1936 Greenock by-election
{{Short description|UK parliamentary by-election}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
The 1936 Greenock by-election was a by-election held on 26 November 1936 for the UK House of Commons constituency of Greenock in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Vacancy
The seat had become vacant on 13 October 1936 when the Secretary of State for Scotland, Sir Godfrey Collins died at the age of 61. A National Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), he held the seat since the January 1910 general election.
Candidates
The National Liberal candidate was V. E. Cornelius, who had not previously contested a parliamentary election.
His only opponent was the Labour Party candidate, 50-year-old Robert Gibson. Gibson had unsuccessfully contested one by-election and three general elections most recently at Dundee in 1935.
Result
On a high turnout, the result was a victory for Gibson, who won the seat with a swing of nearly 8%. He held the seat until his resignation in 1941.
Votes
{{Election box begin |
|title=Greenock by-election, 26 November 1936
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Robert Gibson
|votes = 20,594
|percentage = 53.4
|change = +9.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
|candidate = V. E. Cornelius
|votes = 17,990
|percentage = 46.6
|change = −6.1
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 2,604
|percentage = 6.8
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 38,584
|percentage = 83.3
|change = −1.1
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|loser = National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
|swing = +7.85
}}
{{Election box end}}
Previous election
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election, November 1935: Greenock
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
|candidate = Godfrey Collins
|votes = 20,299
|percentage = 52.7
|change = +1.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = T. Irwin
|votes = 16,945
|percentage = 44.0
|change = +13.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Scottish National Party
|candidate = J. L. Kinloch
|votes = 1,286
|percentage = 3.3
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 3,354
|percentage = 8.7
|change = −15.7
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 38,530
|percentage = 84.4
|change = +4.1
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
|swing = −5.9
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
Sources
- {{cite book |last=Craig |first=F. W. S. |author-link= F. W. S. Craig |title=British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 |orig-year=1969 |edition= 3rd |year=1983 |publisher= Parliamentary Research Services |location=Chichester |isbn= 0-900178-06-X}}
- {{Rayment-hc|date=March 2012}}
{{By-elections to the 37th UK Parliament}}
{{Westminster by-elections in Scotland 1900–1949}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greenock By-Election, 1936}}
Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Scottish constituencies
Category:1930s elections in Scotland
Category:1936 elections in the United Kingdom