1946 Kilmarnock by-election

The1946 Kilmarnock by-electionwas aby-electionheld on 5 December 1946 for theBritish House of CommonsconstituencyofKilmarnockinAyrshire.

Vacancy

The seat had become vacant on 2 October 1946 when theLabourMember of Parliament(MP),Clarice Shawhad resigned her seat. She died on 27 October at the age of 63.

Shaw had held the seat since thegeneral election in July 1945,but ill-health had prevented her from ever attending theHouse of Commons.

Candidates

TheLabour Partycandidate was 35-year-oldWillie Ross,a schoolteacher beforeWorld War IIwho was recently demobilised from theBritish Army,where he had risen to the rank ofMajor.At the 1945 general election he had unsuccessfully contested theAyr Burghsconstituency.

TheUnionistcandidate was Lieutenant-Colonel George E. O. Walker, who had also been the Unionist candidate at the general election. TheScottish National Partyfielded George Dott.

Result

The result was a victory for Ross, who held the seat with a fractionally increased share of the vote. He held the seat until he stepped down at the1979 general election,having beenSecretary of State for Scotlandfor two periods totalling 8 years.

Votes

Kilmarnock by-election, 5 December 1946

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Willie Ross	22,456	59.7	+0.3
	Unionist	George E. O. Walker	12,239	32.5	−8.1
	SNP	George Dott	2,932	7.8	New
Majority			10,217	27.2	+8.4
Turnout			37,627	68.4	−7.7
	Labourhold		Swing	+4.2

General election, July 1945:Kilmarnock

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Clarice Shaw	23,837	59.4	+26.0
	Unionist	G. E. O. Walker	16,300	40.6	New
Majority			7,537	18.8	N/A
Turnout			40,137	76.1	−2.7
	LabourgainfromNational Labour		Swing	N/A

See also

• Kilmarnock (UK Parliament constituency)
• Kilmarnock
• 1929 Kilmarnock by-election
• 1933 Kilmarnock by-election
• List of United Kingdom by-elections (1931–1950)
• Elections in Scotland

Sources

• Craig, F. W. S.(1983) [1969].British parliamentary election results 1918-1949(3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.ISBN0-900178-06-X.
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs