1999 Kensington and Chelsea by-election

UK parliamentary by-election December 2020 February 2013 1999 Kensington and Chelsea by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Kensington and Chelsea parliamentary seat no 1997 United Kingdom general election 1997 2001 United Kingdom general election 2001 25 November 1999 29.7% 25.0% Michael Portillo File:Henry Buckton with Michael Portillo (50771170853) (cropped).jpg Conservative Party (UK) 11,004 56.4% 2.8% Robert Atkinson File:3x4.svg Labour Party (UK) 4,298 22.0% 5.9% Robert Woodthorpe Browne File:3x4.svg Liberal Democrats (UK) 1,831 9.4% 5.9% MP Subsequent MP Alan Clark Conservative Party (UK) Michael Portillo Conservative Party (UK) A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Kensington and Chelsea was held on 25 November 1999, following the death of incumbent Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) Alan Clark. Conservative grandee Michael Portillo – who had lost his seat in a shock result at the 1997 general election two years prior – stood as the Conservative candidate and held the seat for the party. Clark died of a brain tumour on 5 September 1999, triggering a by-election to fill his seat. This was the first safe Conservative seat to have a by-election in the 1997–2001 UK Parliament. There was immediate speculation that Michael Portillo, the most high-profile casualty of the 1997 general election, would use it to return to frontline politics. Portillo immediately confirmed his interest in the seat, but was then confronted with the publication of an interview he had given previously that summer in which he had confirmed that while at Peterhouse, Cambridge he had had homosexual affairs. Portillo was selected as Conservative candidate but faced demonstrations organised by gay rights group OutRage! and its principal campaigner Peter Tatchell who protested against his vote for an unequal age of consent for gay and straight sex, and support for the ban on homosexuality in the UK armed forces while Secretary of State for Defence. Tatchell continued to try to confront Portillo throughout the election, not assuaged by Portillo saying that he had changed his mind on the age of consent. The Labour Party selected Robert Atkinson, who had fought the 1997 election and was a local councillor. The Liberal Democrats also renominated their general election candidate, Robert Woodthorpe Browne. Because of the prominence of the by-election in central London and the big political name, there were a wide variety of fringe and minor party candidates. Polling day was 25 November. Portillo was returned safely to Parliament. Result 1999 by-election: Kensington and Chelseahttp://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1997.html Results of Byelections in the 1997-2002 Parliament Boothroyd David 2015-10-05 United Kingdom Election Results Conservative Party (UK) Michael Portillo 11,003 56.4 +2.8 Labour Party (UK) Robert Atkinson 4,298 22.0 –5.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) Robert Woodthorpe Browne 1,831 9.4 –5.9 Pro-Euro Conservative Party John Stevens 740 3.8 New UK Independence Party Damian Hockney 450 2.3 +0.9 Green Party of England and Wales Hugo Charlton 446 2.3 New Democratic Party The Earl of Burford 196 0.9 New Legalise Cannabis Alliance Colin Paisley 141 0.7 New Independent (politician) Michael Irwin 97 0.5 New UK Pensioners Party Paul Oliver 75 0.4 –0.1 Referendum Party Stephen Scott-Fawcett 57 0.3 New Independent Louise Hodges 48 0.3 New Natural Law Party Gerard 'Ged' Valente 35 0.2 –0.1 People's Net Dream Ticket Party Lisa Lovebucket 26 0.1 New Environmentalist John Davies 24 0.1 New Equal Parenting Party Peter May 24 0.1 New Official Monster Raving Loony Party Howling Laud Hope 20 0.1 New Independent Tonysamuelsondotcom 15 0.1 New 6,706 34.4 +8.7 19,510 29.7 –25.0 Conservative Party (UK) Previous result General election 1997: Kensington and Chelsea Conservative Party (UK) Alan Clark 19,887 53.6 -14.6 Labour Party (UK) Robert Atkinson 10,368 27.9 +11.3 Liberal Democrats (UK) Robert Woodthorpe Browne 5,668 15.3 +2.1 Teddy Bear Alliance Edward Bear 218 0.6 New United Kingdom Pensioners Party Paul Oliver 176 0.5 New Natural Law Party Susan Hamza 122 0.3 New Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket Paul Sullivan 65 0.2 New Independent politician Pete Parliament 44 0.1 New 9,519 25.7 –25.9 36,548 54.7 Conservative Party (UK) -12.9 See also Lists of United Kingdom by-elections References External links Campaign literature from the by-election Kensington and Chelsea, 1999 Kensington and Chelsea, 1999 Kensington and Chelsea by-election Kensington and Chelsea by-election Kensington and Chelsea by-election Category:20th century in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea