2000 Tottenham by-election

The Labour Member of Parliament for Tottenham, Bernie Grant, died on 8 April 2000, creating a by-election in his constituency.

2000 Tottenham by-election
22 June 2000
The Tottenham seat in the House of Commons.
Triggered by death of incumbent
Turnout34.4% (19.2%)
  First party Second party
 
Candidate David Lammy Duncan Hames
Party Labour Liberal Democrats
Popular vote 8,785 3,139
Percentage 53.5% 19.1%
Swing 15.8% 7.3%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Candidate Jane Ellison Weyman Bennett
Party Conservative Socialist Alliance
Popular vote 2,634 885
Percentage 16.0% 5.4%
Swing 0.3% n/a
Map showing the Tottenham constituency within Greater London.
MP before election

Bernie Grant
Labour

 Subsequent MP

David Lammy
Labour

Grant was one of the first four black MPs and the constituency was one of the centres of the London Afro-Caribbean community. However, Grant's widow Sharon (who was white) declared her intention to seek selection and this split opinion within the local Labour Party. Both Sharon and Bernie Grant had been on the left-wing of the party whereas the leading black contender for the nomination, David Lammy, was a supporter of Tony Blair. After a close-fought selection battle, Lammy was chosen. During the campaign, Sharon Grant made a public show of supporting his election campaign in order not to allow disunity in the Labour Party.

Polling day in the by-election was on 22 June, when Lammy comfortably retained the seat for Labour on a low turnout. Neither of the other main party candidates was able to mount a credible challenge in a seat where Labour was so strongly ahead, with Liberal Democrat candidate and future Chippenham MP Duncan Hames finishing second, and Conservative candidate and future Battersea MP Jane Ellison coming third.

All three candidates from the Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem parties in this by-election would go on to become MPs. Lammy won and became the MP for Tottenham a seat he holds to this day, Lib Dem Duncan Hames became the MP for Chippenham in 2010, losing in 2015 and Jane Ellison became the MP for Battersea in 2010, losing in 2017.

Results
2000 Tottenham by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Lammy 8,785 53.5 -15.8
Liberal Democrats Duncan Hames 3,139 19.1 +7.3
Conservative Jane Ellison 2,634 16.0 +0.3
Socialist Alliance Weyman Bennett 885 5.4 New
Green Peter Budge 606 3.7 +0.9
Reform 2000 Erol Basarik 177 1.1 New
UKIP Ashwin Tanna 136 0.8 New
Ind. Conservative Dorian L.D. de Braâm 55 0.3 New
Majority 5,646 34.4 -19.2
Turnout 16,417 25.4 -31.5
Registered electors 64,554
Labour hold Swing -12.0

General Election result, 1997
General election 1997: Tottenham[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bernie Grant 26,121 69.3 +12.8
Conservative Andrew R. Scantlebury 5,921 15.7 -14.1
Liberal Democrats Neil Hughes 4,064 10.8 -0.6
Green Peter Budge 1,059 2.8 +0.8
ProLife Alliance Leelan L.E. Tay 210 0.5 New
Workers Revolutionary Christopher F. Anglin 181 0.5 New
Socialist Equality Tania Kent 148 0.4 New
Majority 20,200 53.6 +26.9
Turnout 37,704 56.9 -8.7
Registered electors 66,251
Labour hold Swing +13.4

References
  1. Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1997-2002 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
  2. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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