25:
220:
212:
204:
76:
404:
While the
Conservative vote declined slightly, Rumbold was able to achieve an easy victory, with the 1979 Labour vote split fairly evenly between Douglas-Mann and Nicholas. With national attention focused on the unpredictable result, none of the independent candidates could make an impact, and the
337:(SDP); several other MPs had already joined the party. Although there was no requirement to do so, he decided to resign his seat and stand in the resulting by-election in order to gain a mandate for his change of allegiance.
1217:
408:
It was a rare example of a governing party gaining an additional seat with a by-election victory. Merton, Mitcham and Morden was the first seat gained in a by-election by an incumbent government since 1960 at the
902:
925:
1186:
895:
366:
with the SDP the previous autumn and so did not stand a candidate against
Douglas-Mann. However, Edward Larkin stood as an independent Liberal candidate.
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
921:
1222:
1008:
996:
880:
1237:
932:
914:
888:
303:
63:
396:, stood as "COPS", in an attempt to highlight what he held was his unjust treatment, and Christopher Farnsworth stood as a "Computer Democrat".
315:
1227:
311:
410:
385:
1191:
956:
1082:
1059:
392:, stood as the "Ethnic Minority Candidate". Jitendra Bardwaj, who had been convicted of assaulting a police officer outside the
1071:
393:
355:
The Labour Party, suffering from defections to the SDP, considered itself unlikely to hold the seat and stood David
Nicholas.
349:
299:
448:
444:
327:
319:
49:
39:
1014:
950:
848:
426:
414:
1196:
437:
1042:
910:
875:
979:
340:
With a
Conservative government in power, their share of the vote might have been expected to decline, but with the
1037:
973:
802:
1048:
344:
in progress, their approval ratings were high, and the party hoped to make a decent showing. The party stood
518:
334:
155:
1105:
1099:
1002:
421:.) It was not until February 2017 that a governing party again gained a seat at a by-election, at the
455:. The election proved to be one of Boaks' last, while Bardwaj stood in several further by-elections.
433:
422:
1076:
1232:
1020:
738:
486:
447:, when it was retaken by Labour. Douglas-Mann stood for the seat again in the SDP colours at the
323:
279:
261:
150:
1065:
373:
451:, but was pushed into third place by Nicholas. Pearce later repudiated his views and became a
452:
330:, Douglas-Mann had held the seat with a majority of only 618 votes over the Conservatives.
8:
583:
562:
722:
523:
432:
The by-election was the first to see the incumbent party drop to third place since the
359:
295:
242:
137:
828:
745:
541:
307:
246:
160:
750:
775:
789:
278:
was held on 3 June 1982. It was a rare example of a governing party (the
British
493:
418:
363:
345:
257:
131:
856:
425:. It was the last seat gained by the Conservatives at a by-election until the
1218:
By-elections to the
Parliament of the United Kingdom in London constituencies
1211:
706:
377:
341:
389:
476:
291:
630:
381:
370:
833:
333:
Douglas-Mann decided in early 1982 to join the recently formed
405:
National Front vote declined from the previous election.
849:"Results of Byelections in the 1979-83 Parliament"
314:. The constituency had been created from parts of
1209:
233:
322:, both of which had usually generally returned
896:
306:. Douglas-Mann had retained the seat for the
903:
889:
1223:Elections in the London Borough of Merton
436:, a situation which next occurred at the
417:was awarded to the Conservatives by an
1238:June 1982 events in the United Kingdom
1210:
926:48th Parliament of the United Kingdom
884:
846:
776:UK general election results: May 1979
721:
705:
463:
411:Brighouse and Spenborough by-election
1228:1982 elections in the United Kingdom
459:1982 Mitcham and Morden by-election
384:stood as a "Democratic Monarchist".
369:Several other candidates stood. The
427:2008 Crewe and Nantwich by-election
415:1961 Bristol South East by-election
282:) gaining a seat in a by-election.
17:1982 Mitcham and Morden by-election
13:
438:1985 Brecon and Radnor by-election
14:
1249:
876:Merton, Mitcham & Morden 1982
829:Cameron hails 'end of New Labour'
294:was caused by the resignation of
787:"Obituary: Bruce Douglas-Mann",
443:Rumbold held the seat until the
380:. Veteran by-election candidate
219:
218:
211:
210:
203:
202:
75:
74:
23:
853:United Kingdom Election Results
840:
821:
795:
781:
769:
312:February 1974 general election
276:Mitcham and Morden by-election
1:
763:
388:, a long-term campaigner for
7:
778:Political Science Resources
310:since its creation for the
285:
10:
1254:
1009:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
997:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
606:Ethnic Minority Candidate
1114:
1091:
1029:
988:
965:
942:
737:
689:
475:
472:
469:
466:
434:1958 Rochdale by-election
423:2017 Copeland by-election
399:
231:
83:
69:
60:
33:
21:
1118:Lists of UK by-elections
957:South West Hertfordshire
674:Christopher Farnsworth
335:Social Democratic Party
1060:Coatbridge and Airdrie
627:Democratic Monarchist
374:British National Front
1072:Birmingham Northfield
449:1983 general election
445:1997 general election
328:1979 general election
803:"Bruce Douglas-Mann"
350:Kingston-upon-Thames
300:Member of Parliament
1083:Glasgow Queens Park
807:The Daily Telegraph
723:Registered electors
584:Independent Liberal
460:
18:
1055:Mitcham and Morden
1015:Croydon North West
951:Manchester Central
847:Boothroyd, David.
671:Computer Democrat
524:Bruce Douglas-Mann
458:
348:, a councillor in
324:Conservative Party
304:Mitcham and Morden
296:Bruce Douglas-Mann
243:Bruce Douglas-Mann
238:MP before election
167:Popular vote
138:Bruce Douglas-Mann
64:Mitcham and Morden
16:
1205:
1204:
761:
760:
653:Jitendra Bardwaj
316:Merton and Morden
272:
271:
268:
267:
227:
226:
56:
55:
1245:
1197:Hereditary peers
1192:Northern Ireland
1043:Glasgow Hillhead
937:
928:
919:
905:
898:
891:
882:
881:
869:
868:
866:
864:
855:. Archived from
844:
838:
825:
819:
818:
816:
814:
799:
793:
785:
779:
773:
478:
461:
457:
394:House of Commons
234:
222:
221:
214:
213:
206:
205:
121:
112:
85:
84:
78:
77:
62:Constituency of
35:
34:
28:
27:
26:
19:
15:
1253:
1252:
1248:
1247:
1246:
1244:
1243:
1242:
1208:
1207:
1206:
1201:
1110:
1087:
1025:
984:
980:Glasgow Central
961:
938:
933:49th Parliament
929:
920:
915:47th Parliament
911:
909:
872:
862:
860:
845:
841:
826:
822:
812:
810:
809:. 1 August 2000
801:
800:
796:
790:The Independent
786:
782:
774:
770:
766:
546:David Nicholas
402:
288:
260:
255:
245:
240:
232:
142:David Nicholas
122:
117:
113:
108:
61:
29:
24:
22:
12:
11:
5:
1251:
1241:
1240:
1235:
1233:1982 in London
1230:
1225:
1220:
1203:
1202:
1200:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1108:
1102:
1095:
1093:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1079:
1074:
1068:
1062:
1057:
1051:
1045:
1040:
1033:
1031:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1023:
1017:
1011:
1005:
999:
992:
990:
986:
985:
983:
982:
976:
969:
967:
963:
962:
960:
959:
953:
946:
944:
940:
939:
908:
907:
900:
893:
885:
879:
878:
871:
870:
859:on 9 June 2000
839:
820:
794:
780:
767:
765:
762:
759:
758:
756:
753:
748:
736:
733:
732:
730:
728:
725:
719:
718:
715:
712:
709:
703:
702:
697:
694:
691:
687:
686:
681:
678:
675:
672:
669:
666:
665:
660:
657:
654:
651:
648:
645:
644:
639:
636:
633:
628:
625:
622:
621:
616:
613:
610:
607:
604:
601:
600:
595:
592:
589:
588:Edward Larkin
586:
581:
578:
577:
574:
571:
568:
567:Joseph Pearce
565:
563:National Front
560:
557:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
539:
536:
535:
532:
529:
526:
521:
516:
513:
512:
507:
502:
497:
494:Angela Rumbold
490:
483:
480:
479:
474:
471:
468:
465:
453:Roman Catholic
419:Election Court
401:
398:
364:electoral pact
362:had agreed an
346:Angela Rumbold
287:
284:
270:
269:
266:
265:
258:Angela Rumbold
250:
229:
228:
225:
224:
216:
208:
200:
196:
195:
192:
189:
184:
180:
179:
176:
173:
168:
164:
163:
158:
153:
148:
144:
143:
140:
135:
132:Angela Rumbold
128:
124:
123:
116:
114:
107:
105:
103:
99:
98:
95:
92:
89:
81:
80:
71:
67:
66:
58:
57:
54:
53:
47:
42:
31:
30:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1250:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1113:
1107:
1103:
1101:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1090:
1084:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1069:
1067:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1050:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1038:Belfast South
1035:
1034:
1032:
1028:
1022:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1010:
1006:
1004:
1000:
998:
994:
993:
991:
987:
981:
977:
975:
974:Southend East
971:
970:
968:
964:
958:
954:
952:
948:
947:
945:
941:
935:
934:
927:
923:
917:
916:
906:
901:
899:
894:
892:
887:
886:
883:
877:
874:
873:
858:
854:
850:
843:
837:, 23 May 2008
836:
835:
830:
824:
808:
804:
798:
792:
791:
784:
777:
772:
768:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
743:
740:
735:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
720:
716:
713:
710:
708:
704:
701:
698:
695:
692:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
673:
670:
668:
667:
664:
661:
658:
655:
652:
649:
647:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
632:
629:
626:
624:
623:
620:
617:
614:
611:
608:
605:
603:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
585:
582:
580:
579:
575:
572:
569:
566:
564:
561:
559:
558:
554:
551:
548:
545:
543:
540:
538:
537:
533:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
514:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
496:
495:
491:
489:
488:
484:
482:
481:
462:
456:
454:
450:
446:
441:
439:
435:
430:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
406:
397:
395:
391:
387:
383:
379:
378:Joseph Pearce
375:
372:
367:
365:
361:
360:Liberal Party
356:
353:
351:
347:
343:
342:Falklands War
338:
336:
331:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
283:
281:
280:Conservatives
277:
264:
263:
259:
254:
253:Subsequent MP
251:
249:
248:
244:
239:
236:
235:
230:
217:
209:
201:
198:
197:
193:
190:
188:
185:
182:
181:
177:
174:
172:
169:
166:
165:
162:
159:
157:
154:
152:
149:
146:
145:
141:
139:
136:
134:
133:
129:
126:
125:
120:
115:
111:
106:
104:
101:
100:
96:
94:Second party
93:
90:
87:
86:
82:
72:
68:
65:
59:
52: →
51:
48:
46:
43:
41:
38:←
37:
36:
32:
20:
1187:2010–present
1054:
1049:Beaconsfield
931:
922:By-elections
913:
863:19 September
861:. Retrieved
857:the original
852:
842:
832:
823:
811:. Retrieved
806:
797:
788:
783:
771:
741:
739:Conservative
699:
683:
662:
641:
618:
597:
509:
504:
499:
492:
487:Conservative
485:
442:
431:
407:
403:
390:equal rights
368:
357:
354:
339:
332:
326:MPs. At the
308:Labour Party
289:
275:
273:
262:Conservative
256:
252:
241:
237:
186:
170:
151:Conservative
130:
118:
109:
97:Third party
91:First party
44:
1064:September:
949:September:
813:16 December
292:by-election
183:Percentage
45:3 June 1982
1212:Categories
1106:Darlington
1100:Bermondsey
1098:February:
1081:December:
1019:November:
1003:Warrington
955:December:
764:References
631:Bill Boaks
467:Candidate
382:Bill Boaks
127:Candidate
1182:1979–2010
1177:1950–1979
1172:1931–1950
1167:1918–1931
1162:1900–1918
1157:1885–1900
1152:1868–1885
1147:1857–1868
1142:1847–1857
1137:1832–1847
1132:1818–1832
1127:1806–1818
1122:1801–1806
1070:October:
1013:October:
690:Majority
609:Roy Sawh
371:far-right
1007:August:
834:BBC News
386:Roy Sawh
286:Overview
1104:March:
1077:Peckham
1036:March:
995:April:
972:March:
930:»
924:to the
912:«
727:63,259
711:30,673
707:Turnout
500:13,306
413:. (The
320:Mitcham
102:
88:
73:48.5% (
70:Turnout
1053:June:
1021:Crosby
1001:July:
978:June:
936:»
918:«
755:+10.2
746:Labour
717:−28.4
693:4,274
555:−20.8
549:7,475
542:Labour
534:+20.5
528:9,032
470:Votes
464:Party
400:Result
376:stood
298:, the
247:Labour
223:20.8%
215:20.5%
199:Swing
194:24.4%
191:29.4%
178:7,475
175:9,032
171:13,306
161:Labour
147:Party
79:28.4%)
1066:Gower
1047:May:
751:Swing
744:from
714:48.5
696:14.0
650:COPS
576:−0.2
552:24.4
531:29.4
510:−0.5
505:43.4
207:0.5%
187:43.4%
1092:1983
1030:1982
989:1981
966:1980
943:1979
865:2015
815:2015
742:gain
680:0.0
659:0.1
638:0.2
615:0.3
594:0.4
591:123
573:1.8
570:547
358:The
318:and
302:for
290:The
274:The
50:1983
40:1979
831:",
700:N/A
684:N/A
677:18
663:N/A
656:22
642:N/A
635:66
619:N/A
612:84
598:N/A
519:SDP
156:SDP
119:Lab
110:SDP
1214::
851:.
805:.
477:±%
473:%
440:.
429:.
352:.
904:e
897:t
890:v
867:.
827:"
817:.
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