1920 Dartford by-election

1920 Dartford by-election

27 March 1920 (1920-03-27) (Polling) 10 April 1920 (1920-04-10) (Declaration)
Registered	44,281
Turnout	61.3%
Uni Candidate John Mills Thomas Wing Richard Meller Party Labour Liberal Unionist Alliance Coalition Popular vote 13,610 4,562 4,221 Percentage 50.1% 16.8% 15.6% Swing 21.4% New New   Ind Candidate Reginald Applin Frank Emil Fehr Party National Ind. Unionist Popular vote 2,952 1,802 Percentage 10.9% 6.6% Swing New New
MP before election James Rowlands National Liberal Subsequent MP John Mills Labour

The 1920 Dartford by-election was held on 27 March 1920. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Coalition Liberal MP, James Rowlands. It was won by the Labour candidate John Edmund Mills.

Background

The incumbent member James Rowlands had been first elected in 1906 as a Lib–Lab candidate, before becoming a Coalition Liberal on the 1916 formation of the Coalition Government. He had substantially increased his majority in 1918 defeating Labour Candidate William Ling by 42.8%. He died on 1 March 1920 and the writs for the by election were issues on 12 March.

Candidates

Coalition Liberal

The Coalition Liberals opted not the defend the seat, instead backing the Unionist candidate.

Labour

• John Mills, engineer and member of Woolwich Borough Council

Liberal

• Thomas Wing, member for Houghton-le-Spring (1913–1918) and Great Grimsby (1910)

Conservative

• Richard Meller, barrister and member of Surrey County Council

National

• Reginald Applin, Lieutenant colonel in the British Army

Other

• Frank Emil Fehr, businessman and underwriter

Result

Dartford by-election, 1920

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Edmund Mills	13,610	50.1	+21.4
	Liberal	Thomas Wing	4,562	16.8	N/A
C	Unionist	Richard Meller	4,221	15.6	New
	National	Reginald Applin	2,952	10.9	New
	Ind. Unionist	Frank Emil Fehr	1,802	6.6	New
Majority			9,048	33.3	N/A
Turnout			27,147	61.3	+13.4
Registered electors			44,281
	Labour gain from National Liberal		Swing	N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Aftermath

Mills would lose the seat to back to the National Liberals in 1922.