1939 Monmouth by-election

The Monmouth by-election, 1939 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Monmouth in Wales on 25 July 1939.

1939 Monmouth by-election
25 July 1939 (1939-07-25)

Vacancy

The Conservative MP John Herbert had resigned his seat on 1 July 1939, having been appointed as Governor of Bengal.

Previous Result
General election 1935: Monmouth[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Herbert 23,262 63.4 1.6
Labour Michael Mackintosh Foot 13,454 36.6 +1.6
Majority 9,808 26.8 -3.2
Turnout 36,716 76.8 +7.4
Registered electors 47,792
Conservative hold Swing -1.6

Candidates

The Conservative candidate was 55-year-old Leslie Pym, who had not had previously contested a parliamentary election.

The Labour Party candidate at the 1935 general election had been 22-year-old Michael Foot, who later became Leader of the Labour Party. Foot did not contest the by-election, when the Labour candidate was F.R. Hancock, who had been unsuccessful in Salisbury at the 1929 general election and at a by-election in 1931. He had also been an unsuccessful candidate in Lewes at the 1931 and 1935 general elections.[1] He was also a Quaker and thus opposed to all war.

Result

On a slightly reduced turnout, Pym held the seat for the Conservatives, with a reduced but still large majority of 5,815.

1939 Monmouth by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Leslie Pym 17,358 60.1 -3.3
Labour Frank Rivers Hancock 11,543 39.9 +3.3
Majority 5,815 20.2 -6.6
Turnout 28,901 58.2 -18.6
Registered electors 49,690
Conservative hold Swing -3.3

Aftermath
General election July 1945: Monmouth[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Leslie Pym 22,195 51.9 -8.2
Labour A. B. L. Oakley 20,543 48.1 +8.2
Majority 1,652 3.8 -16.4
Turnout 42,738 72.0 +13.8
Registered electors 39,359
Conservative hold Swing -8.2

Pym was re-elected at the 1945 general election, but died five days later.

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See also

References
  1. Craig, F. W. S. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (1 ed.). Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-019. Page 567

Further reading
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