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Motherwell constituency | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Map showing the Motherwell Parliamentary constituency within Scotland. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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51.4%
2.1%
The 1945 Motherwell by-election was held on 12 April 1945, following the death of Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Motherwell, James Walker.
The by-election took place during the Second World War during unusual political conditions. No general election had been held since 1935, at which James Walker narrowly gained the seat for Labour from the Unionist Party.
There was a truce between the major parties: Labour, the Conservative Party, Liberal Party and the National Liberal Party. The Communist Party of Great Britain, which had held Motherwell in the past, also undertook to abide by the truce. As a result, the only opposition in by-elections came from independents, minor parties and occasional unofficial party candidates aligned with major parties.
For the by-election, the Labour Party stood Alexander Anderson. His only opposition came from the Scottish National Party (SNP), then a small party advocating Scottish independence, who stood Party Secretary Robert McIntyre.
Result
The by-election was won by McIntyre, who became the first SNP Member of Parliament. However, Anderson regained the seat from McIntyre at the 1945 general election a few months later.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNP | Robert McIntyre | 11,417 | 51.4 | New | |
| Labour | Alexander Anderson | 10,800 | 48.6 | −2.1 | |
| Majority | 617 | 2.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 22,217 | 54.0 | −21.9 | ||
| SNP gain from Labour | Swing | N/A | |||
See also
References
- MacPherson, Hamish (12 April 2020). "All about Robert McIntyre: The first SNP MP who made his mark 75 years ago". The National. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- "Scots Nationalist Wins Motherwell By-Election". The Glasgow Herald. 14 April 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 24 March 2017.