Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election, 1965

The Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles by-election was significant in that it led to the election of David Steel, who went on to lead the Liberal Party, to the British House of Commons for the first time. As such it was a milestone in the revival of that party's political fortunes from their nadir in the 1950s.

Background

Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, a large rural constituency in the Scottish borders, had been safely Conservative for many years. The Liberal Party's 26-year-old candidate David Steel had dramatically cut Commander Charles Donaldson's majority in the general election of October 1964. When Donaldson died some months later it was clear that the ensuing by-election represented an opportunity for the Liberals to repeat previous by-election triumphs in Torrington and Orpington. However, the Conservatives were now in opposition rather than in government and the party's standing in the constituency was thought to have been further bolstered as their leader, Sir Alec Douglas-Home was himself a Scot, representing the rather similar constituency of Kinross and West Perthshire to the north.

Result

The election was held on Wednesday 24 March 1965. The result was a major defeat for the Conservatives. The votes cast were as follows:

Election box begin
title= Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles By-Election March 1965Election box candidate with party link
candidate = David M S Steel
party = Liberal Party (UK)
votes = 21,549
percentage = 49.2
change = + 10.4Election box candidate with party link
candidate = Robert L McEwen
party = Conservative Party (UK)
votes = 16,942
percentage = 38.6
change = - 4.2Election box candidate with party link|
candidate = Ronald K Murray
party = Labour Party (UK)
votes = 4,936
percentage = 11.2
change = - 4.6Election box candidate
candidate = A J C Kerr
party = Independent Scottish Nationalist
votes = 411
percentage = 0.9
change = - 1.6Election box majority
votes = 4,607
percentage = 10.5
change = Election box turnout
votes = 43,838
percentage = 81.5%
change = - 0.7Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = 7.3

Reaction

This defeat was seen as a huge setback for the Conservatives, coming on top of their defeat in the general election the previous year and wiping out the boost they had received in the Leyton by-election, 1965. Douglas-Home resigned as leader shortly afterwards, and in the first election for party leader from amongst the Conservative MPs, was replaced by Edward Heath.

Although the Labour candidate lost his deposit, the governing party enjoyed the Conservatives' discomfort, and the result represented a turning point in the government's political fortunes after a very uncertain opening few months. For the Liberals, the acquision of a talented young MP was still rare enough to be extremely welcome. Steel soon made a national impression and it was his Private Member's Bill which lead to the legalisation of abortion in 1967. He would go on to represent the area at Westminster until 1997.

External links

*Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (UK Parliament constituency)
* [http://www.geocities.com/by_elections/65.html#roxburgh British Parliamentary By Elections: Campaign literature from the by-election]