2007 Sedgefield by-election
{{Short description|2007 UK Parliamentary by-election}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = Sedgefield by-election
| type = parliamentary
| country = United Kingdom
| seats_for_election = Sedgefield constituency
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2005 United Kingdom general election
| previous_year = 2005
| next_election = 2010 United Kingdom general election
| next_year = 2010
| election_date = 19 July 2007
| turnout = 41.6% {{decrease}}13.23pp
| candidate1 = Phil Wilson
| image1 = Phil Wilson 2015 (cropped).jpg
| party1 = Labour Party (UK)
| popular_vote1 = 12,528
| percentage1 = 44.8%
| swing1 = {{decrease}}14.1%
| candidate2 = Greg Stone
| image2 = {{eppt|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}
| party2 = Liberal Democrats (UK)
| popular_vote2 = 5,572
| percentage2 = 19.9%
| swing2 = {{increase}}8.0%
| candidate3 = Graham Robb
| image3 = {{eppt|Conservative Party (UK)}}
| party3 = Conservative Party (UK)
| popular_vote3 = 4,082
| percentage3 = 14.6%
| swing3 = {{increase}}0.2%
| candidate4 = Andrew Spence
| image4 =
| party4 = British National Party
| popular_vote4 = 2,494
| percentage4 = 8.9%
| swing4 = New party
| candidate5 = Paul Gittins
| image5 =
| party5 = Independent politician
| popular_vote5 = 1,885
| percentage5 = 6.7%
| swing5 = New party
| title = MP
| posttitle = Subsequent MP
| before_election = Tony Blair
| before_party = Labour Party (UK)
| after_election = Phil Wilson
| after_party = Labour Party (UK)
}}
Image:SedgefieldConstituency.svg
The 2007 Sedgefield by-election was a by-election held on 19 July 2007 for the House of Commons constituency of Sedgefield in County Durham. The Ealing Southall by-election was also held on 19 July.
The by-election was triggered when Tony Blair, the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Sedgefield and former Prime Minister, resigned to become envoy for the international diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East. Blair accepted the office of Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern,{{cite web |url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2007/press_72_07.cfm |work=HM Treasury |title=Three Hundreds of Chiltern |date=2007-06-27 |accessdate=2007-06-27}} thereby disqualifying himself from Parliament and causing the by-election. Blair had held the constituency since its creation for the 1983 election, and Labour had held its predecessor constituencies since the 1935 election.
According to Sedgefield Borough Council, the electorate for the by-election was 67,339 which represents an increase of 673 (1%) on the 2005 general election.
Candidates
The Labour Party selected Phil Wilson, a public relations consultant, local party member and one of the "Famous Five" who had promoted Tony Blair's first candidacy in 1983. He was chosen from a shortlist of five candidates, including former Minister Melanie Johnson.Chris Lloyd, "[http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/display.var.1518245.0.labour_chooses_one_of_the_famous_five.php Labour chooses one of the 'Famous Five']", The Northern Echo The Liberal Democrats chose North East regeneration expert Greg Stone, a councillor in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and former candidate in the Vale of York in the 2001 election and Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central in the 2005 election. The Conservatives stood Graham Robb, a public relations consultant and former radio presenter, who stood for the party in 1992 in Hartlepool, losing to Peter Mandelson.{{Cite web |url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/sedgefield |title=UKPollingReport: Sedgefield |access-date=6 July 2007 |archive-date=23 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123115611/http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/sedgefield/ |url-status=dead }}
Several other candidates contested the election. The UK Independence Party (UKIP) selected Toby Horton, who formerly contested the seat for the Conservatives in 1983, and in 1992 stood in Rother Valley. The Green Party of England and Wales chose Chris Haine, and the British National Party chose Andrew Spence, who was involved in the 2000 fuel protests and stood for UKIP in the seat in 2001. The leader of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, Alan Hope, also stood, having previously contested a long list of seats in both general and by-elections. The English Democrats chose Stephen Gash, and Operation Christian Vote fielded barrister Tim Grainger. Norman Scarth stood as an independent "anti crime" candidate, having previously contested Chesterfield in 1997 as an "independent old age pensioner". Local independent councillor Paul Gittins stood on a platform calling for the regeneration of the centre of Newton Aycliffe.Greg Hurst, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20110523165519/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2034131.ece Meet the man who would be Tony Blair]", The Times
Result
Wilson held the seat for Labour with a majority reduced by over 11,000. The Liberal Democrats overtook the Conservatives for second place, with an 11% swing. The British National Party and independent local campaigner Paul Gittins both retained their deposits.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6907049.stm |title=Labour holds on to Blair's seat |date=20 July 2007 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=19 June 2023}} The turnout for the by-election was down by 13.23 percentage points in comparison with 2005.{{Cite news |date=2007-07-20 |title=Tories shrug off by-election blow |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6907049.stm |access-date=2024-06-15 |language=en-GB}}
{{Election box begin | title=2007 Sedgefield by-election{{cite web|url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2005.html|title=Results of Byelections in the 2005–2010 Parliament|last=Boothroyd|first=David|access-date=2015-10-05|website=United Kingdom Election Results|archive-date=27 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227081306/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2005.html|url-status=dead}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Phil Wilson
|votes = 12,528
|percentage = 44.8
|change = –14.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=Greg Stone|votes=5,572|percentage=19.9|change=+8.0}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=Graham Robb|votes=4,082|percentage=14.6|change=+0.2}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=British National Party|candidate=Andrew Spence|votes=2,494|percentage=8.9|change=New}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Independent politician|candidate=Paul Gittins|votes=1,885|percentage=6.7|change=New}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=UK Independence Party|candidate=Toby Horton|votes=536|percentage=1.9|change=+0.3}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Chris Haine|votes=348|percentage=1.2|change=New}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=English Democrats Party|candidate=Stephen Gash|votes=177|percentage=0.6|change=New}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Christian Party (UK)|candidate=Tim Grainger|votes=177|percentage=0.6|change=New}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Official Monster Raving Loony Party|candidate=Alan Hope|votes=129|percentage=0.5|change=+0.1}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = Anti Crime
|candidate = Norman Scarth
|votes = 34
|percentage = 0.1
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority||votes=6,956|percentage=24.9|change=–19.6}}
{{Election box turnout||votes=27,962|percentage=41.6|change=–20.6}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
General Election 2005 result
{{Election box begin | title=General election 2005: Sedgefield}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Tony Blair
|votes = 24,421
|percentage = 58.9
|change = –6.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Gp Capt Al Lockwood
|votes = 5,972
|percentage = 14.4
|change = –6.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = Robert Browne
|votes = 4,935
|percentage = 11.9
|change = +2.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Reg Keys
|votes = 4,252
|percentage = 10.3
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = UK Independence Party
|candidate = William Brown
|votes = 646
|percentage = 1.6
|change = –0.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = National Front (UK)
|candidate = Mark Farrell
|votes = 253
|percentage = 0.6
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Veritas (political party)
|candidate = Fiona Luckhurst-Matthews
|votes = 218
|percentage = 0.5
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Berony Abraham
|votes = 205
|percentage = 0.5
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Official Monster Raving Loony Party
|candidate = Melodie Staniforth
|votes = 157
|percentage = 0.4
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = Blair Must Go Party
|candidate = Jonathan Cockburn
|votes = 103
|percentage = 0.2
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Senior Citizens Party
|candidate = Terry Pattinson
|votes = 97
|percentage = 0.2
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = UK Pensioners Party
|candidate = Cherri Gilham
|votes = 82
|percentage = 0.2
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Helen John
|votes = 68
|percentage = 0.2
|change = –0.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = John Barker
|votes = 45
|percentage = 0.1
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Julian Brennan
|votes = 17
|percentage = 0.0
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 18,449
|percentage = 44.5
|change = +0.5
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 41,475
|percentage = 62.2
|change = +0.2
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing = –0.2
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6244358.stm BBC News]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070911222438/http://www.sedgefield-labour.com/ Labour's Sedgefield By-Election Website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070709052707/http://sedgefieldlibdems.org.uk/ Liberal Democrats Sedgefield By-Election Website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070901013630/http://www.sedgefieldconservatives.com/ Conservative Sedgefield By-Election Website]
- [http://by_elections.blogspot.com/ By-Election blog]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070713070957/http://www.ukipsedgefield.org/ Sedgefield UK Independence Party]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110719102728/http://by-elections.co.uk/sedgefield07.html Election leaflets from the by-election campaign]
{{By-elections to the 54th UK Parliament}}