1911 North Ayrshire by-election

By-election in the United Kingdom June 2025 1911 North Ayrshire by-election 7,047 2.1% 2.1% 84.9% (0.4%) Unionist Party (UK) Duncan Campbell Unionist Party (UK) Andrew Anderson Subsequent MP MP 49.1% Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary Lib Andrew Anderson 50.9% 7,318 Unionist Party (UK) x160px Duncan Campbell 20 December 1911 1916 1916 North Ayrshire by-election Dec. 1910 December 1910 United Kingdom general election United Kingdom 16,926 Constituency of North Ayrshire December 2023 November 2013 The 1911 North Ayrshire by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 20 December 1911.Craig F.W.S. 1987 Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987 Chichester Parliamentary Research Services 106 The constituency returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system. Vacancy Andrew Anderson, the Liberal MP since he gained the seat in January 1910 from the Unionists, was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland, a law officer of the Crown. In accordance with the constitutional arrangements of the day, he was obliged to resign as an MP and fight a by-election. Electoral history General election December 1910: Ayrshire North Liberal Party (UK) Andrew Anderson 7,286 51.2 +6.8 Conservative Party (UK) Duncan Campbell 6,932 48.8 +6.1 354 2.4 +0.7 14,218 85.3 +0.6 Liberal Party (UK) +0.4 Candidates Anderson's Unionist opponent was again Capt. Duncan Frederick Campbell who had stood here last time. He had contested Mid-Lanark in 1906 and Paisley in January 1910 without success. There was no Labour candidate, even though they had contested the seat in 1906 and January 1910, finishing a poor third on both occasions. Campaign The contest was dominated by the government's legislation on National Insurance and the uncertainties this legislation would produce for individual electors, particularly small manufacturers and shopkeepers. Result The Conservative Party gained the seat. By-Election 20 December 1911: Ayrshire North Conservative Party (UK) Duncan Campbell 7,318 50.9 +2.1 Liberal Party (UK) Andrew Anderson 7,047 49.1 -2.1 271 1.8 N/A 14,365 84.9 -0.4 Conservative Party (UK) Liberal Party (UK) +2.1 Although there was no Labour candidate, Anderson was thought to have lost some support among working-class voters because of his opposition to Labour candidates in other recent elections.The Times, 20 December 1911 p10 After six years of Liberal government, the electors of North Ayrshire reverted to their more traditional allegiances, perhaps rebelling against the background of the rapid social changes being introduced by H H Asquith's reforming administration.The Times, 22 December 1911 p7 Aftermath After the election, Anderson agreed to be re-adopted as prospective Liberal candidate for North Ayrshire, expressing a wish to contest the seat again.The Times, 23 January 1912 p7 A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the autumn of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place. Unionist Party: Duncan Campbell Liberal Party: Andrew Anderson Campbell was killed in action in 1916. References 2 Category:1911 elections in the United Kingdom Category:1911 in Scotland Category:1910s elections in Scotland Category:North Ayrshire Category:Politics of Ayrshire Ayrshire, North Category:Ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom Category:December 1911 in the United Kingdom