1999 Leeds Central by-election

UK Parliamentary by-election September 2021 July 2012 1999 Leeds Central by-election United Kingdom parliamentary no 1997 United Kingdom general election 1997 2001 United Kingdom general election 2001 10 June 1999 19.9% Hilary Benn 150x150px Labour Party (UK) 6,361 48.2% 21.4pp Peter Wild Liberal Democrats (UK) 4,068 30.8% 19.6pp Edward Wild Conservative Party (UK) 1,618 12.3% 1.4pp MP Derek Fatchett Hilary Benn Labour Party (UK) Labour Party (UK) A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Leeds Central was held on 10 June 1999, triggered by the death of incumbent Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Derek Fatchett. It was won by Hilary Benn – the son of veteran Labour MP Tony Benn – who held the seat for the party. Following Fatchett's sudden death on 9 May 1999, the Labour government rushed to organise for the by-election and moved the writ so that the election could be held on 10 June, the same day as elections to the European Parliament. The shortlist for the Labour candidacy included the Chair of Leeds Central Constituency Labour Party, Maggie Giles-Hill, and Shahid Malik, but the selection went to Hilary Benn who had been Special Adviser to David Blunkett, then Secretary of State for Education and Employment. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/365094.stm By-election turnout 'lowest since WWII' 10 June 1999 BBC News 25 November 2009 The Conservatives chose their general election candidate Edward Wild. The Liberal Democrats provided the strongest challenge and increased their vote by nearly 20%, but this was not enough to take the seat. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jun/11/uk.politicalnews3 Benn's son wins stay-at-home byelection Ward Lucy 11 June 1999 The Guardian 25 November 2009 The campaign was subsumed with the European Parliament elections, and the result was an all-time low turnout for a by-election:April 2015 at 19.9% it held the record for the lowest turnout in a UK parliamentary election since World War II, https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/366348.stm Benn limps in after dismal vote 11 June 1999 BBC News 25 November 2009 until surpassed in 2012 by the Manchester Central by-election.April 2015 Result Leeds Central by-election, 1999http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1997.html Results of Byelections in the 1997-2002 Parliament Boothroyd David 2015-10-05 United Kingdom Election Results Labour Party (UK) Hilary Benn 6,361 48.2 –21.4 Liberal Democrats (UK) Peter Wild 4,068 30.8 +19.6 Conservative Party (UK) Edward Wild 1,618 12.3 –1.4 Green Party of England and Wales David Blackburn 478 3.6 New UK Independence Party Raymond Northgreaves 353 2.7 New Leeds Left Alliance Chris Hill 258 2.0 New Independent politician Julian Fitzgerald 51 0.4 New 2,293 17.4 -38.5 13,187 19.9 –34.8 Labour Party (UK) General Election result, 1997 General election 1997: Leeds Central Labour Party (UK) Derek Fatchett 25,766 69.6 Conservative Party (UK) Edward Wild 5,077 13.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) David Freeman 4,164 11.3 Referendum Party Philip Myers 1,042 2.8 Socialist Labour Party (UK) Michael Rix 656 1.8 Socialist Party (England and Wales) Chris Hill 304 0.8 20,689 55.9 37,009 54.7 Labour Party (UK) References Central, 1999 Leeds Central by-election Leeds Central by-election Leeds Central by-election Category:1990s in Leeds