West Bromwich by-election, 1973
Encyclopedia
The West Bromwich
by-election
of 24 May 1973 was held after the appointment of Labour
Member of Parliament
(MP) Maurice Foley
to the European Commission
. Held continuously by Labour since 1935
it was retained in this by-election.
, MP for neighbouring Wolverhampton South West, to endorse Conservative candidate David Bell as he felt that Bell was too far removed from his own policies on immigration
and United Kingdom
membership of the European Community. Although Powell did not endorse any candidate the National Front
claimed that Powell's refusal to support Bell represented tacit endorsement. As a consequence Martin Webster
captured 16% of the vote, an all-time high for the NF to save its deposit.
In common with a number of by-elections at the time the Liberal Party
did not compete for this seat.
West Bromwich (UK Parliament constituency)
West Bromwich was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1974. It was based around West Bromwich, in the West Midlands...
by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
of 24 May 1973 was held after the appointment of 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) Maurice Foley
Maurice Foley (politician)
Maurice Anthony Foley was a British Labour Party politician. He was elected as Member of Parliament for West Bromwich at a by-election in 1963, and represented the constituency until his resignation from the House of Commons in 1973...
to the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. Held continuously by Labour since 1935
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
it was retained in this by-election.
Campaign
The election campaign was noted for the refusal of Enoch PowellEnoch 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...
, MP for neighbouring Wolverhampton South West, to endorse Conservative candidate David Bell as he felt that Bell was too far removed from his own policies on immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and 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...
membership of the European Community. Although Powell did not endorse any candidate the National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
claimed that Powell's refusal to support Bell represented tacit endorsement. As a consequence Martin Webster
Martin Webster
Martin Guy Alan Webster is a former leading figure on the far-right in British politics.-Early political activism:An early member of the Young Conservatives, from which he claimed to have been expelled, Webster was associated loosely with the League of Empire Loyalists until he joined the National...
captured 16% of the vote, an all-time high for the NF to save its deposit.
In common with a number of by-elections at the time the Liberal Party
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...
did not compete for this seat.
Results
See also
- West Bromwich (UK Parliament constituency)West Bromwich (UK Parliament constituency)West Bromwich was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1974. It was based around West Bromwich, in the West Midlands...
- West Bromwich by-election, 1941West Bromwich by-election, 1941The West Bromwich by-election, 1941 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of West Bromwich in Staffordshire on 16 April 1941...
- West Bromwich by-election, 1963West Bromwich by-election, 1963The West Bromwich by-election, 1963 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of West Bromwich in Staffordshire on 16 May 1963. It was won by the Labour Party candidate Maurice Foley.- Vacancy :...
- The town of West BromwichWest BromwichWest Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections