1995 Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election explained

Election Name:1995 Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election
Country:United Kingdom
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1992 United Kingdom general election
Previous Year:1992
Next Election:1997 United Kingdom general election
Next Year:1997
Election Date:27 July 1995
Turnout:64.5%
Candidate1:Chris Davies
Party1:Liberal Democrats (UK)
Popular Vote1:16,231
Percentage1:38.5%
Swing1:2.7pp
Candidate2:Phil Woolas
Party2:Labour Party (UK)
Popular Vote2:14,238
Percentage2:33.8%
Swing2:14.9pp
Image3: CON
Party3:Conservative Party (UK)
Popular Vote3:9,934
Percentage3:23.6%
Swing3:20.7pp
MP
Before Election:Geoffrey Dickens
After Election:Chris Davies
Before Party:Conservative Party (UK)
After Party:Liberal Democrats (UK)

A by-election was called to take place on 27 July 1995 in the constituency of Littleborough and Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, England, following the death of Conservative Party MP Geoffrey Dickens on 17 May of that year.

The contest was a win for the Liberal Democrat candidate Chris Davies. The result was notable, for the incumbent Conservative Party fell from first to third place, coming behind both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats. Davies' conduct during the by-election was controversial owing to his openly campaigning while the sitting MP Geoffrey Dickens was dying from liver cancer.[1]

The second-placed Labour candidate, Phil Woolas, defeated Davies at the 1997 general election in the successor seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth. He held the seat until 2010. Davies went on to represent the North West England region in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014.

Notes on candidates

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External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Economist . Charles Reynell . 18 March 1995 . Google Books.
  2. Web site: (Source) . 2006-06-18 . 2017-07-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170720031954/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1992.html . dead.