Labour Captures Govt. Seat In By-Election

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29843, 8 June 1962, Page 11

Labour Captures Govt. Seat In By-Election

(N.Z.P A.-Reuter— Copyright) LONDON, June 7. The Labour Party scored a victory over the Conservatives in a by-election declared overnight, by capturing the Government’s Parliamentary seat at Middlesbrough (West), Yorkshire.

In a second by-election yesterday the Government retained the West Derbyshire seat with a greatly reduced majority.

The result of this poll declared today, was:— Mr Ai<len Crawley (Conservative) .. 12.455 Mr R. GardnerThorpe (Liberal) .. 11.235 Mr J. Dilks (Labour) 9431

Mr R. Gregory (Independent) 1433 Conservative majority 1220 The’Conservative majority at the 1959 General Election was 8109 votes in a straight fight with Labour. The Derbyshire result was a blow to Conservative hopes of a solid majority. But it was an equally big shock to Labour—at a moment when

Labour was elated by its Middlesbrough win. Middlesbrough West had been held by the Government in a three-cornered contest in 1959 with what was once considered the “safe” majority of 8710 votes. Labour demolished this, to win with 2270 votes in a fight against four rivals. The result was:— Dr. Jeremy Bray

(Labour) .. 15.095 Mr Bernard Connelly (Conservative) 12,825 Mr George Scott (Lib-

eral) ~ 9,829 Mr Russell Eckley (Independent) 189 Mr Michael Thompson (Independent) .. 117

At the 1959 General Election the figures were: Conservatives, 24,602; Labour. 15.892; Liberals, 4,336. Compared with tie 1959 General Election, the Conservatives’ share of the total poll fell yesterday by fully 21 per cent. ■ The Liberal share rose by about 16 per cent., and the Labour share increased by more • than 4 per cent.

It was the Labour Party’s first gain of a seat since the 1959 General Election. The Liberals’ main scores have been against the Government —including the capture of its stronghold of Orpington, Kent, and near-

capture of another at Blackpool. In the Middlesbrough byelection, about 71.4 per cent, of voters went to the polls, compared with 84.43 per cent at the General Election,

The state of parties as elected, in the 630-seat House of Commons, is: Conservatives and allies, 365; Labour, 254; Liberal, 7; Independent, 1; vacant seats. 3