1907 Aberdeen South by-election explained

Election Name:1907 Aberdeen South by-election
Type:presidential
Country:United Kingdom
Previous Election:Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1900s
Previous Year:1906
Next Election:Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1910s
Next Year:Jan. 1910
Election Date:20 February 1907
Candidate1:Esslemont
Party1:Liberal Party (UK)
Popular Vote1:3,779
Percentage1:42.3%
Candidate2:McNeill
Party2:Conservative Party (UK)
Popular Vote2:3,412
Percentage2:38.2%
Candidate3:Bramley
Party3:Independent Labour Party
Popular Vote3:1,740
Percentage3:19.5%
Map Size:250px
MP
Posttitle:Subsequent MP
Before Election:James Bryce
Before Party:Liberal Party (UK)
After Election:George Esslemont
After Party:Liberal Party (UK)

The 1907 Aberdeen South by-election was held on 20 February 1907. The by-election was held due to the incumbent Liberal MP, James Bryce, being appointed British Ambassador to the United States. It was won by the Liberal candidate George Esslemont.[1]

Fred Bramley, who stood for the "Aberdeen Labour Representation Committee", was not officially endorsed by the Labour Party or the Scottish Workers' Representation Committee.[2]

Campaign

Esslemont, the Liberal candidate, supported extending the right to vote to women. Despite this, the Women's Social and Political Union set up a local campaign office to campaign against him. This put the WSPU in conflict with local women's suffrage campaigners who supported Esslemont.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: House of Commons. https://web.archive.org/web/20080607022521/http://www.leighrayment.com/commons.htm. 7 June 2008. leighrayment.com. dead. 2014-01-11.
  2. F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885-1918, p.xvi
  3. The Scottish Suffragettes and the Pressby Sarah Pedersen