1921 Dover by-election

1921 Dover by-election

← 1918 12 January 1921 1922 →
 
Candidate Polson Astor
Party Independent Unionist
Popular vote 13,947 10,817
Percentage 56.3% 43.7%

MP before election

Ponsonby
Unionist

Subsequent MP

Astor
Unionist

The 1921 Dover by-election was held on 12 January 1921. The by-election was held due to the succession to the peerage of the incumbent Coalition Unionist MP, Vere Ponsonby as Ninth Earl of Bessborough. It was won by the Independent candidate Thomas Andrew Polson.[1]

Polson's election was supported by Horatio Bottomley, but although claimed by Bottonmley as a member of the right-wing Independent Parliamentary Group, he joined the Anti-Waste League shortly after his election. Polson stood again at the general election in November 1922, but was defeated by the Unionist candidate John Jacob Astor, whom he had defeated at the by-election in 1921.[2]

Result

Dover by-election, 1921
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Thomas Andrew Polson 13,947 56.3 New
C Unionist John Jacob Astor 10,817 43.7 −25.0
Majority 3,130 12.6 N/A
Turnout 24,764 71.0 +24.5
Independent gain from Unionist Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

References

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
  2. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 384. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.