1927 Leith by-election

UK parliamentary by-election November 2016 November 2016 1927 Leith by-election United Kingdom Parliamentary no 1924 United Kingdom general election 1924 1929 United Kingdom general election 1929 23 March 1927 73.9% Constituency of Leith 39,480 Alfred Ernest Brown Liberal Party (UK) 12,461 42.3% −17.3% Robert Freeman Wilson Labour Party (UK) 12,350 42.0% +1.6% Allan Beaton Conservative Party (UK) 4,607 15.7% New MP William Wedgwood Benn Liberal Party (UK) Alfred Ernest Brown Liberal Party (UK) BrownErnest (cropped).jpg There was a 1927 by-election for the UK House of Commons constituency of Leith, which took place on Wednesday, 23 March 1927. Previous MP When David Lloyd George replaced H. H. Asquith as Leader of the Liberal Party, the Liberal MP, William Wedgwood Benn decided to cross the floor from the Liberal Party and switch to the Labour Party. Benn believed that his change of party allegiances warranted him resigning his seat and seeking re-election. Previous result General election, 29 October 1924 Electorate: 39,480 Liberal Party (UK) William Wedgwood Benn 16,569 59.6 -4.9 Labour Party (UK) Robert Freeman Wilson 11,250 40.4 +4.9 5,319 19.2 -9.8 27,819 70.5 +11.4 Liberal Party (UK) -4.9 Candidates Benn had been the Liberal MP for Leith since the khaki election of 1918 and was keen to stand for election as a Labour candidate. However, the Leith Constituency Labour Party did not want him as their candidate, so Benn did not contest the by-election.Trial By Ballot by Ivor RM Davies (1950) The Leith CLP selected R.F. Wilson as their candidate. He was a local socialist who had stood against Benn at the two previous general elections. The Conservatives, who had not contested the seat since 1918, selected Allan Beaton. He was one of the Scottish Conservatives most experienced candidates.Trial By Ballot by Ivor RM Davies (1950) He had contested the safe Labour seat of Edinburgh Central at the previous general election in 1924. The Leith Liberal Association struggled to find a Liberal candidate prepared to defend a seat under such difficult circumstances. However, their seventh choice as candidate, Ernest Brown agreed to contest the seat.Trial By Ballot by Ivor RM Davies (1950) Brown was an Englishman who was employed by party headquarters as a speaker. He had briefly served as the Liberal MP for Rugby from 1923-24 when he was defeated at the general election one year later. Campaign The Liberal campaign was reliant upon Brown's ability and enthusiasm as a speaker, backed by plentiful funds from Lloyd George's national organisation. However, his task was made difficult because the local Liberal organisation had been allowed to run down during Benn's tenure as MP.Trial by Ballot by Ivor RM Davies Result Right up to polling day, the newspapers were predicting either a Labour win or a Conservative win with much talk about the prospect of the Liberal losing his deposit.Trial by Ballot by Ivor RM Davies Leith by-election, 23 March 1927 Electorate: Liberal Party (UK) Alfred Ernest Brown 12,461 42.3 -17.3 Labour Party (UK) Robert Freeman Wilson 12,350 42.0 +1.6 Conservative Party (UK) Allan Beaton 4,607 15.7 New 111 0.3 -18.9 29,418 73.9 +3.4 Liberal Party (UK) -9.5 Aftermath Four days after this victory, the Liberals gained a seat from Labour at Southwark North. Benn did not have long to wait for a local Labour Party to adopt him as a candidate when a by-election vacancy came at Aberdeen North in 1928, where he was returned to parliament. At the 1929 general election Brown was re-elected here. Beaton contested Dunfermline Burghs without success and Wilson did not stand again. General election, 30 May 1929 Electorate 50,801 Liberal Party (UK) Alfred Ernest Brown 20,613 56.7 -2.9 Labour Party (UK) Alan H Paton 15,715 43.3 +2.9 4,898 14.4 -5.8 36,328 71.5 +1.0 Liberal Party (UK) -2.9 References British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1979) Category:1927 elections in the United Kingdom Category:1927 in Scotland Category:1920s elections in Scotland Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Edinburgh constituencies Category:History of Leith Category:March 1927 in the United Kingdom