British MPs sponsored by mining unions
Several British members of Parliament have been sponsored by mining trade unions. Many were sponsored by the National Union of Mineworkers, its predecessor the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and the local trade unions which preceded it.
A small number of MPs were sponsored by other trade unions related to the mining industry, such as the Cumberland Iron Ore Miners' and Kindred Trades' Association, the North Wales Quarrymen's Union, and the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers, and are covered in the articles on those unions. Other miners and people related to the mining industry were elected without being sponsored by a trade union, and are not listed here.
History
John Normansell, leader of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association, presented a paper at the 1869 Trades Union Congress, on "the best means to secure the direct representation of labour in the Commons". This led to the formation of the Labour Representation League, but miners did not initially join the organisation.[1]
At the
Reform Act 1885 enfranchised many miners in rural areas for the first time, and this allowed six miners to win election. In 1886, the local political association formed the Labour Electoral Association, and when the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) was founded in 1889, its affiliated unions continued to support liberal candidates through the association.[1]
Keir Hardie, of the Ayrshire Miners' Union, first won a seat as an independent at the 1892 United Kingdom general election, and this spurred him to form the Independent Labour Party and, in 1900, the Labour Representation Committee (LRC).[1] The MFGB initially believed that the committee would not be successful and remained apart, but from 1902 it raised a centralised Labour Political Fund of one shilling per member, to stand working coal miners or officials as Parliamentary candidates, and then to support successful members of Parliament, as they were otherwise unpaid. Candidates were free to stand under the label of any political party, or as independents, although in practice affiliations were agreed with the local union. At the 1906 United Kingdom general election, this led to the election of eleven out of sixteen MFGB candidates.[2]
In 1906, the MFGB narrowly voted against affiliating to the LRC. By 1908, the LRC had become the Labour Party, and a second vote was held, this time resulting in a clear majority for affiliation. Some existing MPs were reluctant to transfer, so it was agreed that they would not have to join the Labour Party group in Parliament until the next general election. This was held in January 1910, and resulted in fifteen mining trade union MPs, approximately a third of the total size of the party.[2] However, a few mining MPs refused to take the Labour whip, and remained part of the Liberal-Labour group until 1918.[3]
Miners were uniquely well placed to win seats in Parliament; by 1918, they constituted more than 30% of the total electorate of forty constituencies,[3] and unlike many other unions, the MFGB focused on standing members in these seats, where it had the strongest membership.[4] After 1918, Labour won the majority of seats in the coalfields. In Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Durham, the county unions increased political levies, to employ political organisers and election agents, and also support more union members in local elections. While the miners' union MPs suffered in the 1931 United Kingdom general election, alongside the party as a whole, things soon rebounded.[3] The MFGB remained the largest union in the country until 1937, and also had sponsored the most Labour Party candidates, had the largest number of members affiliated to the Labour Party, and typically had the largest political fund of any union. This ensured that it remained influential and able to get its members selected in many promising constituencies.[4]
The choice of candidates remained in the hands of the county unions affiliated to the MFGB. Half of the MFGB's political fund was retained by its affiliates, enabling them to conduct additional political activity, such as campaigning for other Labour candidates. The South Wales Miners' Federation instead used the funds to sponsor additional candidates, so that by 1931 it stood 10 candidates, despite the MFGB only directly providing enough funding for five. This election saw the peak of MFGB influence, with half of all the Labour MPs elected being sponsored by the union.[4]
The mining MPs were not compelled to vote in the interests of the union, and were sometimes in conflict with it, but there was generally a close relationship. The MFGB got the MPs to propose legislation which it favoured, organise access to the government, and to ask questions and obtain information from government ministers.[4]
The MFGB reformed as the more centralised
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1945, the affiliated unions becoming areas of the NUM. The number of coal miners, and with it the membership of the NUM, steadily declined, and with it the number of safe mining constituencies, and the number of sponsored candidates, which reached a low of 13 in 1987. While the selection of candidates remained a matter for the areas, they were required to be members of the NUM, and have worked in the mines or for the union for at least five years. By the 1970s, the union was tending to select younger candidates. However, unlike many other unions, it did not sponsor existing MPs from outside the industry, and as a result, by the late 1980s, none of its MPs held leading roles in the Labour Party.[5][6]
Lib-Lab candidates
1874 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merthyr Tydfil | Thomas Halliday | 4,912 | 25.3 | 3 | Amalgamated Association |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | 3,332 | 85.1 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Stafford | Alexander Macdonald |
1,183 | 27.7 | 2 | National Union |
| Wigan | William Pickard | 1,134 | 12.7 | 4 | Amalgamated Association |
Macdonald was elected by taking second place in a two-seat constituency.
1880 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Northumberland |
| Stafford | Alexander Macdonald |
1,345 | 25.8 | 1 | National Union |
Macdonald was elected by taking second place in a two-seat constituency
1885 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | James Haslam | 1,907 | 25.6 | 3 | Derbyshire |
| Houghton-le-Spring | John Wilson | 6,511 | 57.7 | 1 | Durham |
| Mid Durham | William Crawford | 5,799 | 64.1 | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Northumberland |
| Normanton | Ben Pickard |
5,615 | 60.2 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Rhondda | William Abraham | 3,859 | 56.3 | 1 | Cambrian |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 5,858 | 68.4 | 1 | Northumberland |
Abraham stood as an independent Liberal-Labour candidate.
1886 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton-le-Spring | John Wilson | 5,059 | 46.3 | 2 | Durham |
| Mid Durham | William Crawford | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Northumberland |
| Normanton | Ben Pickard |
4,771 | 56.2 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Rhondda | William Abraham | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Cambrian |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 5,235 | 75.4 | 1 | Northumberland |
By-elections, 1886–1892
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 Mid Durham by-election | John Wilson | 5,468 | 61.8 | 1 | Durham |
1892 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ince | Sam Woods | 4,579 | 51.3 | 1 | Lancashire and Cheshire |
| Mid Durham | John Wilson | 5,661 | 60.7 | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Northumberland |
| Normanton | Ben Pickard |
6,134 | 61.7 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Rhondda | William Abraham | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Cambrian |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 5,696 | 66.1 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Wigan | Thomas Aspinwall | 3,312 | 49.2 | 2 | Lancashire and Cheshire |
1895 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ince | Sam Woods | 4,790 | 47.8 | 2 | Lancashire and Cheshire |
| Mid Durham | John Wilson | 5,937 | 58.0 | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | 3,404 | 73.4 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Normanton | Ben Pickard |
5,499 | 58.3 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Rhondda | William Abraham | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Cambrian |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 5,629 | 69.9 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Wigan | Thomas Aspinwall | 3,075 | 43.8 | 2 | Lancashire and Cheshire |
1900 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanley | Enoch Edwards | 5,944 | 47.4 | 1 | Midland |
| Mid Durham | John Wilson | 5,565 | 57.5 | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | 3,117 | 53.5 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Normanton | Ben Pickard |
5,025 | 58.2 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Nuneaton | William Johnson | 4,432 | 43.6 | 2 | Midland |
| Rhondda | William Abraham | 8,383 | 81.7 | 1 | South Wales |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 5,474 | 56.1 | 1 | Northumberland |
By-elections, 1900–1906
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 Gateshead by-election | John Johnson | 8,220 | 54.0 | 1 | Durham |
| 1904 Normanton by-election | William Parrott | 6,855 | 70.2 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| 1904 West Monmouthshire by-election | Thomas Richards | 7,995 | 70.4 | 1 | South Wales |
| 1905 Normanton by-election | Frederick Hall | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Yorkshire |
1906 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | James Haslam | 7,254 | 56.5 | 1 | Derbyshire |
| Gateshead | John Johnson | 9,651 | 65.3 | 1 | Durham |
| Gower | John Williams | 4,841 | 42.8 | 1 | South Wales |
| Hallamshire | John Wadsworth | 8,375 | 55.2 | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Hanley | Enoch Edwards | 9,183 | 68.2 | 1 | Midland |
| Mid Durham | John Wilson | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | 5,518 | 74.2 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Normanton | Frederick Hall | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Yorkshire |
| Nuneaton | William Johnson | 7,677 | 56.8 | 1 | Midland |
| Rhondda | William Abraham | unopposed | N/A | 1 | South Wales |
| South Glamorganshire | William Brace | 10,514 | 63.3 | 1 | South Wales |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 10,386 | 76.4 | 1 | Northumberland |
| West Monmouthshire | Thomas Richards | unopposed | N/A | 1 | South Wales |
By-elections, 1906–1910
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 North East Derbyshire by-election | W. E. Harvey | 6,644 | 52.9 | 1 | Derbyshire |
| 1907 North West Staffordshire by-election | Albert Stanley | 7,396 | 59.4 | 1 | Midland |
January 1910 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Durham | John Wilson | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | 5,874 | 66.1 | 1 | Northumberland |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | 10,872 | 70.0 | 1 | Northumberland |
December 1910 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Durham | John Wilson | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Durham |
| Morpeth | Thomas Burt | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Northumberland |
| Wansbeck | Charles Fenwick | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Northumberland |
By-elections, 1910–1918
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 Chesterfield by-election | Barnet Kenyon | 7,725 | 55.8 | 1 | Derbyshire |
| 1915 Mid Durham by-election | Samuel Galbraith | unopposed | N/A | 1 | Durham |
Other parties
| Party | Election | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party | 1892 United Kingdom general election | Edinburgh Central | John Wilson | 434 | 7.3 | 3 | Scottish[8]
|
| Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party | 1892 United Kingdom general election | Stirlingshire | Robert Chisholm Robertson | 663 | 6.3 | 3 | Scottish[8]
|
| Scottish Labour Party | 1894 Mid Lanarkshire by-election | Mid Lanarkshire | 1,221 | 13.8 | 3 | Scottish[8]
| |
| Independent Labour Party | 1895 United Kingdom general election | Glasgow Camlachie | Robert Smillie | 696 | 10.9 | 3 | Scottish[8]
|
| Independent Labour | 1906 United Kingdom general election | Chester-le-Street | John Wilkinson Taylor | 8,805 | 45.6 | 1 | Durham Colliery Mechanics |
| Independent Labour | 1918 by-election | Wansbeck | Ebby Edwards | 5,267 | 47.5 | 2 | Northumberland |
Scottish Workers' Representation Committee
By-elections, 1900–1906
| Election | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position | Sponsor[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 North East Lanarkshire by-election | Robert Smillie | 2,900 | 21.7 | 3 | Scottish
|
| 1904 North East Lanarkshire by-election | John Robertson | 3,984 | 27.9 | 3 | Scottish
|
1906 UK general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position | Sponsor[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falkirk Burghs | David Gilmour | 1,763 | 17.5 | 3 | Scottish
|
| North Ayrshire | James Brown | 2,684 | 20.8 | 3 | Scottish
|
| North East Lanarkshire | John Robertson | 4,658 | 29.2 | 3 | Scottish
|
| North West Lanarkshire | Joseph Sullivan |
3,291 | 23.9 | 3 | Scottish
|
| Paisley | Robert Smillie | 2,482 | 23.1 | 3 | Scottish
|
Labour candidates
1906 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[10][11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ince | Stephen Walsh |
8,046 | 70.2 | 1 | Lancashire and Cheshire |
| St Helens | Thomas Glover | 6,088 | 56.6 | 1 | Lancashire and Cheshire |
By-elections, 1906–1910
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 Cockermouth by-election | Robert Smillie | 1,436 | 14.5 | 3 |
| 1909 Mid Derbyshire by-election | John George Hancock |
6,735 | 60.5 | 1 |
January 1910 general election
By-elections, Jan–Dec 1910
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 Mid Glamorgan by-election | Vernon Hartshorn | 6,210 | 41.0 | 2 |
December 1910 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Auckland | William House | 3,993 | 33.2 | 2 |
| Chester-le-Street | John Wilkinson Taylor | unopposed | N/A | 1 |
| Chesterfield | James Haslam | 7,283 | 59.0 | 1 |
East Glamorgan |
Charles Stanton | 4,675 | 24.1 | 3 |
| Gower | John Williams | 5,480 | 54.8 | 1 |
| Hallamshire | John Wadsworth | 8,708 | 59.9 | 1 |
| Hanley | Enoch Edwards | 8,343 | 64.2 | 1 |
| Ince | Stephen Walsh |
7,117 | 57.2 | 1 |
| Manchester East | John Edward Sutton | 5,524 | 54.3 | 1 |
| Mid Derbyshire | John Hancock |
6,557 | 60.5 | 1 |
| Mid Glamorganshire | Vernon Hartshorn | 6,102 | 44.5 | 2 |
| Mid Lanarkshire | Robert Smillie | 3,847 | 24.7 | 3 |
| Normanton | Frederick Hall | unopposed | N/A | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | William Edwin Harvey |
7,838 | 56.3 | 1 |
| North West Staffordshire | Albert Stanley |
8,125 | 62.2 | 1 |
| Nuneaton | William Johnson |
8,199 | 52.2 | 1 |
| Rhondda | William Abraham |
9,073 | 71.0 | 1 |
| St Helens | Thomas Glover | 5,752 | 48.9 | 2 |
| South Glamorganshire | William Brace | 10,910 | 58.4 | 1 |
| West Fife | William Adamson | 6,128 | 53.0 | 1 |
| West Monmouthshire | Thomas Richards | unopposed | N/A | 1 |
| Whitehaven | Thomas Richardson |
1,414 | 53.7 | 1 |
| Wigan | Henry Twist | 4,110 | 46.8 | 2 |
By-elections, 1910–1918
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 North East Lanarkshire by-election | John Robertson | 2,879 | 16.3 | 3 |
| 1912 Holmfirth by-election | William Lunn | 3,195 | 28.2 | 3 |
| 1912 Hanley by-election | Samuel Finney | 1,694 | 11.8 | 3 |
| 1912 Midlothian by-election | Robert Brown | 2,415 | 16.7 | 3 |
| 1913 Houghton-le-Spring by-election | William House | 4,165 | 26.2 | 3 |
| 1913 South Lanarkshire by-election | Thomas Gibb | 1,674 | 16.8 | 3 |
| 1914 North East Derbyshire by-election | James Martin | 3,669 | 22.5 | 3 |
| 1915 Merthyr Tydfil by-election | James Winstone | 6,080 | 37.2 | 2 |
| 1916 North West Staffordshire by-election | Samuel Finney | unopposed | N/A | 1 |
1918 general election
By-elections, 1918–1922
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 Bothwell by-election | John Robertson | 13,135 | 68.8 | 1 |
| 1919 Pontefract by-election | Isaac Burns | 8,445 | 46.0 | 2 |
| 1919 Chester-le-Street by-election | Jack Lawson | 17,838 | 77.1 | 1 |
| 1920 Abertillery by-election | George Barker |
15,942 | 66.4 | 1 |
| 1921 Penistone by-election | William Gillis | 8,560 | 36.2 | 1 |
| 1922 Tamworth by-election | George Henry Jones | 6,671 | 31.2 | 2 |
| 1922 Manchester Clayton by-election | John Edward Sutton | 14,662 | 57.1 | 1 |
| 1922 Gower by-election | David Rhys Grenfell |
13,296 | 57.5 | 1 |
| 1922 Pontypridd by-election | Thomas Isaac Mardy Jones |
16,630 | 57.0 | 1 |
1922 general election
By-elections, 1922–1923
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor[14] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 Morpeth by-election | Robert Smillie | 20,053 | 60.5 | 1 | Northumberland |
1923 general election
1924 general election
By-elections, 1924–1929
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 Bothwell by-election | Joseph Sullivan |
14,830 | 59.7 | 1 | |
| 1929 Wansbeck by-election | George Shield | 20,398 | 58.0 | 1[15] | Northumberland[14] |
1929 general election
By-elections, 1929–1931
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 Pontypridd by-election | David Lewis Davies | 20,687 | 59.9 | 1[17] |
| 1931 Ogmore by-election | Edward Williams |
19,356 | 78.8 | 1[17] |
1931 general election
By-elections, 1931–1935
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 Rhondda East by-election | William Mainwaring | 14,127 | 42.5 | 1[19] |
| 1933 Normanton by-election | Tom Smith |
unopposed | N/A | 1[19] |
| 1933 Wentworth by-election | Wilfred Paling | unopposed | N/A | 1[20] |
| 1934 Hemsworth by-election | George Griffiths | unopposed | N/A | 1[20] |
| 1934 Merthyr by-election | S. O. Davies | 18,645 | 51.8 | 1[20] |
1935 general election
By-elections, 1935–1945
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1936 Llanelly by-election |
Jim Griffiths | 32,188 | 66.8 | 1[22] |
| 1938 Barnsley by-election | Frank Collindridge | 23,566 | 64.4 | 1[23] |
| 1939 South Ayrshire by-election | Alexander Sloan |
17,908 | 58.0 | 1[23] |
| 1942 North East Derbyshire by-election | Henry White |
unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1942 Wigan by-election | William Foster |
unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1942 Spennymoor by-election | James Murray | unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1942 Rothwell by-election | Thomas Brooks | unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1942 Ince by-election | Tom Brown | unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1943 Hamilton by-election | Tom Fraser | unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1943 Consett by-election | James Glanville | unopposed | N/A | 1[24] |
| 1944 Clay Cross by-election | Harold Neal | 13,693 | 76.3 | 1[24] |
| 1945 Neath by-election | D. J. Williams | 30,847 | 79.3 | 1[24] |
1945 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[25] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | Frank Collindridge | 30,614 | 72.9 | 1 |
| Bedwellty | Charles Edwards |
30,480 | 82.1 | 1 |
| Blaydon | William Whiteley | 29,931 | 71.7 | 1 |
| Bothwell | John Timmons | 25,369 | 65.8 | 1 |
| Caerphilly | Ness Edwards | 29,158 | 80.2 | 1 |
| Chester-le-Street | Jack Lawson | 33,788 | 76.8 | 1 |
| Clay Cross | Harold Neal | 27,538 | 82.1 | 1 |
| Consett | James Glanville | 28,617 | 70.1 | 1 |
| Dewsbury | William Paling | 16,330 | 56.3 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Thomas Williams |
40,153 | 71.7 | 1 |
| Dunfermline Burghs | William McLean Watson | 22,021 | 64.7 | 1 |
Durham |
Charles Grey | 24,135 | 66.2 | 1 |
| Ebbw Vale | Aneurin Bevan | 27,209 | 80.1 | 1 |
| Gower | David Grenfell | 30,676 | 68.5 | 1 |
| Hamilton | Tom Fraser | 20,015 | 73.5 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | George Griffiths | 33,984 | 81.4 | 1 |
| Houghton-le-Spring | Billy Blyton | 43,730 | 66.7 | 1 |
| Ince | Tom Brown | 28,702 | 74.4 | 1 |
| Kirkcaldy Burghs | Thomas Hubbard | 15,401 | 45.0 | 1 |
Llanelly |
Jim Griffiths | 44,514 | 81.1 | 1 |
| Mansfield | Bernard Taylor | 43,113 | 75.1 | 1 |
| Merthyr | S. O. Davies | 24,879 | 81.4 | 1 |
| Morpeth | Robert Taylor |
38,521 | 73.2 | 1 |
| Neath | D. J. Williams | 37,957 | 75.8 | 1 |
| Normanton | Tom Smith |
28,238 | 84.3 | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | Henry White |
35,795 | 65.6 | 1 |
| Ogmore | Ted Williams | 32,715 | 76.4 | 1 |
| Peebles and Southern Midlothian | David Pryde | 15,546 | 55.7 | 1 |
| Pontypool | Arthur Jenkins | 27,455 | 77.3 | 1 |
| Rhondda East | William Mainwaring | 16,733 | 48.4 | 1 |
| Rhondda West | Iorwerth Thomas | unopposed | N/A | 1 |
| Rother Valley | David Griffiths |
44,449 | 75.2 | 1 |
| South Ayrshire | Alexander Sloan |
21,235 | 61.3 | 1 |
| Spennymoor | James Murray | 22,587 | 69.9 | 1 |
| Wallsend | John McKay |
32,065 | 60.1 | 1 |
| Wentworth | Wilfred Paling | 44,080 | 83.6 | 1 |
| Wigan | William Foster |
31,392 | 68.2 | 1 |
By-elections, 1945–1950
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 Hemsworth by-election | Horace Holmes | unopposed | N/A | 1 |
| 1946 Ogmore by-election | John Evans | 13,632 | 70.6 | 1 |
| 1946 Aberdare by-election | David Thomas | 24,215 | 68.3 | 1 |
| 1947 Normanton by-election | George Sylvester | 19,085 | 79.8 | 1 |
| 1948 Wigan by-election | Ronald Williams | 28,941 | 59.1 | 1 |
1950 general election
1951 general election
By-elections, 1951–1955
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 Barnsley by-election | Roy Mason | 29,283 | 72.9 | 1 |
1955 general election
By-elections, 1955–1959
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 Blaydon by-election | Robert Woof | 18,791 | 69.9 | 1 |
| 1956 Chester-le-Street by-election | Norman Pentland | 27,912 | 80.8 | 1 |
| 1958 Wigan by-election | Alan Fitch | 27,415 | 71.0 | 1 |
1959 general election
By-elections, 1959–1964
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 Pontefract by-election | Joseph Harper |
26,461 | 77.3 | 1 |
1964 general election
By-elections, 1964–1966
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 Abertillery by-election | Clifford Williams | 18,256 | 79.0 | 1 |
1966 general election
By-elections, 1966–1970
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 Hamilton by-election | Alexander Wilson | 16,598 | 41.5 | 2 |
1970 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[32] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | Roy Mason | 34,956 | 64.8 | 1 |
| Blaydon | Robert Woof | 25,724 | 64.9 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 28,830 | 77.5 | 1 |
| Carlton | Carl Bennett | 27,043 | 40.4 | 2 |
| Chesterfield | Eric Varley | 30,386 | 59.0 | 1 |
| Chester-le-Street | Norman Pentland | 33,694 | 71.6 | 1 |
| Dearne Valley | Edwin Wainwright | 33,966 | 75.1 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Richard Kelley | 42,496 | 69.5 | 1 |
| Dunfermline Burghs | Adam Hunter |
21,532 | 57.1 | 1 |
| Hamilton | Alexander Wilson | 25,431 | 53.0 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | Alan Beaney | 40,013 | 80.8 | 1 |
| Ince | Michael McGuire | 32,295 | 68.5 | 1 |
| Liverpool West Derby | Eric Ogden | 22,324 | 57.3 | 1 |
| Mansfield | Don Concannon | 30,554 | 66.1 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Alex Eadie | 30,802 | 52.9 | 1 |
| Morpeth | George Grant |
21,826 | 60.4 | 1 |
| Normanton | Albert Roberts | 28,421 | 68.4 | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | Thomas Swain | 38,181 | 60.9 | 1 |
| Pontefract | Joseph Harper |
31,774 | 74.8 | 1 |
| Rhondda East | Elfed Davies | 19,602 | 68.7 | 1 |
| Wigan | Alan Fitch | 28,102 | 67.5 | 1 |
By-elections, 1970–1974
| By-election | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 Rochdale by-election | Lawrence Cunliffe | 14,203 | 31.1 | 2 |
February 1974 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[33] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | Roy Mason | 40,595 | 71.8 | 1 |
| Blaydon | Robert Woof | 22,279 | 58.7 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 30,787 | 76.5 | 1 |
| Cardiff North West | Charlie Blewett | 10,641 | 29.9 | 2 |
| Chesterfield | Eric Varley | 31,040 | 54.8 | 1 |
| Dearne Valley | Edwin Wainwright | 34,727 | 68.8 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Richard Kelley | 48,737 | 70.1 | 1 |
| Dunfermline | Adam Hunter |
19,201 | 39.3 | 1 |
| Hamilton | Alexander Wilson | 19,070 | 48.0 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | Alec Woodall | 44,093 | 82.8 | 1 |
| Ince | Michael McGuire | 39,822 | 70.0 | 1 |
| Liverpool West Derby | Eric Ogden | 22,689 | 54.7 | 1 |
| Mansfield | Don Concannon | 34,378 | 64.5 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Alex Eadie | 32,220 | 44.7 | 1 |
| Morpeth | George Grant |
22,026 | 56.4 | 1 |
| Normanton | Albert Roberts | 29,621 | 67.2 | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | Thomas Swain | 29,602 | 57.0 | 1 |
| Pontefract and Castleford | Joseph Harper |
34,409 | 74.8 | 1 |
| Rochdale | Lawrence Cunliffe | 16,367 | 31.8 | 2 |
| Rushcliffe | Michael Gallagher | 12,119 | 22.6 | 2 |
| Wigan | Alan Fitch | 30,485 | 71.3 | 1 |
October 1974 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[34] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | Roy Mason | 34,212 | 65.3 | 1 |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | G. Spain | 4,768 | 14.0 | 3 |
| Blaydon | Robert Woof | 23,743 | 52.3 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 27,275 | 70.6 | 1 |
| Cardiff North West | Charlie Blewett | 11,319 | 32.7 | 2 |
| Chesterfield | Eric Varley | 30,953 | 59.9 | 1 |
| Dearne Valley | Edwin Wainwright | 33,315 | 74.1 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Richard Kelley | 41,187 | 63.3 | 1 |
| Dunfermline | Adam Hunter |
18,470 | 40.1 | 1 |
| Hamilton | Alexander Wilson | 18,487 | 47.6 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | Alec Woodall | 37,467 | 76.5 | 1 |
| Ince | Michael McGuire | 35,453 | 63.5 | 1 |
| Liverpool West Derby | Eric Ogden | 23,964 | 60.5 | 1 |
| Mansfield | Don Concannon | 28,964 | 57.4 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Alex Eadie | 28,652 | 41.5 | 1 |
| Morpeth | George Grant |
22,696 | 63.8 | 1 |
| Normanton | Albert Roberts | 24,372 | 58.7 | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | Thomas Swain | 25,234 | 49.9 | 1 |
| Pontefract and Castleford | Joseph Harper |
30,208 | 70.4 | 1 |
| Wigan | Alan Fitch | 27,692 | 65.8 | 1 |
1979 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[35] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashfield | Frank Haynes | 33,116 | 52.8 | 1 |
| Barnsley | Roy Mason | 36,276 | 64.0 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 27,495 | 66.6 | 1 |
| Carlton | Arthur Palmer | 18,989 | 31.4 | 2 |
| Chesterfield | Eric Varley | 31,049 | 57.4 | 1 |
| Dearne Valley | Edwin Wainwright | 31,783 | 68.8 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Michael Welsh | 39,603 | 55.6 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | Alec Woodall | 36,509 | 69.6 | 1 |
| Ince | Michael McGuire | 34,599 | 56.2 | 1 |
| Leigh | Lawrence Cunliffe | 27,736 | 54.1 | 1 |
| Liverpool West Derby | Eric Ogden | 22,576 | 55.5 | 1 |
| Mansfield | Don Concannon | 29,051 | 52.3 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Alex Eadie | 37,773 | 47.8 | 1 |
| Morpeth | George Grant |
21,744 | 56.3 | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | Raymond Ellis | 27,218 | 48.1 | 1 |
| Normanton | Albert Roberts | 26,591 | 56.4 | 1 |
| Rushcliffe | Clive Atkins | 11,712 | 21.3 | 2 |
| Wigan | Alan Fitch | 26,144 | 59.8 | 1 |
1983 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[36] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashfield | Frank Haynes | 21,859 | 41.7 | 1 |
| Barnsley Central | Roy Mason | 21,847 | 59.8 | 1 |
| Barnsley East | Terry Patchett | 23,905 | 66.3 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 26,514 | 56.3 | 1 |
| Chesterfield | Eric Varley | 23,881 | 48.1 | 1 |
| Doncaster North | Michael Welsh | 26,626 | 52.8 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Martin Redmond | 23,036 | 45.1 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | Alec Woodall | 22,081 | 59.3 | 1 |
| Leigh | Lawrence Cunliffe | 25,477 | 51.2 | 1 |
| Mansfield | Don Concannon | 18,670 | 40.5 | 1 |
| Makerfield | Michael McGuire | 25,114 | 49.3 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Alex Eadie | 19,401 | 42.7 | 1 |
| North East Derbyshire | Raymond Ellis | 21,094 | 40.8 | 1 |
| Rother Valley | Kevin Barron | 21,781 | 46.5 | 1 |
| Wansbeck | Jack Thompson | 21,732 | 47.0 | 1 |
1987 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley Central | Eric Illsley | 26,139 | 66.8 | 1 |
| Barnsley East | Terry Patchett | 29,948 | 74.5 | 1 |
| Blyth Valley | Ronnie Campbell | 19,604 | 42.5 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 28,453 | 56.2 | 1 |
| Clydesdale | Jimmy Hood | 21,826 | 45.3 | 1 |
| Doncaster North | Michael Welsh | 32,950 | 61.8 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Martin Redmond | 29,200 | 53.1 | 1 |
| Easington | John Cummings | 32,396 | 68.1 | 1 |
| Hemsworth | George Buckley | 27,859 | 67.0 | 1 |
| Leigh | Lawrence Cunliffe | 30,064 | 58.6 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Alex Eadie | 22,553 | 48.3 | 1 |
| Rother Valley | Kevin Barron | 28,292 | 56.4 | 1 |
| Wansbeck | Jack Thompson | 28,080 | 57.5 | 1 |
1992 general election
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Position[37][38] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley Central | Eric Illsley | 27,048 | 69.3 | 1 |
| Barnsley East | Terry Patchett | 30,346 | 77.2 | 1 |
| Barnsley West and Penistone | Michael Clapham | 27,965 | 58.3 | 1 |
| Blyth Valley | Ronnie Campbell | 24,542 | 49.9 | 1 |
| Bolsover | Dennis Skinner | 33,978 | 64.5 | 1 |
| Clydesdale | Jimmy Hood | 21,418 | 44.6 | 1 |
| Doncaster North | Kevin Hughes | 34,135 | 61.8 | 1 |
| Don Valley | Martin Redmond | 32,008 | 55.0 | 1 |
| Easington | John Cummings | 34,269 | 72.7 | 1 |
| Leigh | Lawrence Cunliffe | 32,225 | 61.3 | 1 |
| Midlothian | Eric Clarke | 20,588 | 43.9 | 1 |
| Rother Valley | Kevin Barron | 30,977 | 60.5 | 1 |
| Sunderland North | Bill Etherington | 30,481 | 60.7 | 1 |
| Wansbeck | Jack Thompson | 30,046 | 59.7 | 1 |
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