1984 Portsmouth South by-election

UK parliamentary by-election 1984 Portsmouth South by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Constituency of Portsmouth South no 1983 United Kingdom general election 1983 14 Jun 1984 Mike Hancock Social Democratic Party (UK) 15,358 37.6% 12.1% Patrick Rock Conservative Party (UK) 14,017 34.3% 15.7% Sally Thomas Labour Party (UK) 10,846 26.5% 4.0% MP Subsequent MP Bonner Pink Conservative Party (UK) Mike Hancock Social Democratic Party (UK) 54.5% ( 12.8%) 1987 United Kingdom general election 1987 April 2022 The 1984 Portsmouth South by-election was held on 14 June 1984, following the death of Bonner Pink, the Conservative MP for Portsmouth South. Portsmouth South was considered a safe seat for the Conservatives. Pink had held the constituency since the 1966 general election, while the party had held the seat since its creation in 1918. At the 1983 general election, Pink had taken just over half the votes cast.http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge83/i16.htm UK General Election results: June 1983 3 October 2007 20 March 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080320065802/http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge83/i16.htm dead Candidates The Conservatives stood Patrick Rock.Portsmouth South 1984 https://web.archive.org/web/20090821060042/http://www.by-elections.co.uk/portsmouth84.html 2009-08-21 , British Parliamentary ByElections The Social Democratic Party (SDP) had narrowly taken second place in the constituency in 1983, with just over one quarter of the vote. They stood Mike Hancock, an engineer and member of Hampshire County Council, who had been their unsuccessful candidate in 1983. The Labour Party had been pushed into third place in 1983, taking 22% of the vote. They also re-stood their candidate from the previous year, Sally Thomas, a supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament. As Portsmouth South was the headquarters of the Royal Navy, this was a significant issue in the campaign.Chris Cook and John Ramsden, By-Elections in British Politics Three other candidates had stood in the general election, and two of these stood in the by-election: Gordon Knight of the far right National Front, and Alan Evens who stood as "Liberal for Unilateral Nuclear Disarmament", while four new candidate completed the field. Terry Mitchell stood for the Ecology Party, Thomas Layton stood as "Spare the Earth – Ecology", Anthony Andrews stood as an independent with the slogan "Vote Education: Save Schools & Colleges", and Pete Smith stood for the New National Party. Result The SDP unexpectedly gained the seat. The Conservative vote fell sharply, while Labour saw only a small increase. None of the other candidates were able to take 1% of the votes cast.http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html Results of Byelections in the 1983–87 Parliament Boothroyd David 2015-09-19 United Kingdom Election Results 2018-04-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20180405203844/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html dead Hancock lost the seat at the 1987 general election, but was able to retake it in 1997. Portsmouth South by-election, 1984http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html Results of Byelections in the 1983–87 Parliament Boothroyd David 2015-09-19 United Kingdom Election Results 2018-04-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20180405203844/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html dead Social Democratic Party (UK) SDP–Liberal Alliance Mike Hancock 15,358 37.6 +12.1 Conservative Party (UK) Patrick Rock 14,017 34.3 -15.7 Labour Party (UK) Sally Thomas 10,846 26.5 +4.0 National Front (UK) Gordon Knight 226 0.5 0.0 Ecology Party Terry Mitchell 190 0.5 New Independent Liberal Alan Evens 113 0.3 -0.8 Independent Ecology Thomas Layton 50 0.1 New Independent politician Anthony Andrews 42 0.1 New New National Party Peter Smith 41 0.1 New 1,341 3.3 N/A 40,883 54.5 -12.8 Social Democratic Party (UK) Conservative Party (UK) +13.9 References Portsmouth South by-election Portsmouth South by-election Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Hampshire constituencies Category:Elections in Portsmouth Portsmouth South by-election Category:1980s in Hampshire