilary Benn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Winchester^{[52 1]}	20 November 1997	Mark Oaten	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Mark Oaten	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Void election
Beckenham^{[52 1]}	20 November 1997	Piers Merchant	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Jacqui Lait	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation (scandal)
Paisley South^{[52 1]}	6 November 1997	Gordon McMaster	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Douglas Alexander	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (suicide)
Uxbridge^{[52 1]}	31 July 1997	Sir Michael Shersby	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Randall	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" /> ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Hold retained at the 2001 general election. ↑ Dennis Canavan was elected as a Labour MP from Feb 1974 onwards but in 1999 left the party when he was not selected as a Labour candidate for the Scottish Parliament and instead successfully stood as an independent. ↑ Betty Boothroyd had originally been elected as a Labour MP. ↑ Gain not retained at the 2001 general election. ↑ Gain retained at the 2001 general election. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

1992–1997 Parliament

There were 18 by-elections in the 1992–1997 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, nine by Labour and one by the Ulster Popular Unionist Party. Nine by-elections were won by the incumbent party, all of which happened to be Labour. The Conservatives lost all eight seats in the by-elections – four to the Liberal Democrats, three to Labour and one to the SNP. The UK Unionist Party gained North Down from the Ulster Popular Unionists. 16 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP – eight Conservatives died, along with seven Labour MPs and the Ulster Popular Unionist MP Sir James Kilfedder.

At the dissolution of Parliament in 1997 there were two vacancies: Meriden, caused by the death of its Conservative member Iain Mills, and Don Valley, caused by the death of its Labour member Martin Redmond. With the close proximity of the 1997 general election, by-elections were not held in these seats. They were held by Caroline Spelman and Caroline Flint respectively.

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Wirral South	27 February 1997^{[51 1]}	Barry Porter	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Ben Chapman	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Barnsley East	12 December 1996	Terry Patchett	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Jeff Ennis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
South East Staffordshire	11 April 1996^{[51 1]}	Sir David Lightbown	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Brian Jenkins	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Hemsworth	1 February 1996	Derek Enright	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Jon Trickett	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Littleborough and Saddleworth	27 July 1995^{[51 2]}	Geoffrey Dickens	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Chris Davies	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (long illness)
North Down	15 June 1995^{[51 1]}	Sir James Kilfedder	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Robert McCartney	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Perth and Kinross	25 May 1995^{[51 1]}	Sir Nicholas Fairbairn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Roseanna Cunningham	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (liver cirrhosis)
Islwyn	16 February 1995	Neil Kinnock	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Don Touhig	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as European Commissioner
Dudley West	15 December 1994^{[51 1]}	John Blackburn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Ian Pearson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Monklands East	30 June 1994	John Smith	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Helen Liddell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Newham North East	9 June 1994	Ron Leighton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Stephen Timms	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Eastleigh	9 June 1994^{[51 1]}	Stephen Milligan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Chidgey	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (auto-erotic asphyxiation)
Dagenham	9 June 1994	Bryan Gould	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Judith Church	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waikato, New Zealand
Bradford South	9 June 1994	Bob Cryer	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Gerry Sutcliffe	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (road accident)
Barking	9 June 1994	Jo Richardson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Margaret Hodge	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (long illness)
Rotherham	5 May 1994	Jimmy Boyce	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Denis MacShane	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Christchurch	29 July 1993^{[51 3]}	Robert Adley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Diana Maddock	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Newbury	6 May 1993^{[51 1]}	Judith Chaplin	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Rendel	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (complications following surgery)
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" /> ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Gain retained at the 1997 general election. ↑ Littleborough and Saddleworth was abolished in boundary changes taking effect from 1997. Davies contested the successor seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth for the Liberal Democrats but lost to Labour. ↑ Gain not retained at the 1997 general election. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

1987–1992 Parliament

There were 24 by-elections in the 1987–1992 Parliament. Ten were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, 13 by Labour and one by the Ulster Unionist Party. 16 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. Labour lost one seat to the SNP, and the Conservatives lost seven seats; four to Labour and three to the Liberal Democrats. 20 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP – 11 Labour MPs died, along with eight Conservatives and Ulster Unionist Harold McCusker.

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Langbaurgh	7 November 1991^{[50 1]}	Richard Holt	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Ashok Kumar	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Kincardine and Deeside	7 November 1991^{[50 1]}	Alick Buchanan-Smith	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Nicol Stephen	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Hemsworth	7 November 1991	George Buckley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Derek Enright	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Liverpool Walton	4 July 1991	Eric Heffer	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Peter Kilfoyle	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Monmouth	16 May 1991^{[50 1]}	Sir John Stradling Thomas	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Huw Edwards	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Neath	4 April 1991	Donald Coleman	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Peter Hain	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Ribble Valley	7 March 1991^{[50 1]}	David Waddington	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Michael Carr	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Life peerage on appointment as Leader of the House of Lords
Paisley South	29 November 1990	Norman Buchan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Gordon McMaster	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Paisley North	29 November 1990	Allen Adams	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Irene Adams	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (brain haemorrhage)
Bradford North	8 November 1990	Pat Wall	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Terry Rooney	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (long illness)
Bootle	8 November 1990	Michael Carr	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Joseph Benton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Eastbourne	18 October 1990^{[50 1]}	Ian Gow	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Bellotti	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (terrorism)
Knowsley South	27 September 1990	Sean Hughes	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Edward O'Hara	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Bootle	24 May 1990	Allan Roberts	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Michael Carr	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Upper Bann	17 May 1990	Harold McCusker	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Trimble	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (cancer)
Mid Staffordshire	22 March 1990^{[50 1]}	John Heddle	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sylvia Heal	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (suicide)
Vauxhall	15 June 1989	Stuart Holland	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Kate Hoey	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment to the European University Institute, Florence
Glasgow Central	15 June 1989	Bob McTaggart	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Mike Watson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Vale of Glamorgan	4 May 1989^{[50 1]}	Sir Raymond Gower	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Smith	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Richmond	23 February 1989	Leon Brittan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	William Hague	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as European Commissioner
Pontypridd	23 February 1989	Brynmor John	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Kim Howells	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (chronic fatigue syndrome)
Epping Forest	15 December 1988	Sir John Biggs-Davison	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Steven Norris	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Glasgow Govan	10 November 1988^{[50 1]}	Bruce Millan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Jim Sillars	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as European Commissioner
Kensington	14 July 1988	Sir Brandon Rhys-Williams, Bt.	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Dudley Fishburn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (leukaemia)
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" /> ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Gain not retained at the 1992 general election. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

1983–1987 Parliament

There were 31 by-elections in the 1983–1987 Parliament. Nine were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, six by Labour and one by the Liberals. The remaining 15 were in Northern Ireland, involving the province's own political parties. 25 by-elections were won by the incumbent party, including all in Northern Ireland except one. The Conservatives lost five seats; one to Labour, two to the Liberals, and two to the Social Democrats. The Ulster Unionists lost one seat to the Social Democratic and Labour Party. 11 by-elections were the result of the death of the incumbent MP; seven were Conservatives, three Labour and one Liberal.

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Truro	12 March 1987	David Penhaligon	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Matthew Taylor	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (road accident)
Greenwich	26 February 1987^{[49 1]}	Guy Barnett	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Rosie Barnes	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Knowsley North	13 November 1986	Robert Kilroy-Silk	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	George Howarth	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	New BBC TV presenter career
Newcastle-under-Lyme	17 July 1986	John Golding	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Llin Golding	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as General Secretary of the National Communications Union
Ryedale	8 May 1986^{[49 2]}	John Spence	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Elizabeth Shields	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
West Derbyshire	8 May 1986	Matthew Parris	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Patrick McLoughlin	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as presenter of LWT programme Weekend World
Fulham	10 April 1986^{[49 2]}	Martin Stevens	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Nick Raynsford	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Upper Bann	23 January 1986	Harold McCusker	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Harold McCusker	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Strangford	23 January 1986	John Taylor	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Taylor	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Newry & Armagh	23 January 1986^{[49 1]}	James Nicholson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Seamus Mallon	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
North Antrim	23 January 1986	Ian Paisley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Ian Paisley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
East Antrim	23 January 1986	Roy Beggs	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Roy Beggs	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
South Antrim	23 January 1986	Clifford Forsythe	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Clifford Forsythe	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Belfast North	23 January 1986	Cecil Walker	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Cecil Walker	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Belfast East	23 January 1986	Peter Robinson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Peter Robinson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Belfast South	23 January 1986	Martin Smyth	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Martin Smyth	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
North Down	23 January 1986	James Kilfedder	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	James Kilfedder	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
South Down	23 January 1986^{[49 3]}	Enoch Powell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Enoch Powell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Fermanagh & South Tyrone	23 January 1986	Ken Maginnis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Ken Maginnis	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Lagan Valley	23 January 1986	James Molyneaux	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	James Molyneaux	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
East Londonderry	23 January 1986	William Ross	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	William Ross	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Mid Ulster	23 January 1986	William McCrea	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	William McCrea	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Tyne Bridge	5 December 1985	Harry Cowans	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Clelland	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Brecon and Radnor	4 July 1985^{[49 1]}	Tom Hooson	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Richard Livsey	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart attack)
Enfield Southgate	13 December 1984	Sir Anthony Berry	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Michael Portillo	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (terrorism)
Portsmouth South	14 June 1984^{[49 2]}	Bonner Pink	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Mike Hancock	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
South West Surrey	3 May 1984	Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Virginia Bottomley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (heart failure)
Stafford	3 May 1984	Sir Hugh Fraser	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bill Cash	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (lung cancer)
Cynon Valley	3 May 1984	Ioan Evans	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Ann Clwyd	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Chesterfield	1 March 1984	Eric Varley	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Tony Benn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as Chairman of Coalite PLC
Penrith and the Border	28 July 1983	William Whitelaw	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	David Maclean	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Hereditary peerage on appointment as Leader of the House of Lords
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" /> ↑ ^a ^b ^c Gain retained at the 1987 general election. ↑ ^a ^b ^c Gain not retained at the 1987 general election. ↑ Enoch Powell retained the seat for the Ulster Unionists in the by-election but lost it to the Social Democratic and Labour Party at the 1987 general election. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

1979–1983 Parliament

There were 20 by-elections in the 1979–1983 Parliament. Seven were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, ten by Labour, one by the Ulster Unionists and two (in the same seat) by Irish republican parties, who do not take up their seats in the House of Commons. 13 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. The Conservatives lost four seats: one to Labour, one to the Liberals and two to the Social Democrats, and Labour lost two seats: one to the Liberals and one to the Conservatives. Meanwhile, the seat of Fermanagh and South Tyrone was won from the Independent Republican Party by Anti H-Block, a branch of Sinn Féin. 15 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP; six were Conservatives, six Labour, and the others were the Ulster Unionist Robert Bradford, the Independent Republican Frank Maguire and the Anti H-Block member Bobby Sands (who was in prison).

By-election	Date	Incumbent	Party		Winner	Party
Darlington	24 March 1983^{[48 1]}	Edward Fletcher	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Oswald O'Brien	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Bermondsey	24 February 1983^{[48 2]}	Robert Mellish	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell/Ind Labour	Simon Hughes	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation (dispute with party)
Glasgow Queen's Park	2 December 1982	Frank McElhone	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Helen McElhone	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Peckham	28 October 1982	Harry Lamborn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Harriet Harman	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Birmingham Northfield	28 October 1982^{[48 3]}	Jocelyn Cadbury	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	John Spellar	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (suicide)
Gower	16 September 1982	Ifor Davies	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Gareth Wardell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Coatbridge and Airdrie	24 June 1982	James Dempsey	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Thomas Clarke	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Mitcham and Morden	3 June 1982^{[48 4]}	Bruce Douglas-Mann	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell/Ind SDP	Angela Rumbold	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Sought re-election upon change of party allegiance
Beaconsfield	27 May 1982	Sir Ronald Bell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Tim Smith	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Glasgow Hillhead	25 March 1982^{[48 2]}	Sir Thomas Galbraith	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Roy Jenkins	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Belfast South	4 March 1982	Robert Bradford	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Martin Smyth	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (killed by IRA)
Crosby	26 November 1981^{[48 3]}	Sir Graham Page	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Shirley Williams	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Croydon North West	22 October 1981^{[48 3]}	Robert Taylor	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bill Pitt	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Fermanagh & South Tyrone	20 August 1981^{[48 5]}	Bobby Sands	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Owen Carron	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (hunger strike)
Warrington	16 July 1981	Sir Thomas Williams	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Doug Hoyle	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Appointment as High Court judge
Fermanagh & South Tyrone	9 April 1981^{[48 5]}	Frank Maguire	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bobby Sands	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death
Glasgow Central	26 June 1980	Thomas McMillan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bob McTaggart	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (fall)
Southend East	13 March 1980^{[48 2]}	Sir Stephen McAdden	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Teddy Taylor	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Death (fall)
South West Hertfordshire	13 December 1979	Geoffrey Dodsworth	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Richard Page	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Resignation on medical advice
Manchester Central	27 September 1979	Harold Lever	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Bob Litherland	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color Template:Redirect category shell	Life peerage
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" /> ↑ Oswald O'Brien retained the seat for Labour in the by-election but lost it to the Conservatives in the 1983 general election only 11 weeks later. ↑ ^a ^b ^c Gain retained at the 1983 general election. ↑ ^a ^b ^c Gain not retained at the 1983 general election. ↑ Mitcham and Morden was the last time an incumbent government gained a seat from the opposition in a by-election until the Copeland by-election on 23 February 2017. ↑ ^a ^b Following Sands' death, Owen Carron retained the seat for Anti H-Block in the second by-election and defended it as Sinn Féin in the 1983 general election but lost to the Ulster Unionists. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

References

Sources

United Kingdom Election Results (David Boothroyd)
United Kingdom Elections (Keele University)
British Parliamentary By-Elections since 1945
List of MPs since 1660 Template:Category handler^{[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]}Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
F. W. S. Craig (1984). British parliamentary election results, 1974–1983. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. Template:ISBN.
F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Statistics 1832–1987
F. W. S. Craig (1987). Chronology of British by-elections, 1832–1987. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. Template:ISBN.

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[yes-1] Gain retained at the 2010 general election.

[yes2-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Hold retained at the 2010 general election.

[no-3] Gain not retained at the 2010 general election.

[no2-4] Hold not retained at the 2010 general election.

[5] Jim Devine was not allowed to stand at the 2010 general election due to an expenses scandal. Graeme Morrice was elected instead.

[yes2-6] Hold retained at the 2005 general election.

[no-7] Gain not retained at the 2005 general election.

[yes-8] Gain retained at the 2005 general election.

[yes2-9] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Hold retained at the 2001 general election.

[10] Dennis Canavan was elected as a Labour MP from Feb 1974 onwards but in 1999 left the party when he was not selected as a Labour candidate for the Scottish Parliament and instead successfully stood as an independent.

[11] Betty Boothroyd had originally been elected as a Labour MP.

[no-12] Gain not retained at the 2001 general election.

[yes-13] Gain retained at the 2001 general election.

[yes-14] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Gain retained at the 1997 general election.

[15] Littleborough and Saddleworth was abolished in boundary changes taking effect from 1997. Davies contested the successor seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth for the Liberal Democrats but lost to Labour.

[no-16] Gain not retained at the 1997 general election.

[no-17] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Gain not retained at the 1992 general election.

[yes-18] Gain retained at the 1987 general election.

[no-19] Gain not retained at the 1987 general election.

[20] Enoch Powell retained the seat for the Ulster Unionists in the by-election but lost it to the Social Democratic and Labour Party at the 1987 general election.

[21] Oswald O'Brien retained the seat for Labour in the by-election but lost it to the Conservatives in the 1983 general election only 11 weeks later.

[yes-22] Gain retained at the 1983 general election.

[no-23] Gain not retained at the 1983 general election.

[24] Mitcham and Morden was the last time an incumbent government gained a seat from the opposition in a by-election until the Copeland by-election on 23 February 2017.

[fst-25] Following Sands' death, Owen Carron retained the seat for Anti H-Block in the second by-election and defended it as Sinn Féin in the 1983 general election but lost to the Ulster Unionists.

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List of United Kingdom by-elections (1979–2010)

Contents

Resignations

By-elections

2005–2010 Parliament

2001–2005 Parliament

1997–2001 Parliament

1992–1997 Parliament

1987–1992 Parliament

1983–1987 Parliament

1979–1983 Parliament

See also

References

Sources

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List of United Kingdom by-elections (1979–2010)

Resignations

By-elections

2005–2010 Parliament

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1979–1983 Parliament

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References

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