1989 Richmond (Yorks) by-election

UK parliamentary by-election November 2019 1989 Richmond (Yorks) by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Richmond (Yorkshire) constituency no 1987 United Kingdom general election 1987 1992 United Kingdom general election 1992 23 February 1989 William Hague File:William Hague MP (3156637603) (cropped).jpg Conservative Party (UK) 19,543 37.2% 24.0 pp Mike Potter Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988–1990) Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988) 16,909 32.2% New party Barbara Pearce Social and Liberal Democrats Social and Liberal Democrats 11,589 22.1% 4.9 pp MP Subsequent MP Leon Brittan Conservative Party (UK) William Hague Conservative Party (UK) 64.4% (7.7 pp) A by-election was held in the Richmond (Yorks) constituency of the United Kingdom Parliament on 23 February 1989. It followed the resignation of the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Leon Brittan on 31 December 1988, to allow him to take up the position of Vice-President of the European Commission. The Conservative Party retained the seat, with future party leader William Hague the winner. The result was affected in part to the decision by the remnants of the Social Democratic Party (the part that objected to the merger with the Liberal Party the previous year) to contest the election July 2008 as well as the newly formed Social and Liberal Democrats (who subsequently renamed themselves the Liberal Democrats). The 'continuing' SDP candidate, local farmer Mike Potter, finished second (with 16,909 votes, 2,634 behind Hague), while the Social and Liberal Democrats' Barbara Pearce came third with 11,589. The Labour Party achieved only fourth place in the election, at that time their worst position in any English by-election since World War II.July 2008 Hague retained the seat for the next 26 years, winning re-election at the 1992, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2010 general elections. The Conservative Party would not win another by-election until Uxbridge, eight years later, after the Conservatives had left government, by which time Hague was party leader. The next occasion when they won a by-election in government was not until the 2014 Newark by-election, 25 years later. Result Richmond by-election, 1989 Conservative Party (UK) William Hague 19,543 37.2 -24.0 Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988) Mike Potter 16,909 32.2 New Social and Liberal Democrats Barbara Pearce 11,589 22.1 −4.9 Labour Party (UK) Frank Robson 2,591 4.9 −6.9 Green Party (UK) Robert Upshall 1,473 2.8 New Official Monster Raving Loony Party David "Lord" Sutch 167 0.3 New Independent Anthony Millns 113 0.2 New Corrective Party Lindi St Clair 106 0.2 New Liberal Party (UK, 1989) Nicholas Watkins 70 0.1 New 2,634 5.0 -29.2 52,561 64.4 -7.7 Conservative Party (UK) Anthony Millns was an independent candidate who used his occupation "University Information Officer" on the ballot paper. His campaign was focused on keeping the brewery company Theakstons within British ownership.RESULTS OF BYELECTIONS IN THE 1987-92 PARLIAMENT Election Demon See also List of United Kingdom by-elections References collapsed Richmond (Yorks) by-election Richmond (Yorks) by-election Category:Richmondshire Category:Richmond, North Yorkshire Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in North Yorkshire constituencies Category:1980s in York Richmond (Yorks) by-election