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
General election Saturday 20 January 1906 Electorate [3]
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

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

Polling Day was arranged for 20 June 1908, just 18 days after the retirement of the previous MP.

Result
1908 Pudsey by-election[5] Electorate
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

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
  1. Craig, F.W.S. (1987). Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 102.
  2. "Parliament - House Of Commons - New Writ", The Times, p. 6, 4 June 1908
  3. "The General Election - The Polls", The Times, p. 10, 22 January 1906
  4. "Pudsey by-election", Manchester Guardian, 8 June 1908
  5. "Election Intelligence", The Times, p. 9, 22 June 1908
  6. A Liberal Chronicle: Journals and Papers of J.A. Pease
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