2005–2010 Parliament There were 14 by-elections in the
2005–2010 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing
Labour Party, three by the
Conservatives, one by the
Liberal Democrats, one by an
independent and one by the
speaker. Eight by-elections were won by the incumbent party, including in
Haltemprice and Howden where Conservative
David Davis resigned to recontest his seat. Meanwhile,
Blaenau Gwent was won by a second independent candidate. Labour lost four seats; two to the Conservatives, one to the Liberal Democrats and one to the
SNP. The speaker's seat was regained by Labour, the party speaker
Michael Martin represented before he took up the position in a previous constituency. Eight by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP – five Labour MPs died, along with one Liberal Democrat, one Conservative and independent MP
Peter Law. At the dissolution of Parliament in 2010 there were three vacancies:
North West Leicestershire and
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, caused by the death of their respective Labour members
David Taylor and
Ashok Kumar; and
Strangford caused by the resignation of the
DUP's
Iris Robinson. With the close proximity of the
2010 general election, by-elections were not held in these seats. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and Strangford were held by
Tom Blenkinsop and
Jim Shannon respectively, but North West Leicestershire was won by Conservative
Andrew Bridgen.
2001–2005 Parliament There were six by-elections in the
2001–2005 Parliament. Each were in seats held by the governing
Labour Party, four of which were held and two won by the
Liberal Democrats. Four by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP.
1997–2001 Parliament There were 17 by-elections in the
1997–2001 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing
Labour party, five by the
Conservatives, one by the
Liberal Democrats, one by
Plaid Cymru, one by the
Ulster Unionist Party and one by the
speaker. 14 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. The Conservatives lost one seat to the Liberal Democrats, and the
Democratic Unionist Party gained
South Antrim from the Ulster Unionists. The speaker's seat was regained by Labour, the party speaker
Betty Boothroyd represented before she took up the position. Ten by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP; six were Labour, three Conservative and one was the Ulster Unionist MP
Clifford Forsythe.
1992–1997 Parliament There were 18 by-elections in the
1992–1997 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing
Conservative party, nine by
Labour and one by the
Ulster Popular Unionist Party. Nine by-elections were won by the incumbent party, all of which happened to be Labour. The Conservatives lost all eight seats in the by-elections – four to the
Liberal Democrats, three to Labour and one to the
SNP. The
UK Unionist Party gained
North Down from the Ulster Popular Unionists. 16 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP – eight Conservatives died, along with seven Labour MPs and the Ulster Popular Unionist MP Sir
James Kilfedder. At the dissolution of Parliament in 1997 there were two vacancies:
Meriden, caused by the death of its Conservative member
Iain Mills, and
Don Valley, caused by the death of its Labour member
Martin Redmond. With the close proximity of the
1997 general election, by-elections were not held in these seats. They were held by
Caroline Spelman and
Caroline Flint respectively.
1987–1992 Parliament There were 24 by-elections in the
1987–1992 Parliament. Ten were in seats held by the governing
Conservative party, 13 by
Labour and one by the
Ulster Unionist Party. 16 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. Labour lost one seat to the
SNP, and the Conservatives lost seven seats; four to Labour and three to the
Liberal Democrats. 20 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP – 11 Labour MPs died, along with eight Conservatives and Ulster Unionist
Harold McCusker.
1983–1987 Parliament There were 31 by-elections in the
1983–1987 Parliament. Nine were in seats held by the governing
Conservative party, six by
Labour and one by the
Liberals. The remaining 15 were in
Northern Ireland, involving the province's own political parties. 25 by-elections were won by the incumbent party, including all in Northern Ireland except one. The Conservatives lost five seats; one to Labour, two to the Liberals, and two to the
Social Democrats. The
Ulster Unionists lost one seat to the
Social Democratic and Labour Party. 11 by-elections were the result of the death of the incumbent MP; seven were Conservatives, three Labour and one Liberal.
1979–1983 Parliament There were 20 by-elections in the
1979–1983 Parliament. Seven were in seats held by the governing
Conservative party, ten by
Labour, one by the
Ulster Unionists and two (in the same seat) by Irish republican parties, who do not take up their seats in the
House of Commons. 13 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. The Conservatives lost four seats: one to Labour, one to the
Liberals and two to the
Social Democrats, and Labour lost two seats: one to the Liberals and one to the Conservatives. Meanwhile, the seat of
Fermanagh and South Tyrone was won from the
Independent Republican Party by
Anti H-Block, a branch of
Sinn Féin. 15 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP; six were Conservatives, six Labour, and the others were the Ulster Unionist
Robert Bradford, the Independent Republican
Frank Maguire and the Anti H-Block member
Bobby Sands (who was in prison). ==See also==