Chesterfield by-election, 1984
Encyclopedia
The Chesterfield by-election, 1984 was held
on 1 March 1984 for a seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom to represent Chesterfield
in Derbyshire
. This followed the resignation
of the sitting Labour
Member of Parliament
(MP) Eric Varley
.
The eventual winner, former Labour cabinet minister
Tony Benn
defeated sixteen other candidates, at the time the largest fielded in a British by-election — surpassing the previous high of twelve, at the Croydon North West by-election, 1981
. This record would not be broken until the Newbury by-election, 1993
.
At the time, there was no requirement for candidate's parties to be registered resulting in some fringe candidates using slogans or frivolous titles as their party name. Actor Bill Maynard
took fourth place, standing as an independent Labour supporter who opposed Benn's candidacy. Other candidates included John Davey, who ran in opposition to increases in the charges for dentistry
on the NHS
, Helen Anscomb, a by-election veteran who called for freight to be transported by rail
to improve road safety, Donald Butler, a furniture shop owner who adopted the slogan "a Chesterfield for Chesterfield
" and David Cahill, who wanted The Sun
to be treated as a comic
. http://www.election.demon.co.uk/1983EB.html
Chesterfield was Benn's fourth by-election win. He had first entered Parliament
at the Bristol South East by-election, 1950
, and held that seat until he was disqualified from the Commons
in 1960, when he inherited his father's peerage, as Viscount Stansgate
. At the resulting Bristol South East by-election 1961
, he won with an increased majority of the votes, but because he was ineligible to take his seat, the Conservative candidate Malcolm St Clair
was declared the winner. When the law was changed to allow peerages to be renounced, St Clair resigned his seat, and Benn won the Bristol South East by-election 1963
.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
on 1 March 1984 for a seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom to represent Chesterfield
Chesterfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Chesterfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a marginal seat between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The best-known MP was Tony Benn from 1984 to 2001...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. This followed the resignation
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...
of the sitting 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...
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,...
(MP) Eric Varley
Eric Varley
Eric Graham Varley, Baron Varley, PC was an English politician and former Cabinet Minister on the right wing of the Labour Party....
.
The eventual winner, former Labour cabinet minister
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
defeated sixteen other candidates, at the time the largest fielded in a British by-election — surpassing the previous high of twelve, at the Croydon North West by-election, 1981
Croydon North West by-election, 1981
The Croydon North West by-election took place on 22 October 1981. It was caused by the death of Conservative Member of Parliament Robert Taylor on 18 June 1981.The Conservative Party selected John Butterfill, then vice-chairman of Guildford Conservative Association...
. This record would not be broken until the Newbury by-election, 1993
Newbury by-election, 1993
The Newbury by-election, in West Berkshire, England, was held on 6 May 1993 after Conservative Member of Parliament Judith Chaplin died, after only being elected the previous year. It was won by David Rendel of the Liberal Democrats with an impressive swing of 28.4%...
.
At the time, there was no requirement for candidate's parties to be registered resulting in some fringe candidates using slogans or frivolous titles as their party name. Actor Bill Maynard
Bill Maynard
Walter Frederick George Williams , better known by the stage name Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.-Early life and career:...
took fourth place, standing as an independent Labour supporter who opposed Benn's candidacy. Other candidates included John Davey, who ran in opposition to increases in the charges for dentistry
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
on the NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
, Helen Anscomb, a by-election veteran who called for freight to be transported by rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
to improve road safety, Donald Butler, a furniture shop owner who adopted the slogan "a Chesterfield for Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
" and David Cahill, who wanted The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
to be treated as a comic
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
. http://www.election.demon.co.uk/1983EB.html
Chesterfield was Benn's fourth by-election win. He had first entered Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the Bristol South East by-election, 1950
Bristol South East by-election, 1950
The Bristol South East by-election, 1950 was a by-election held on 30th November 1950 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol...
, and held that seat until he was disqualified from the Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1960, when he inherited his father's peerage, as Viscount Stansgate
Viscount Stansgate
Viscount Stansgate, of Stansgate in the County of Essex, is a currently disclaimed title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1942 for the Labour politician and former Secretary of State for India and Secretary of State for Air, William Wedgwood Benn. He was the second son of Sir...
. At the resulting Bristol South East by-election 1961
Bristol South East by-election, 1961
The Bristol South East by-election, 1961 was a by-election held on 4 May 1961 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol....
, he won with an increased majority of the votes, but because he was ineligible to take his seat, the Conservative candidate Malcolm St Clair
Malcolm St. Clair (UK politician)
Malcolm Archibald James St. Clair was a British Conservative Party politician.He was the son of Major-General G.P. St Clair CB CBE DSO, and was educated at Eton College....
was declared the winner. When the law was changed to allow peerages to be renounced, St Clair resigned his seat, and Benn won 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....
.