2008 Henley by-election

UK parliamentary by-election April 2020 2008 Henley by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Constituency of Henley no 2005 United Kingdom general election 2005 2010 United Kingdom general election 2010 26 June 2008 50.5% John Howell x160px Conservative Party (UK) 19,796 56.9% 3.4% Stephen Kearney LD Liberal Democrats (UK) 9,680 27.8% 1.8% MP Boris Johnson Conservative Party (UK) John Howell Conservative Party (UK)A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Henley was held on 26 June 2008, triggered by the resignation of incumbent Conservative Party MP Boris Johnson following his election as Mayor of London the previous month. The by-election was won comfortably by the Conservative candidate John Howell, who held the seat with an increased percentage of the vote. The governing Labour Party's vote fell by 11% and they finished fifth, losing their deposit. Background Henley was considered a safe seat for the Conservative Party, having been held by the party continuously since 1910 up to this election.Boris Johnson given safe Tory seat BBC News; 14 July 2000; Accessed 23 June 2008 Johnson had gained a 12,793 majority over the Liberal Democrats at the previous election, though recent local elections had seen the Liberal Democrats' vote rise.Henley By-Election To Be Held On June 26 Sky News; 5 June 2008; Accessed 23 June 2008 Despite this, an easy win for the Conservative Party candidate was predicted, with the Labour Party being given little to no chance of victory.Bookies Predict Easy Win For Conservative Party In Henley! https://web.archive.org/web/20080611132301/http://www.williamhillmedia.com/index_template.asp?file=10217 2008-06-11 William Hill; Accessed 23 June 2008 It had been expected that the by-election would be held after the parliamentary summer recess.Boris to make way for new Thame MP in the autumn - Thame Gazette 2008-05-10 However, following their victory in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, the Conservatives brought the by-election forward to 26 June,June date for Henley by-election BBC News, 5 June 2008https://archive.today/20080724134903/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3985463.ece Tory win in Crewe could prompt Boris by-election - Times Online in order to capitalise on their strong support.Cameron hails 'end of New Labour' - BBC News 2008-05-23 Candidates For the 2010 general election, candidates had been chosen for the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties,Henley Constituency Profile - UK Polling Report but internal party rules may have required re-selection before any by-election was called. Boris Johnson's father Stanley Johnson was widely expected to seek the Conservative Party's nomination.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/2039271/Tories-to-choose-local-candidate-for-Boris-Johnsons-Henley-seat.html Tories to choose local candidate for Boris Johnson's Henley seat 27 May 2008 Toby Helm Toby Helm Daily Telegraph live https://archive.today/20210603061033/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/2039271/Tories-to-choose-local-candidate-for-Boris-Johnsons-Henley-seat.html 3 June 2021 However, John Howell, an Oxfordshire county councillor, was selected as the Conservative candidate,And the candidate for Henley is..., ConservativeHome in preference to Ann Ducker, leader of South Oxfordshire district council, and John Cotton, a South Oxfordshire district councillor.Widow farmer is tipped to succeed Boris as Henley MP - This Is London 2008-05-27 The Liberal Democrats' candidate was Stephen Kearney, head of a development charity who had previously owned and ran a small business.Stephen Kearney Profile - Henley Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats had previously selected Oxfordshire councillor Susan Cooper for the general election, but under Liberal Democrat policies, such selections are not valid for by-elections. When it became apparent a by-election was to be held, a new selection process was run. Portcullis: Lib-Dems ditch their local hope, Daily Telegraph. The Labour candidate was Richard McKenzie, who was previously a local councillor in Reading, having lost his seat in the local council elections of May 2008.http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/articles/1/1406 Reading Chronicle News RBC election results 2008-05-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20110719121039/http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/articles/1/1406 2011-07-19 dead The Green Party continued with its 2005 general election candidate Mark Stevenson. The British National Party candidate, Tim Rait, previously stood for European Parliament election in 2004, for Maidenhead in the 2005 general election and the Lothians Region in the 2007 Scottish election. The UK Independence Party selected Chris Adams, Buckinghamshire County Organiser for the UKIP and also PPC for Aylesbury. He previously stood in Aylesbury at the 2005 general election.http://www.ukiphenley.org.uk/ Chris Adams UKIP Candidate for Henley 2008-05-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20080530001245/http://www.ukiphenley.org.uk/ 2008-05-30 dead Following the candidature of the then-Miss Great Britain, Gemma Garrett, at the Crewe and Nantwich by-election in 2008, the "Beauties for Britain" group stood two candidates - one blonde, the other brunette - in Henley: Amanda Harrington and Louise Cole, respectively.http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2350497.0.model_mps.php Model MPs? Towsend Ian 2008-06-18 Oxford Mail Newsquest Media Group 2008-06-28http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jonathanisaby/4329401/Henley_byelection_gets_glamorous/ https://web.archive.org/web/20110520045046/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jonathanisaby/4329401/Henley_byelection_gets_glamorous/ dead 2011-05-20 Henley by-election gets glamorous Isaby Jonathan 2008-06-10 Daily Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited 2008-06-28 However, the party was not registered with the Electoral Commission so they were considered Independent candidates. The Monster Raving Loony Party fielded candidate Bananaman Owen, whose name was taken from a British television programme. The Harry Bear candidate is the fictional creation of Mail on Sunday columnist Richard Heller. Election result Polling day was Thursday 26 June. The results were declared shortly after 0130 BST on Friday 27 June by the returning officer for South Oxfordshire council. Henley by-election, 2008ukpollingreportCandidates https://web.archive.org/web/20080614030615/http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/content/legal/henley-by-election/candidates.en 14 June 2008 South Oxfordshire Council Conservative Party (UK) John Howell 19,796 56.9 +3.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) Stephen Kearney 9,680 27.8 +1.8 Green Party of England and Wales Mark Stevenson 1,321 3.8 +0.5 British National Party Tim Rait 1,243 3.6 New Labour Party (UK) Richard McKenzie 1,066 3.1 –11.6 UK Independence Party Chris Adams 843 2.4 –0.1 Official Monster Raving Loony Party Bananaman Owen 242 0.7 New English Democrats Party Derek Allpass 157 0.4 New Independent politician Amanda Harrington 128 0.4 New The Common Good (political party) Dick Rodgers 121 0.3 New Independent politician Louise Cole 91 0.3 New Fur Play Party Harry Bear 73 0.2 New 10,116 29.1 +1.6 34,761 50.5 –17.4 Conservative Party (UK) +0.8 General election 2005 result General election 2005: Henley Conservative Party (UK) Boris Johnson 24,894 53.5 +7.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) David Turner 12,101 26.0 –1.0 Labour Party (UK) Kaleem Saeed 6,862 14.7 –6.4 Green Party of England and Wales Mark Stevenson 1,518 3.3 +0.7 UK Independence Party Delphine Gray-Fisk 1,162 2.5 –0.7 12,793 27.5 +8.4 46,537 67.9 +3.6 Conservative Party (UK) +4.2 Campaign The nature of campaign was seen as quite aggressive from both sides. The Liberal Democrats attacked both the green-belt credentials of the Conservative candidate and his participation in the campaign to save the local hospital,https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2008/06/16/green-belt-tory-row-89520-20609101/ Tory MP John Howell in green belt row 2008-06-16 The Daily Mirror 2008-06-26http://www.henleylibdems.org.uk/news/000117/townlands_hospital_campaign_conservative_candidate_did_not_help_us.html Townlands Hospital Campaign: Conservative candidate did NOT help us 2008-06-19 2008-06-26 as well as producing leaflets which were alleged to imply that the previous MP, Boris Johnson backed their candidate and incorrectly asserted a local school's budget was under threat.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/2171855/Henley-by-election-Jolly-boating-and-voting-weather-for-candidates.html Henley by-election: Jolly boating and voting weather for candidates Johnson Stanley 2008-06-24 Daily Telegraph 2008-06-26http://www.thametoday.co.uk/news/39Don39t-use-us-as-a.4208827.jp 'Don't use us as a pawn,' school tells Lib Dems Snookes Harriet 2008-06-20 Thame Gazette Johnston Press Digital Publishing 2008-06-28 The Conservatives in return threatened to sue,https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7465019.stm Tory threat over Lib Dem claims 2008-06-20 BBC News 2008-06-26 claiming the allegations of non-involvement were untrue and played on the fact that the Liberal Democrat candidate was not local, but from Plymouth. The Lib Dems responded by saying that their candidate had moved into the constituency and would remain there, the same way the former Conservative MP Boris Johnson had done when he stood.June 2008 Reaction from voters to the hard campaigning indicated that some constituents were turned off and some commentators raised questions on the effectiveness of the Liberal Democrat campaign after the results which saw an increased swing to the Conservatives.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7471553.stm What is at stake in Henley poll? 2008-06-24 BBC News 2008-06-26https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7476737.stm Henley poll deals anniversary blow Thompson David 2008-06-27 BBC News 2008-06-27 See also List of United Kingdom by-elections (1979–2010) 1932 Henley by-election 1917 Henley by-election References External links Election leaflets from the by-election campaign Henley by-election Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Oxfordshire constituencies Category:Henley-on-Thames Henley by-election Henley by-election, 2008 Henley by-election Category:Boris Johnson