Lambeth Central by-election, 1978

The Lambeth Central by-election was held on 20 April 1978, following the death of Labour Party Member of Parliament for Lambeth Central Marcus Lipton.

While the seat had seen significant Labour majorities at the February and October 1974 UK general elections, and Lambeth in general was regarded as a safe Labour area, the party was struggling in the polls. They selected John Tilley, the leader of Wandsworth Borough Council who had unsuccessfully contested Kensington in the 1974 elections.

Labour's weak position gave the Conservative Party hope that it might gain the seat in a surprise victory. They stood Jeremy Hanley, a chartered accountant educated at Rugby School. The Liberal Party had little base in the area, but decided to contest the seat regardless.

Several minor parties hoped to do well in the by-election. The far right National Front had polled well in recent elections in London and maintained a high profile during the election campaign. Meanwhile, several far left groups organised in the area stood in the hope of combating the National Front and raising their own profiles. Actor Corin Redgrave stood for the Workers Revolutionary Party, while the Socialist Unity coalition and Socialist Party of Great Britain also stood, while the Socialist Workers Party stood in the name of their publication "Flame - Black Workers Paper For Self Defence".

In total, eleven candidates stood, setting a new record for a by-election in the UK, one more than in the City of London and Westminster South by-election, 1977. This record was again broken at the Croydon North West by-election, 1981.

Results

Labour held the seat, but with a significantly reduced majority, as the Conservatives picked up votes. While the National Front only won 6.2% of the vote, this enabled them to beat the Liberals into an embarrassing fourth place. Three of the socialist parties won around 1% of the votes each, a result which was most disappointing for the Workers Revolutionary Party, who had stood in the constituency in previous years and had stood a well-known candidate.

Tilley held the constituency until its abolition in 1983, but proved unable to win a new seat at that year's election. Hanley was elected for Richmond and Barnes at the 1983 UK general election. The National Front suffered several splits and declined in importance, never again beating a major party candidate at a by-election. The Socialist Workers Party decided against contesting elections, but the other socialist organisations stood candidates in 1979.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Tilley
votes = 10,311
percentage = 49.5
change = -10.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Jeremy Hanley
votes = 7,170
percentage = 34.4
change = +8.2Election box candidate with party link
party = National Front (UK)
candidate = Helena Steven
votes = 1,291
percentage = 6.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = David Blunt
votes = 1,104
percentage = 5.3
change = -7.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Unity (UK)
candidate = John Chase
votes = 287
percentage = 1.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Revolutionary Party (UK)
candidate = Corin Redgrave
votes = 271
percentage = 1.3
change = +0.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Workers Party (UK)
candidate = Anthony Bogues
votes = 201
percentage = 1.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Party of Great Britain
candidate = Barry McNeeney
votes = 91
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Alan Whereat
votes = 55
percentage = 0.3
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = South London People's Front
candidate = Stuart Monro
votes = 38
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Democratic Monarchist
candidate = Bill Boaks
votes = 27
percentage = 0.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 3,141
percentage = 15.1
change = -18.8Election box turnout
votes = 20,846
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Marcus Lipton
votes = 15,381
percentage = 60.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = N. Lyell
votes = 6,704
percentage = 17.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = P. Easton
votes = 3,211
percentage = 12.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Revolutionary Party (UK)
candidate = S. Smart
votes = 233
percentage = 0.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist)
candidate = P. Bratton
votes = 88
percentage = 0.3
change = Election box majority
votes = 8,677
percentage = 33.9
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 52.6
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

ee also

*List of United Kingdom by-elections