Down by-election, 1946
Encyclopedia
The Down by-election was held on 6 June 1946, following the death of James Little, the independent Unionist
Member of Parliament
for Down
.
The Down constituency
elected two members. Since its re-creation in 1922, it had consistently elected unionists, with all other candidates polling less than 15% of the votes cast.
Until the 1945, every MP for the seat had been a member of the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP). Little was elected unopposed for the UUP at a 1939 by-election. The other Down MP, Viscount Castlereagh, decided to retire at the 1945 general election, and the UUP decided to also make Little's seat subject to reselection. Little resigned from the party in protest at this, and easily held his seat as an Independent Ulster Unionist. Official Unionist Walter Smiles won the second seat, narrowly beating the second official Unionist, John Blakiston Houston and a second independent unionist, James Brown
. Little took 40% of the votes, and the three other candidates around 20% each.
, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy
, who had unsuccessfully contested South Down
at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945.
The Northern Ireland Labour Party
had generally performed well at the 1945 election, although it did not win any seats. It stood Desmond Donnelly
, a British politician with Irish ancestry. At the 1945 election, he had taken third place in Evesham
standing for the Common Wealth Party
, but had since joined the British Labour Party
.
Two independent unionist candidates stood: J. Hastings-Little, son of James Little, and James Brown, the unsuccessful candidate from the previous year, and former Stormont for South Down.
At the 1950 UK general election, all remaining multi-member constituencies were abolished. Down was divided into North Down
and South Down
. Mullan chose to stand down and pursued his career as a solicitor. Donnelly was elected MP for Pembrokeshire
in 1950 and enjoyed a colourful career, eventually joining the Conservative Party
.
Independent Unionist
See also Independent .Independent Unionist has been a label sometimes used by candidates in elections in the United Kingdom, indicating a support for Unionism, retaining the unity of the British state....
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,...
for Down
Down (UK Parliament constituency)
Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801-1885 and 1922-1950.-Boundaries:1801-1885: The whole of County Down, excluding the Boroughs of Downpatrick and Newry....
.
The Down constituency
Down (UK Parliament constituency)
Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801-1885 and 1922-1950.-Boundaries:1801-1885: The whole of County Down, excluding the Boroughs of Downpatrick and Newry....
elected two members. Since its re-creation in 1922, it had consistently elected unionists, with all other candidates polling less than 15% of the votes cast.
Until the 1945, every MP for the seat had been a member of the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP). Little was elected unopposed for the UUP at a 1939 by-election. The other Down MP, Viscount Castlereagh, decided to retire at the 1945 general election, and the UUP decided to also make Little's seat subject to reselection. Little resigned from the party in protest at this, and easily held his seat as an Independent Ulster Unionist. Official Unionist Walter Smiles won the second seat, narrowly beating the second official Unionist, John Blakiston Houston and a second independent unionist, James Brown
James Brown (Northern Ireland politician)
James Brown was a Unionist politician and journalist in Northern Ireland.Brown stood as an independent Farmers and New Industries candidate in South Down at the Northern Ireland general election, 1938...
. Little took 40% of the votes, and the three other candidates around 20% each.
Candidates
At the by-election, the Ulster Unionist Party hoped to regain the second seat. They stood Charles Heron MullanCharles Heron Mullan
Charles Heron Mullan CBE DL , known as C. H. Mullan, was a judge and unionist politician in Northern Ireland....
, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, who had unsuccessfully contested South Down
South Down (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
South Down was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:South Down was a county constituency comprising part of southern County Down. It was created when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945.
The Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
had generally performed well at the 1945 election, although it did not win any seats. It stood Desmond Donnelly
Desmond Donnelly
Desmond Louis Donnelly was a British politician, author and journalist who was a member of four different political parties during the course of his career, and moved between parties on five occasions.- Origins :...
, a British politician with Irish ancestry. At the 1945 election, he had taken third place in Evesham
Evesham (UK Parliament constituency)
Evesham was a parliamentary constituency in Worcestershire which was represented in the British House of Commons. Originally a parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Evesham, it was first represented in 1295...
standing for the Common Wealth Party
Common Wealth Party
The Common Wealth Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom in the Second World War. Thereafter, it continued in being, essentially as a pressure group, until 1993.-The war years:...
, but had since joined the British Labour Party
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...
.
Two independent unionist candidates stood: J. Hastings-Little, son of James Little, and James Brown, the unsuccessful candidate from the previous year, and former Stormont for South Down.
Result
The by-election was won by Mullan, who took more than half the votes cast. Donnelly took 29% and a clear second place, while Hastings-Little managed 17%. Brown's share of the vote collapsed to only 2%.At the 1950 UK general election, all remaining multi-member constituencies were abolished. Down was divided into North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
and South Down
South Down (UK Parliament constituency)
South Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the southern part of Down...
. Mullan chose to stand down and pursued his career as a solicitor. Donnelly was elected MP for Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Pembrokeshire was a parliamentary constituency based on the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
in 1950 and enjoyed a colourful career, eventually joining the Conservative Party
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...
.