Beckenham by-election, 1997
Encyclopedia
A by-election in Beckenham, England
, was called in 1997 when the sitting Member of Parliament
, Piers Merchant
(Conservative
), resigned from Parliament
on 21 October 1997. The Conservatives held the seat, with Jacqui Lait
winning the by-election on 20 November.
after tabloid newspaper stories about his relationship with a bar hostess whom he had employed as a researcher, but he had denied any impropriety and retained the confidence of his local association. His resignation on 21 October was caused by further newspaper stories which confirmed that his denial had been misleading. He accepted the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead
.
At the by-election
, the Conservatives selected Jacqui Lait
, who had lost her seat at Hastings in the general election. The Labour
candidate, Robert Hughes, was a Bromley Borough Councillor
from the constituency and had contested the seat at the general election. The Liberal Democrats also chose their general election candidate Rosemary Vetterlein. As the contest was taking place shortly after a general election, campaigning was somewhat subdued and the Conservatives were successful in retaining the seat with a reduced majority.
Also held on the same day was a by-election at Winchester
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was called in 1997 when the sitting Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, Piers Merchant
Piers Merchant
Piers Rolf Garfield Merchant was a British Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne Central from 1983 to 1987, and then MP for Beckenham from 1992 until he resigned in October 1997 following a scandal.- Education :He was educated at Nottingham High...
(Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
), resigned from Parliament
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
on 21 October 1997. The Conservatives held the seat, with Jacqui Lait
Jacqui Lait
Jacqueline Anne "Jacqui" Lait is a British Conservative Party politician and former Member of Parliament for Beckenham.-Early life:...
winning the by-election on 20 November.
Background
Piers Merchant had been under pressure during the May 1997 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
after tabloid newspaper stories about his relationship with a bar hostess whom he had employed as a researcher, but he had denied any impropriety and retained the confidence of his local association. His resignation on 21 October was caused by further newspaper stories which confirmed that his denial had been misleading. He accepted the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead
Manor of Northstead
The Manor of Northstead was once a collection of fields and farms in the parish of Scalby in the North Riding of Yorkshire in England. By 1600, the manor house had fallen into disrepair and was occupied only by a shepherd. At present the Manor is part of the Barrowcliff area of the town of...
.
At the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, the Conservatives selected Jacqui Lait
Jacqui Lait
Jacqueline Anne "Jacqui" Lait is a British Conservative Party politician and former Member of Parliament for Beckenham.-Early life:...
, who had lost her seat at Hastings in the general election. The Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate, Robert Hughes, was a Bromley Borough Councillor
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
from the constituency and had contested the seat at the general election. The Liberal Democrats also chose their general election candidate Rosemary Vetterlein. As the contest was taking place shortly after a general election, campaigning was somewhat subdued and the Conservatives were successful in retaining the seat with a reduced majority.
Also held on the same day was a by-election at Winchester
Winchester by-election, 1997
The 1997 Winchester by-election was a by-election to the UK House of Commons in the constituency of Winchester, Hampshire. After an unclear result in Winchester at the general election on 1 May 1997, a new election was allowed by the High Court...
.