1993 Christchurch by-election

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1993 Christchurch by-election

| type = parliamentary

| country = United Kingdom

| seats_for_election = Constituency of Christchurch

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1992 United Kingdom general election

| previous_year = 1992

| next_election = 1997 United Kingdom general election

| next_year = 1997

| election_date = 29 July 1993

| turnout = 74.2%

| candidate1 = Diana Maddock

| image1 = x160px

| party1 = Liberal Democrats (UK)

| popular_vote1 = 33,164

| percentage1 = 62.2%

| swing1 = {{increase}}38.6%

| candidate2 = Robert Hayward

| image2 = {{CSS image crop

|Image = Official portrait of Lord Hayward crop 2.jpg

|bSize = 170

|cWidth = 120

|cHeight = 160

|oLeft = 25

|oTop = 25

|Location = center

|Alt = Blank

}}

| party2 = Conservative Party (UK)

| popular_vote2 = 16,737

| percentage2 = 31.4%

| swing2 = {{decrease}}32.2%

| map_image =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| title = MP

| before_election = Robert Adley

| before_party = Conservative Party (UK)

| after_election = Diana Maddock

| after_party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

}}

A by-election was held in the British House of Commons constituency of Christchurch on 29 July 1993 following the death of sitting Conservative MP Robert Adley.

The result was a gain for the Liberal Democrats, notable for the swing necessary to take such a strong Conservative seat, gaining more than 60% of the votes cast and winning practically twice as many votes as the Conservatives. {{As of|2021|December}}, the swing of 35.4% remains the sixth-largest by-election swing in British political history (the Bermondsey by-election in 1983 having the largest). It was also the largest swing (35%) against any British government since 1918.{{cite web |date=24 April 2010 |title=Top Ten Lib Dem 'breakthrough moments' |url=http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/top-ten-lib-dem-breakthrough-moments/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512171830/http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/top-ten-lib-dem-breakthrough-moments/ |archive-date=12 May 2010 |access-date=25 February 2013 |publisher=Epolitix.com}}

At the time, it was not necessary for candidates in British elections to register party names or ballot paper descriptions. Details on candidates at this election are taken from the official count[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcH6vHJxr1c YouTube video] and David Boothroyd's election results site.{{cite web|url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1992.html|title=Results of Byelections in the 1992-97 Parliament|last=Boothroyd|first=David|access-date=2015-10-01|website=United Kingdom Election Results|archive-date=20 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720031954/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1992.html|url-status=dead}}