1928 Northampton by-election

Previous MP

The sitting Conservative MP, Sir Arthur Holland died on 7 December 1927, causing a by-election. He had been the MP here since 1924, when he gained the seat from Labour.

Electoral history

The Liberal party lost the seat in 1923 and at the 1924 election, the seat became a Labour/Conservative marginal.

General election, 29 October 1924
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Holland 16,017 39.5
Labour Margaret Bondfield 15,046 37.2
Liberal James Manfield 9,536 23.3
Majority 971 2.3
Turnout 40,599 87.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Candidates

The Conservative candidate selected to defend the seat was A.F.G. Renton, who had come second at Leeds West in the 1924 general election. The defeated Labour MP from 1924, Margaret Bondfield was elected MP for Wallsend in the 1926 by-election, so Labour had to find a new candidate. They selected Cecil L'Estrange Malone. In the 1918 general election, Malone was elected as the Coalition Liberal MP for Leyton East. Around 1919-20 he became a Communist and stood down from parliament prior to the 1922 general election. He unsuccessfully stood as the Labour candidate for Ashton-under-Lyne at the 1924 general election. The Liberal candidate, Sydney Cope Morgan had not contested the last election. A fourth candidate entered the contest in the figure of a 53-year-old Manchester baker, E.A. Hailwood. He had also stood as an Independent Conservative candidate at the 1927 Southend by-election, coming fourth. He put himself forward as a candidate protesting against Baldwin's lack of leadership as Prime Minister.

Campaign

The appeal of Augustine Hailwood was made principally on the issue of trade. He called for the introduction of protective tariffs which he argued would benefit the local shoe and boot industry.

Result
Northampton by-election, 1928[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cecil L'Estrange Malone 15.173 37.5 +0.3
Unionist Alexander Frederick Gordon Renton 14,616 36.1 -3.4
Liberal Sydney Cope Morgan 9,584 23.7 +0.4
Independent Unionist E.A. Hailwood 1,093 2.7 +2.7
Majority 557 1.4 N/A
Turnout 40,466 84.2 -2.8
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +1.9

Hailwood had taken just enough votes off the official Conservative candidate to enable Labour to win.

Aftermath

Neither Morgan nor Hailwood contested the 1929 general election. However, L'Estrange and Renton faced each other again.

General election 1929
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cecil L'Estrange Malone 22,356 41.7 +2.2
Conservative Alexander Frederick Gordon Renton 20,177 37.7 +1.6
Liberal Helen Schilizzi 11,054 20.6 -3.1
Majority 2,179 4.0 +2.6
Turnout 53,587 87.5 +3.3
Labour hold Swing

References
  1. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.
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