1910 Reading by-election

UK parliamentary by-election October 2019 The 1910 Reading by-election was a parliamentary by-election held for the UK House of Commons constituency of Reading in Berkshire on 12 March 1910. Vacancy The by-election was caused by the appointment of the sitting Liberal MP, Rufus Isaacs KC as Solicitor General for England and Wales.The Times, 7 March 1910 p6 Under the Parliamentary rules applicable at the time if Isaacs wished to remain an MP he had to resign and fight a by-election. Candidates The Reading Liberals re-selected Isaacs to try to retain his seat which he had held since winning it in a by-election on 6 August 1904.The Times, 8 March 1910 p9 At the previous general election held in January 1910 he had retained the seat but with a majority of just 207 votes.The Times House of Commons 1910; Politico’s Publishing, 2004 p48 A meeting of Conservative leaders in the constituency met hurriedly on 7 March 1910 to consider their position. It was reported that there was a majority in favour of contesting the by-election, especially if their general election candidate Major A L Renton, could be persuaded to stand again.The Times, 8 March 1910 p9 Renton had formerly been Liberal MP for Gainsborough but had defected to the Tories. Isaacs did his best to put pressure on Renton and the Unionists not to contest the election announcing that the borough of Reading should not have to be subjected to the disruption of trade that a by-election would produce. He later also suggested that the honour of his appointment was being bestowed not just upon him but upon the citizens of Reading as a whole.The Times, 14 March 1910 p12 Members of the Reading Conservative Association met on 8 March to discuss the by-election and decided not to put up a candidate.The Times, 9 March 1910 p12 The fact that there would very likely be another general election within a few months encouraged the Conservatives to save their fire and wait for that contest rather than fight an expensive by-election.H Montgomery Hyde, Lord Reading: The Life of Rufus Isaacs, First Marquess of Reading; Heinemann, 1967 p79 There was no tradition of Parliamentary elections in Reading being contested by the Labour PartyThe Times House of Commons 1910; Politico’s Publishing, 2004 p48 and they also chose not to oppose Isaacs. The result There being no other candidates putting themselves forward therefore, Isaacs was returned unopposed.The Times, 14 March 1910 p12 Reading by-election, 1910 Liberal Party (UK) Rufus Isaacs Unopposed N/A N/A Liberal Party (UK) See also List of United Kingdom by-elections United Kingdom by-election records References Category:1910 elections in the United Kingdom Category:Unopposed ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in English constituencies Category:1910 in England Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Berkshire constituencies Category:Politics of Reading, Berkshire Category:1910s in Berkshire Category:March 1910 in the United Kingdom