1911 Luton by-election
{{Short description|UK parliamentary by-election}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2023}}
The 1911 Luton by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 20 July 1911.{{cite book |last=Craig |first=F.W.S. |date=1987 |title=Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987 |location=Chichester |publisher=Parliamentary Research Services |page=105}} It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.
Vacancy
Thomas Ashton had been the Liberal MP here since 1895. Luton had been Liberal since the seat was created in 1885. He was raised to the peerage as Baron Ashton of Hyde, in the County of Chester, with a seat in the House of Lords.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin | title=General election December 1910
Electorate 16,564}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Thomas Ashton
|votes = 7,601
|percentage =53.4
|change =+0.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate =John Owen Hickman
|votes =6,623
|percentage =46.6
|change =-0.5
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 978
|percentage = 6.8
|change = +1.0
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 14,224
|percentage = 85.9
|change = -4.8
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Liberal Party (UK)
|swing = +0.5
}}
{{Election box end}}
Candidates
The new Liberal candidate selected to defend the seat was Cecil Harmsworth. He had been Liberal MP for Droitwich, Worcestershire until his defeat there in January 1910.
The Conservatives re-selected John Owen Hickman, who had been their candidate last time.
Result
Cecil Harmsworth held the seat for the Liberal Party.
File:Cecil Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth.jpg
{{Election box begin | title=Luton by-election, 1911
Electorate 17,177}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Cecil Harmsworth
|votes = 7,619
|percentage = 52.1
|change =-1.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate =John Owen Hickman
|votes =7,006
|percentage = 47.9
|change =+1.3
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes =613
|percentage =4.2
|change = -2.6
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 14,625
|percentage =85.1
|change = -0.8
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Liberal Party (UK)
|swing =-1.3
}}
{{Election box end}}
Aftermath
A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the autumn of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.
{{Election box begin | title=General Election 1914/15
Electorate 19,199}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Cecil Harmsworth
|votes =
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Unionist Party (UK)
|candidate =
|votes =
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=General election 14 December 1918
Electorate 37,051}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = *Cecil Harmsworth
|votes = 13,501
|percentage = 69.4
|change = +16.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Willet Ball
|votes = 5,964
|percentage = 30.6
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes =7,537
|percentage =38.8
|change = +32.0
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 19,465
|percentage = 52.5
|change = -23.4
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Liberal Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
- Harmsworth was the endorsed candidate of the Coalition Government.
References
{{reflist}}
{{By-elections to the 30th UK Parliament}}