1986 Fulham by-election

1986 Fulham by-election

10 April 1986
Constituency of Fulham
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Nick Raynsford Matthew Carrington Roger Liddle Party Labour Conservative SDP Popular vote 16,451 12,948 6,953 Percentage 43.20% 34.00% 18.26% Swing 9.17% 12.18% 0.01%
MP before election Martin Stevens Conservative Subsequent MP Nick Raynsford Labour

The Fulham by-election, in Fulham, on 10 April 1986 was held following the death of the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Martin Stevens on 10 January that year. In a seat that had changed hands on a few occasions, it was won by Nick Raynsford of Labour, only to be regained by the Tories in the general election 14 months later.

Candidates

• Jane Birdwood was a veteran activist on the far right who was variously associated with the National Front and British National Party.
• James "Boyd" Black advocated the right of Northern Ireland to directly elect its own government and was a leading member of the British and Irish Communist Organisation.
• Matthew Carrington captured the seat for the Conservatives at the following election.
• John Creighton was the owner of a local wine shop.
• Liza Duke called for the abolition of Parliament.
• Roger Liddle later went on to become an adviser to Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson.
• Nick Raynsford would later return to Parliament as MP for Greenwich and Greenwich & Woolwich.
• Rev. Geoffrey Rolph represented the Fellowship Party, which supported pacifism and opposed nuclear power.
• Reginald Simmerson, a regular by-election candidate, campaigned against British membership of the European Community. Following his death in 1998 the Anti-Common Market League established a prize in his memory.
• Jon Swinden ran for the [Humanist International[|Humanist Party]] which advocates the humanism of Mario Rodríguez Cobos.
• David Sutch was the founder and leader of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

Results

Fulham by-election, 1986

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Nick Raynsford	16,451	43.2	+9.17
	Conservative	Matthew Carrington	12,948	34.0	−12.18
	SDP	Roger Liddle	6,953	18.26	+0.01
	England Demands Repatriation	Jane Birdwood	226	0.59	N/A
	Monster Raving Loony	David Sutch	134	0.35	N/A
	Connoisseur Wine Party	John Creighton	127	0.33	N/A
	Democratic Rights for Northern Ireland	James Black	98	0.26	N/A
	Fellowship	Geoffrey Rolph	39	0.1	N/A
	Humanist	Jon Swinden	38	0.1	N/A
	Captain Rainbows Universal Party	Liza Duke	37	0.1	N/A
	All Party Anti-Common Market	Reginald Simmerson	33	0.09	N/A
Majority			3,503	9.2	N/A
Turnout			38,084
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

General election 1983: Fulham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin Stevens	18,204	46.2	−0.5
	Labour	A Powell	13,415	34.03	−9.2
	Liberal	David Rendel	9,174	18.3	+9.3
	Ecology	J Grimes	277	0.7	N/A
	National Front	R Pearce	229	0.6	−0.6
	Independent Liberal	J Keats	102	0.3	N/A
Majority			4,798	12.15	+8.7
Turnout			39,421	76.1	−0.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

External links

• Results