Carmarthen by-election, 1957
Encyclopedia
The Carmarthen
by-election
of 1957 in Carmarthenshire
, Wales
, was notable for resulting in the nadir of the British Liberal Party
and for being the first election in the United Kingdom
in which two women competed for the same seat.
The seat opened up as a result of the death of Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris
on November 22, 1956. The Liberal Party was in a period of decline and Hopkin Morris had been one of only six Liberal Members of Parliament. Hopkin Morris's majorities had been narrow and it was recognised that a significant number of voters had favoured him personally and might not transfer their allegiance to a new Liberal candidate.
Further distress for the Liberals was caused by the announcement that Lady Megan Lloyd George
, a former Liberal MP with a national reputation, would be running as the Labour
candidate. The local Liberals created another dilemma by choosing John Morgan Davies as their candidate; the Liberals were seeking to challenge the ruling Conservatives
over the on-going Suez Crisis
and Morgan Davies, like Hopkin Morris, had publicly taken a pro-government stand on the issue. Jo Grimond, who had assumed leadership of the Liberal Party only a few weeks before, had to choose whether to support or disown Morgan Davies. He chose to support him.
The other candidate who ran for the seat was Jennie Eirian Davies
of Plaid Cymru
.
The Conservatives did not run a candidate. This was the second to last by-election in Great Britain in which they did not stand, the last being the unusual circumstances of the Bristol South East by-election, 1963
.
The election was held on February 28, 1957. Lloyd George won the seat, swinging the district from Liberal to Labour and dropping the Liberal Party to their historic low of only five seats in Parliament.
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
of 1957 in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, was notable for resulting in the nadir of the British Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and for being the first election in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in which two women competed for the same seat.
The seat opened up as a result of the death of Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris
Rhys Hopkin Morris
Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris was a Welsh Liberal politician who was a Member of Parliament from 1923–1932 and from 1945–1956....
on November 22, 1956. The Liberal Party was in a period of decline and Hopkin Morris had been one of only six Liberal Members of Parliament. Hopkin Morris's majorities had been narrow and it was recognised that a significant number of voters had favoured him personally and might not transfer their allegiance to a new Liberal candidate.
Further distress for the Liberals was caused by the announcement that Lady Megan Lloyd George
Megan Lloyd George
Lady Megan Arfon Lloyd George CH was a British politician, the first female Member of Parliament for a Welsh constituency, and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. She later became a Labour MP....
, a former Liberal MP with a national reputation, would be running as 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. The local Liberals created another dilemma by choosing John Morgan Davies as their candidate; the Liberals were seeking to challenge the ruling Conservatives
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...
over the on-going Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
and Morgan Davies, like Hopkin Morris, had publicly taken a pro-government stand on the issue. Jo Grimond, who had assumed leadership of the Liberal Party only a few weeks before, had to choose whether to support or disown Morgan Davies. He chose to support him.
The other candidate who ran for the seat was Jennie Eirian Davies
Jennie Eirian Davies
Jennie Eirian Davies , was a Welsh politician and magazine editor.Jennie Howells was born in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire and educated at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. She was a teacher by profession...
of Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
.
The Conservatives did not run a candidate. This was the second to last by-election in Great Britain in which they did not stand, the last being the unusual circumstances of the Bristol South East by-election, 1963
Bristol South East by-election, 1963
The Bristol South East by-election, 1963 was a by-election held on 20 August 1963 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol....
.
The election was held on February 28, 1957. Lloyd George won the seat, swinging the district from Liberal to Labour and dropping the Liberal Party to their historic low of only five seats in Parliament.
See also
- Carmarthen by-election, 1882Carmarthen by-election, 1882The Carmarthen by-election, 1882 was a parliamentary by-election held for the House of Commons constituency of Carmarthen Boroughs in West Wales on 4 January 1882. -Vacancy:...
- Carmarthen by-election, 1924Carmarthen by-election, 1924The Carmarthen by-election, 1924 was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Carmarthen in West Wales held on 14 August 1924.-Vacancy:...
- Carmarthen by-election, 1928Carmarthen by-election, 1928The Carmarthen by-election, 1928 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Carmarthen in West Wales on 28 June 1928.- Vacancy :...
- Carmarthen by-election, 1941Carmarthen by-election, 1941A by-election was held for the British House of Commons constituency of Carmarthen on 26 March 1941. The seat had become vacant on the resignation of the Labour Member of Parliament Major Daniel Hopkin MC, who had held the seat since the 1935 general election....
- Carmarthen by-election, 1966Carmarthen by-election, 1966The Carmarthen by-election, was held in Carmarthen, Wales on 14 July 1966. The contest was significant in that it resulted in the election of Gwynfor Evans, the first ever Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament...