Rochdale by-election, 1972
Encyclopedia
The Rochdale by-election, 1972 was a parliamentary by-election
held on 26 October 1972 for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Rochdale
.
The by-election took place during the 1970s Liberal revival, in one of the areas with few Labour held seats and where the Liberal Party was in second place. This was the first Liberal gain during the 1970–1974 Parliament.
(4 December 1910 – 16 July 1972) died.
McCann first contested the Rochdale seat for Parliament in 1955 without success. He was first elected in a 1958 by-election
following the death of the sitting Conservative
MP Wentworth Schofield
. In that by-election the Liberal candidate had finished second, during the late 1950s Liberal revival that culminated in the victory at the Torrington by-election, 1958
the next month. The Liberals had finished second to McCann in three out of the four subsequent general elections, including that of 1970.
The Liberal Party candidate was Cyril Smith
(28 June 1928 – 3 September 2010). He was a prominent local politician, who had been a Labour Mayor of the town in 1966–67. Smith joined the Liberal Party in 1967. He had finished second in the seat at the United Kingdom general election, 1970
. Smith won the by-election and retained the constituency until he retired from Parliament in 1992. He was the Liberal Chief Whip 1975–76.
Representing the Labour Party was Lawrence Cunliffe
(born 25 March 1929). He again contested Rochdale in the February 1974 general election. Cunliffe was elected MP for Leigh
in 1979 and sat for the seat until he retired in 2001.
The Conservative candidate was David Trippier
, born in 1946. He was a stockbroker and Rochdale councillor. He contested Oldham West
in both 1974 general elections. Trippier became the Member of Parliament
for Rossendale
from 1979 to 1983, and for Rossendale and Darwen from 1983 until he lost his seat in 1992.
Jim Merrick, the chairman of the British Campaign to Stop Immigration, was from Bradford and issued leaflets headed "Enoch
is right".
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held on 26 October 1972 for the British House of 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...
constituency
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of Rochdale
Rochdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochdale is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
.
The by-election took place during the 1970s Liberal revival, in one of the areas with few Labour held seats and where the Liberal Party was in second place. This was the first Liberal gain during the 1970–1974 Parliament.
Previous MP
The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Labour Member of Parliament (MP), John "Jack" McCannJack McCann
John "Jack" McCann was a British politician, who served as the Labour Member of Parliament for Rochdale....
(4 December 1910 – 16 July 1972) died.
McCann first contested the Rochdale seat for Parliament in 1955 without success. He was first elected in a 1958 by-election
Rochdale by-election, 1958
The Rochdale by-election of 13 February 1958 was a by-election for the constituency of Rochdale, in Lancashire, England, in the House of Commons...
following the death of the sitting 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...
MP Wentworth Schofield
Wentworth Schofield
Wentworth Schofield was a British politician, who served as the last Conservative Member of Parliament for Rochdale.Schofield hailed from Oldham, Lancashire and was active in the cotton-spinning industry...
. In that by-election the Liberal candidate had finished second, during the late 1950s Liberal revival that culminated in the victory at the Torrington by-election, 1958
Torrington by-election, 1958
The Torrington by-election of 1958, in Devon, England, was the first gain by the British Liberal Party at a by-election since Holland with Boston in 1929....
the next month. The Liberals had finished second to McCann in three out of the four subsequent general elections, including that of 1970.
Candidates
Four candidates were nominated. The list below is set out in descending order of the number of votes received at the by-election.The Liberal Party candidate was Cyril Smith
Cyril Smith
Sir Cyril Smith, MBE, was a British politician who served as Liberal and Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the constituency of Rochdale from 1972 until his retirement in 1992.-Early life:...
(28 June 1928 – 3 September 2010). He was a prominent local politician, who had been a Labour Mayor of the town in 1966–67. Smith joined the Liberal Party in 1967. He had finished second in the seat at the United Kingdom general election, 1970
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
. Smith won the by-election and retained the constituency until he retired from Parliament in 1992. He was the Liberal Chief Whip 1975–76.
Representing the Labour Party was Lawrence Cunliffe
Lawrence Cunliffe
Lawrence Cunliffe is a retired British Labour Party politician. He served as the Member of Parliament for Leigh from 1979 until he retired from the House of Commons at the 2001 general election...
(born 25 March 1929). He again contested Rochdale in the February 1974 general election. Cunliffe was elected MP for Leigh
Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)
Leigh is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
in 1979 and sat for the seat until he retired in 2001.
The Conservative candidate was David Trippier
David Trippier
Sir David Austin Trippier is a British Conservative politician and old boy of Bury Grammar School.Trippier was Member of Parliament for Rossendale from 1979 to 1983, and for Rossendale and Darwen from 1983 until he lost his seat in 1992 by 120 votes to Labour's Janet Anderson...
, born in 1946. He was a stockbroker and Rochdale councillor. He contested Oldham West
Oldham West (UK Parliament constituency)
Oldham West was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Oldham in the north-west of Greater Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in both 1974 general elections. Trippier became the 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 Rossendale
Rossendale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rossendale was a parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire, England. Created in 1885, it elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system...
from 1979 to 1983, and for Rossendale and Darwen from 1983 until he lost his seat in 1992.
Jim Merrick, the chairman of the British Campaign to Stop Immigration, was from Bradford and issued leaflets headed "Enoch
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
is right".
Votes
See also
- Rochdale constituencyRochdale (UK Parliament constituency)Rochdale is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- United Kingdom by-election recordsUnited Kingdom by-election recordsUK by-election records is an annotated list of notable records from UK Parliamentary by-elections. A by-election occurs when a Member of Parliament resigns, dies, or is disqualified or expelled, and an election is held to fill the vacant seat...