East Fife by-election, 1961

The East Fife by-election, 1961 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of East Fife in Scotland on 9 November 1961. It was won by the Conservative and National Liberal candidate Sir John E. Gilmour.

Vacancy

The seat had become vacant when the sitting National Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), Sir James Henderson-Stewart had died at the age of 63 on 3 September 1961. He had held the seat since a by-election in 1933.

Candidates

The Conservative and National Liberal candidate was 49-year-old Sir John E. Gilmour, an Eton and Cambridge-educated baronet who was a local farmer and land-owwner, and a decorated war-hero. [http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2611719.ece Obituary of Sir John Gilmour] , in The Independent] His father John had been an MP for thirty years, serving as a minister in the 1920s and 30s, including a period as Home Secretary. Gilmour was a reluctant by-election candidate; he had stood unsuccessfully at the 1945 general election in Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire, but preferred local politics and had been a member of Fife County Council since 1955. However, he was pressured to stand to avoid by a constituency association fearing the imposition of an unpopular Conservative candidate. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1895770.ece Obituary of Sir John E. Gimour] , in The Times]

The Labour Party candidate was John Smith, a 23-year-old law student at Glasgow University, who later became leader of the party.

The Liberal Party candidate was D. Leach.

Result

After a campaign notable for a large influx of students supporting the Labour candidate, Gilmour was elected with a reduced but still large majority, with nearly 50% of the votes. Labour narrowly pushed the Liberals into third place.

Gilmour was re-elected at the 1964 general election, with an increased majority over Smith,* [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge64/i08.htm 1964 general election results] at Richard Kimber's political science resources] and held the seat until he stepped down at the 1979 general election.

Votes

Election box begin
title=East Fife by-election, 1961Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative and National Liberal
candidate = Sir John E. Gilmour
votes = 15,948
percentage = 47.4
change = −22.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Smith
votes = 8,882
percentage = 26.4
change = −3.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = D. Leach
votes = 8,786
percentage = 26.2
change = N/AElection box majority
votes = 7,066
percentage = 21.02
change = −18.9Election box turnout
votes = 33,616
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative and National Liberal
swing = −9.3

Election box begin
title=General Election 1959: East FifeElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative and National Liberal
candidate = Sir James Henderson-Stewart
votes = 26,585
percentage = 69.95
change = −0.65Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = J. Nicol
votes = 11,421
percentage = 30.05
change = +0.65Election box majority
votes = 15,164
percentage = 39.90
change = −1.30Election box turnout
votes = 38,006
percentage = 75.20
change = +2.01Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative and National Liberal
swing = −0.65

ee also

*East Fife (UK Parliament constituency)
*Fife
*East Fife by-election, 1933
*List of United Kingdom by-elections (1950–1979)

Notes

References

* [http://www.geocities.com/by_elections/61.html#fife British Parliamentary by-elections: East Fife 1961]
* [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge55/i08.htm 1959 general election results] at Richard Kimber's political science resources
* [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge55/i08.htm 1955 general election results] at Richard Kimber's political science resources
*Rayment-hc