1940 Rochdale by-election
The 1940 Rochdale by-election was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Rochdale in Lancashire on 20 July 1940.
Vacancy
[edit]The seat became vacant when the Labour Member of Parliament William Kelly resigned his seat in Parliament by accepting the post of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, a notional 'office of profit under the crown'.[1] Kelly had been Rochdale's MP since winning the seat from the Conservatives at the 1935 general election.[2]
Candidates
[edit]The Labour Party candidate was Dr Hyacinth Morgan, a doctor born in the West Indies to Irish parents, who had studied medicine in Glasgow.[1] After three unsuccessful attempts, he won the Camberwell North West seat at the 1929 general election, but lost it at the 1931 election.[2] This was his first candidacy since his defeat.
During the Second World War, the political parties in the Coalition Government had agreed not to contest by-elections when a vacancy arose in any of the seats held by the other coalition parties.[3] Although many later by-elections were contested by independent or minor party candidates, none were nominated in Rochdale.[1]
Result
[edit]As there was only one candidate, no vote needed to be held, and Morgan was returned unopposed.[4]
Aftermath
[edit]Morgan represented the constituency until the 1950 general election, when he moved to the safer seat of Warrington.[5] Rochdale was won by the Conservatives at the 1951 election.[2]
See also
[edit]- Rochdale (UK Parliament constituency)
- Rochdale
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- United Kingdom by-election records
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Rochdale By-Election". The Times. 11 July 1940. p. 3.
- ^ a b c Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 245.
- ^ Thorpe, Andrew (2008). A History of the British Labour Party. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 106–107.
- ^ "Dr. H. B. Morgan Returned". The Manchester Guardian. 22 July 1940. p. 2.
- ^ Stenton, Michael; Lees, Stephen (1981). Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume IV, 1945-1979. Brighton: Harvester Press. p. 261.
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