List of United Kingdom by-elections

This is a list of parliamentary by-elections in the United Kingdom since 1979, with the names of the incumbent and victor and their respective parties. Where seats changed political party at the election, the result is highlighted: red for a Labour gain, blue for a Conservative gain, orange for a Liberal, SDP or Liberal Democrat gain, yellow for a SNP gain, green for a Plaid Cymru gain and grey for any other gain.

Resignations

:See Resignation from the British House of Commons for more details.

Where the cause of by-election is given as "resignation" or "seeks re-election", this indicates that the incumbent was appointed on his or her own request to an "office of profit under the Crown", either the Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Steward of the Manor of Northstead. These appointments are made as a constitutional device for leaving the House of Commons, whose Members are not permitted to resign. Members seeking re-election must therefore resign from the "office of profit" before the result of the by-election is returned.

By-elections

UK by-election records

For a list of exceptional results and records in the history of by-elections in the United Kingdom see: United Kingdom by-election records

Notes

References

* [http://www.election.demon.co.uk/election.html United Kingdom Election Results (David Boothroyd)]
* [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/election.htm#british United Kingdom Elections (Keele University)]
* [http://www.geocities.com/by_elections/ British Parliamentary By-Elections since 1945]
* [http://www.leighrayment.com/commons.htm List of MPs since 1660]
*F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1974-83"
*F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Statistics 1832-1987"
*F. W. S. Craig, "Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833-1987"