1959 Harrow East by-election

A by-election for the United Kingdom House of Commons was held in the constituency of Harrow East on 19 March 1959, following the resignation of sitting Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Ian Harvey.

Background

In November 1958, Harvey and a Guardsman from the Coldstream Guards were found in the bushes in St James's Park and arrested; Harvey tried to escape, and attempted to give a false name on arrest. Both were charged with gross indecency and breach of the park regulations; when tried on 10 December, the indecency charge was dropped and both were fined £5.[1] Harvey subsequently resigned his ministerial post and his seat, forcing the by-election; he paid the guardsman's fine as well as his own.[2]

Candidates

The by-election saw the seat held by the Conservative candidate, Anthony Courtney, with a small swing to Labour, whose candidate, the future Home Secretary Merlyn Rees, had contested the seat in 1955, and would do so again in the General Election later in 1959. A minor candidate also stood, representing the National Union of Small Shopkeepers, but he lost his deposit.

Result
Harrow East by-election, 1959[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony T. Courtney 17,776 52.8 -1.63
Labour Merlyn Rees 15,546 46.2 +0.63
National Union of Small Shopkeepers Thomas Lynch 348 1.0 New
Majority 2,220 6.6 -2.2
Turnout 28,795 68.96 -13.64
Registered electors 48,820
Conservative hold Swing -1.1

Previous result
General election 1955: Harrow East [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Harvey 22,243 54.43 +4.58
Labour Merlyn Rees 18,621 45.57 +1.59
Majority 3,622 8.86 +2.98
Turnout 40,864 82.62 -5.24
Registered electors 49,460
Conservative hold Swing

See also

References
  1. BBC News, A history of Christmas scandal past, BBC News Online, 22 December 1998
  2. Alan Doig, "Westminster Babylon: Sex, money and scandal in British politics" (Allison and Busby, 1990), page 57.
  3. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "1959 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  5. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
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