HANLEY BY-ELECTION

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14407, 15 July 1912, Page 7

HANLEY BY-ELECTION

A LABOUR DEFEAT

(Received July 15th, 12.30 am.) LONDON, July 14. The Hanley by-election resulted as follows: — Outhwaite (Liberal) ... 6647 Rittner (Unionist) ... 5903 Finney (Labour) ... ... 1694

Tho result of tho abovo by-election is a serious blow to the Labour Party, which regarded Hanley as a Labour seat, and bitterly resented the action ■of tho Liberals in putting up a caur didate. It was stated at tho beginning of the month that tho Labour Party had intimated that if three-cornered contests took place for the Hanley and Crewe seats all the Labour M.P 's would assist in the election meetings, their absence from tho House of Commons imperilling the Government's position. For somo days much bitterness was shown over the matter, but eventually a meeting of Labour M.P.'s decided to help tho Labour candidates "without special Parliamentary action against tho Government." The result of the election is an unexpected reversal of tho verdict of recent elections. Mr Enoch .Edwards, the Labour member whoso death caused tho by-election, won tho seat in 190G by a majority of 4896 votes, and at the two elections in 1910 ho held it by majorities of nearly 4000. Mr Outhwaite, the successful Liberal candidate, based his campaign on the taxation of land values, but up to a week ac_o ho had failed to arouse any enthusiasm, and it was thought poseiblo that he might not be nominated. Mr Finney, tho Labour candidate, is President of tho local Minors' Union. Mr Ritt.ner has twico prev'ously contested the scat unsuccessfully.