1929 Battersea South by-election

The Battersea South by-election of 1929 was held on 7 February 1929. The by-election was held when the incumbent Conservative MP, Francis Curzon, succeeded to the peerage as Earl Howe. It was won by the Labour candidate William Bennett in a three-way contest.[1][2]

1929 Battersea South by-election

7 February 1929

Candidate Bennett Selley Albu Party Labour Unionist Liberal Popular vote 11,789 11,213 2,858 Percentage 46.13 43.87 10.00

MP before election Viscount Curzon Unionist Subsequent MP William Bennett Labour

Candidates

The local Liberal association selected 40 year-old Vivian Claude Albu as their candidate. Albu had stood for the Liberals in the 1922 general election at Battersea North.[3] Labour selected William Bennett, who had been their candidate in Guildford in three general elections between 1918 and 1923. The Conservative Party selected Harry Selley, a builder and member of the London County Council for Battersea South.[4]

Result

Battersea South by-election, 1929

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Bennett	11,789	46.13
	Conservative	Harry Selley	11,213	43.87
	Liberal	Vivian Claude Albu	2,858	10.00
Majority			576	2.25
Turnout			25,557
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Aftermath

A few months later at the next general election Bennett again defeated Selley, this time by 418 votes in a much increased poll. The Liberals were again third, though with a new candidate, the former Mayor of Battersea, Captain William J. West.[4][5] In 1931 Selley won the seat at the third attempt, defeating Bennett with a majority of over 15,000 votes.[5]

References

1. "British By-Election". The Mercury (Hobart). 9 February 1929. p. 6. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
2. http://www.leighrayment.com/commons.htm
3. The Liberal Year Book, 1926
4. The Times House of Commons 1929. London: The Times Office. 1929. pp. 17–18.
5. The Times House of Commons 1931. London: The Times Office. 1931. p. 17.