1975 Woolwich West by-election

The 1975 Woolwich West by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 26 June 1975 for the British House of Commons constituency of Woolwich West in South East London.

1975 Woolwich West by-election
26 June 1975
Constituency of Woolwich West
Turnout46.43% (Decrease 27.46%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Lab
Lib
Candidate Peter Bottomley Joseph Stanyer Sheilagh Hobday
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Popular vote 17,280 14,898 1,884
Percentage 48.78% 42.06% 5.32%
Swing Increase 10.19% Decrease 5.03% Decrease 8.99%
MP before election

William Hamling
Labour

 Elected MP

Peter Bottomley
Conservative

The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Labour Member of Parliament (MP), William Hamling died on 20 March 1975. He had held the seat since winning it from the Conservatives at the 1964 general election. It was the first by election since the general election the previous October.[1]

Results

The result of the contest was a victory for the Conservative candidate, Peter Bottomley, who held the seat until its abolition for the 1983 general election; he had contested the seat in both 1974 general elections. He then sat for Eltham, the successor seat and since 1997 has represented Worthing West, a safe Tory seat in Sussex.

As the result of the by-election was a Conservative gain from Labour, the result reduced the Labour majority in the House of Commons from 3 seats to 1 seat as their number of seats fell from 319 to 318 in a House of 635 members. However the position of the Labour Government was made worse by the fact one of its MPs John Stonehouse, was absent from the country.[1]

This was the first by-election the Conservatives fought under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who abandoned a precedent that party leaders did not campaign in by-elections, by personally canvassing in support of Bottomley.[1] Writing in The Glasgow Herald political correspondent John Warden stated that the victory would boost Mrs Thatcher by silencing "mutterings about her leadership" for at least a few months.[1]

Votes
Woolwich West by-election, 1975[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bottomley 17,280 48.78 +10.19
Labour Joseph Stanyer 14,898 42.06 -5.03
Liberal Sheilagh Hobday 1,884 5.32 -8.99
National Front Ruth Robinson 856 2.42 New
Fellowship Ronald Mallone 218 0.61 New
English National Frank Hansford-Miller 140 0.39 New
C'tive, Anti-Common Market Reginald Simmerson 104 0.29 New
Independent Peter Bishop 41 0.12 New
Majority 2,382 6.72 N/A
Turnout 35,421 46.43 -27.46
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

See also

References
  1. Warden, John (27 June 1975). "Mrs Thatcher secures her maiden win". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  2. "1975 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
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