Hastings by-election, 1908
Encyclopedia
The Hastings by-election of 1908 was held for the British House of Commons constituency of Hastings
on 3 March 1908. The seat had become vacant following the resignation of the sitting Unionist
MP, Harvey Du Cros
, on grounds of ill health. The Conservatives quickly adopted his son Arthur Du Cros as their new candidate. The Liberals
had no local candidate in waiting and there was a delay in selecting Sir Robert Vernon Harcourt, the son of Sir William Harcourt
as their man.
The issues raised in the by-election ranged over many issues of the day and the clash between what was seen as the local man (Du Cros) versus the government incomer (Harcourt) who promoted his candidacy as that of a strong supporter of Free Trade. It did not help him however as both the Sussex Express and The Times
newspapers were agreed that the Unionist victory was ‘first and foremost [due] to Tariff Reform and particularly to the colonial preference side of the question’.
Turnout was slightly down on the 1906 election
but was still very high at 91%. The result was a Conservative hold with Du Cros receiving 4,495 votes to Harcourt’s 3,477 – a majority of 1,018. Du Cros held the seat until 1918
when he transferred to stand as a Coalition Conservative in Clapham
, a seat he held until 1922
. However, Harcourt had to wait only a few more weeks to get into Parliament. He was adopted as Liberal candidate at a by-election at Montrose Burghs following the elevation to the peerage of the sitting member there, the veteran Liberal John Morley
, was elected on 12 May 1908, and served as Member for Montrose until 1918.
Hastings (UK Parliament constituency)
Hastings was a parliamentary constituency in Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1885 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member....
on 3 March 1908. The seat had become vacant following the resignation of the sitting Unionist
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...
MP, Harvey Du Cros
Harvey du Cros
Harvey du Cros was a Conservative Party politician of England. He was the son of Edouard Pierre du Cros and Maria Molloy and was educated at The King's Hospital, Dublin....
, on grounds of ill health. The Conservatives quickly adopted his son Arthur Du Cros as their new candidate. The Liberals
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...
had no local candidate in waiting and there was a delay in selecting Sir Robert Vernon Harcourt, the son of Sir William Harcourt
William Vernon Harcourt (politician)
Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt was a British lawyer, journalist and Liberal statesman. He served as Member of Parliament for various constituencies and held the offices of Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone before becoming Leader of...
as their man.
The issues raised in the by-election ranged over many issues of the day and the clash between what was seen as the local man (Du Cros) versus the government incomer (Harcourt) who promoted his candidacy as that of a strong supporter of Free Trade. It did not help him however as both the Sussex Express and The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspapers were agreed that the Unionist victory was ‘first and foremost [due] to Tariff Reform and particularly to the colonial preference side of the question’.
Turnout was slightly down on the 1906 election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
but was still very high at 91%. The result was a Conservative hold with Du Cros receiving 4,495 votes to Harcourt’s 3,477 – a majority of 1,018. Du Cros held the seat until 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
when he transferred to stand as a Coalition Conservative in Clapham
Clapham (UK Parliament constituency)
Clapham was a borough constituency in South London which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, a seat he held until 1922
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
. However, Harcourt had to wait only a few more weeks to get into Parliament. He was adopted as Liberal candidate at a by-election at Montrose Burghs following the elevation to the peerage of the sitting member there, the veteran Liberal John Morley
John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn
John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn OM, PC was a British Liberal statesman, writer and newspaper editor. Initially a journalist, he was elected a Member of Parliament in 1883...
, was elected on 12 May 1908, and served as Member for Montrose until 1918.