1920 Nelson and Colne by-election
.svg.png){kind=small} | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 June 1920 (Polling)
30 June 1920 (Declaration) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 43,757 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnout | 65.2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
The 1920 Nelson and Colne by-election was held on 17 June 1920 after the resignation of the incumbent Labour MP, Albert Smith. It was retained by the Labour candidate Robinson Graham.[1]
Background
Albert Smith who won the inaugural election for in seat in 1918 (having held Clitheroe since December 1910) resigned his seat on 20 June 1920 by the procedural device of accepting appointment as Steward of the Manor of Northstead[2] in order to take up a full-time post as a trade union official.[3]
Candidates
Labour
- Robinson Graham, Assistant Secretary of the Burnley Weavers' Association
Shortlisted candidates
- E. Boothman, County Alderman
- Alexander Campbell, Local Councillor
- Andrew Smith, Local Councillor
- Samuel Perry, National Secretary of the Co-operative Party and candidate for Stockport in March 1920[4]
Unionist
- Frederick Wainwright, Nelson Town Councillor
Withdrawn candidates
- Amos Nelson, Justice of the peace
Liberal
- Walter Rea, Lord Commissioner of the Treasury (1915–1916), member for Scarborough (1906–1918)
Result
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Robinson Graham | 14,134 | 49.6 | –12.4 | |
| C | Unionist | Frederick Wainwright | 8,577 | 30.1 | New |
| Liberal | Walter Rea | 5,805 | 20.4 | –17.6 | |
| Majority | 5,557 | 19.5 | –4.5 | ||
| Turnout | 28,516 | 65.2 | +12.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 43,757 | +376 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | N/a | |||
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. | |||||
References
- ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- ↑ Department of Information Services (14 January 2010). "Appointments to the Chiltern Hundreds and Manor of Northstead Stewardships since 1850" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- ↑ "Political Notes: Labour MP resigns". The Times. London. 2 June 1920. p. 18.
- ↑ "Nominations for the Position of Labour Candidate.Tory Invitation Declined by Mr. Amos Nelson, J.P". Burnley News. 1 May 1920. p. 16. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1922
Categories: