1918 Clapham by-election

UK parliamentary by-election April 2022 The 1918 Clapham by-election was a by-election held on 21 June 1918 for the British House of Commons constituency of Clapham in South London. The by-election was triggered by the elevation to the peerage of the serving Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP), Denison Faber. The Unionist (Conservative) candidate was Harry Greer. With the wartime (set to become postwar) coalition in office, there was no other candidate from the major parties. Henry Hamilton Beamish, a writer for the pro-war conspiracy theory penning Vigilance or Vigilante Society, ran as an independent with the support of populist MP Noel Pemberton Billing, whose very prominent libel case of the century of defending various accusations of German blackmail and depravity was a staged exercise in propaganda. The main issue was ostensibly Beamish's earnest demand for the denaturalization and internment of all citizens of enemy countries in the United Kingdom, the closure of all foreign banks and the wearing of a badge by all foreign aliens. Greer expressed the view that 'stronger measures were necessary' and published a letter from the Prime Minister, who said he was 'determined to take whatever action is shown to be necessary'. The Times reported unexpected support for Beamish in areas that were normally predominantly Conservative.The Times, 21 June 1918. The result was a modest majority for the party from an established party.The Times, 22 June 1918. Result Clapham by-election, 1918 Conservative Party (UK) Harry Greer 4,512 57.0 +1.9 Independent politician Henry Hamilton Beamish 3,331 43.0 New 1,181 14.0 7,843 33.3 -42.8 Conservative Party (UK) References The Times, 21 December 1918 February 2012 See also List of United Kingdom by-elections Clapham constituency Clapham,1918 Clapham by-election Clapham by-election Clapham,1918 Category:Clapham Category:June 1918 in the United Kingdom