1904 North East Lanarkshire by-election

The North East Lanarkshire by-election was a Parliamentary by-election. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

1904 North East Lanarkshire
10 August 1904
 
Candidate Findlay Touche Robertson
Party Liberal Conservative Scottish Workers
Popular vote 5,619 4,677 3,984
Percentage 39.3 32.8 27.9
MP before election

William Henry Rattigan
Liberal Unionist

 Subsequent MP

Alexander Findlay
Liberal

Vacancy

Sir William Henry Rattigan had been Liberal Unionist MP for the seat of North East Lanarkshire since the 1901 North East Lanarkshire by-election. He died on 4 July 1904 at the age of 62.[1]

Electoral history

The seat had been Liberal Unionist since they gained it in 1901;

1901 North East Lanarkshire by-election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist William Henry Rattigan 5,673 42.6 -1.3
Liberal Cecil Harmsworth 4,769 35.7 -20.4
Scottish Workers Robert Smillie 2,900 21.7 New
Majority 904 6.9 N/A
Turnout 13,342 79.0
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing

Candidates
  • The Conservatives selected 43-year-old George Touche to defend the seat. In 1883 he was admitted to the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh. In 1889 he was appointed first secretary of the Industrial and General Trust, later becoming manager, director in 1898. In 1899 he founded his own practice, George A. Touch & Co.[3]
  • The local Liberal Association selected 60-year-old Alexander Findlay as their candidate.
  • Thirty-seven-year-old John Robertson stood as candidate for the Scottish Workers' Representation Committee. He was Chairman of the Scottish Miners' Union.

Campaign

Polling Day was fixed for 10 August 1904.

Result

The Liberals gained the seat from the Conservatives;

North East Lanarkshire by-election, 1904[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Findlay 5,619 39.3 +3.6
Conservative George Touche 4,677 32.8 -9.8
Scottish Workers John Robertson 3,984 27.9 +6.2
Majority 942 6.5 N/A
Turnout 14,280 75.5 -3.5
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing

Aftermath

At the following General Election the result was;

General election January 1906[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Findlay 6,436 40.4 +1.1
Conservative Hugh Elliot 4,838 30.4 -2.4
Scottish Workers John Robertson 4,658 29.2 +1.3
Majority 1,598 10.0 +3.5
Turnout 15,932
Liberal hold Swing

References
  1. Who's Who;www.whoswho.com
  2. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
  3. Who's Who;www.whoswho.com
  4. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
  5. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 by Craig
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