Vauxhall by-election, 1989
Encyclopedia
A by-election
for the United Kingdom
House of Commons
was held in the constituency of Vauxhall
on the 15th June 1989, following the resignation of sitting Member of Parliament
(MP) Stuart Holland
.
The winner, Kate Hoey
, was Minister for Sport in Tony Blair
's Labour
government from 1999-2001 but has now returned to the backbenches.
The 1989 by-election was caused by Stuart Holland's resignation to take up an academic job in preference to remaining in the Labour Party. Kate Hoey was shortlisted for the seat against the wishes of many left-wing local Labour activists who wanted Nigerian-born Martha Osamor.
officially, and D. Allen (sponsored by a religious cult
) who used the title "The Greens". This was the first time the Green Party saved its deposit in a UK Parliamentary election. There were two National Front candidates, from their warring "Official" and "Flag" factions.
At close of nominations, there had been 15 contenders, with rival candidates for the 'Social & Liberal Democrats' and 'Continuing Social Democratic Party'. However, the SDP candidate, Tom Edwards, withdrew his candidature before the notice of poll.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for 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...
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...
was held in the constituency of Vauxhall
Vauxhall (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1960s:-Notes and references:...
on the 15th June 1989, following the resignation of sitting 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) Stuart Holland
Stuart Holland
Stuart Kingsley Holland is a British Labour politician and academic.He represented the Vauxhall constituency in Lambeth, London from 1979 until 1989, when he applied for the Chiltern Hundreds to take up a post at the European University Institute, Florence...
.
The winner, Kate Hoey
Kate Hoey
Catharine Letitia Hoey is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Vauxhall since 1989. She served in the Blair Government as Minister for Sport from 1999 to 2001.-Background:...
, was Minister for Sport in Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
's 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...
government from 1999-2001 but has now returned to the backbenches.
The 1989 by-election was caused by Stuart Holland's resignation to take up an academic job in preference to remaining in the Labour Party. Kate Hoey was shortlisted for the seat against the wishes of many left-wing local Labour activists who wanted Nigerian-born Martha Osamor.
Candidates
The by-election was contested by 14 candidates: one of the longest lists of "serious" candidates at any by-election in the 1980s. Rev. H. Andrew stood as "The People's Candidate", out of protest at the Labour Party's selection process for their candidate. There were two "Green" candidates: H. Bewley (who represented the Green PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
officially, and D. Allen (sponsored by a religious cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
) who used the title "The Greens". This was the first time the Green Party saved its deposit in a UK Parliamentary election. There were two National Front candidates, from their warring "Official" and "Flag" factions.
At close of nominations, there had been 15 contenders, with rival candidates for the 'Social & Liberal Democrats' and 'Continuing Social Democratic Party'. However, the SDP candidate, Tom Edwards, withdrew his candidature before the notice of poll.