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1924 Oxford by-election

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The 1924 Oxford by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 5 June 1924 for the British House of Commons constituency of Oxford.

Vacancy

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The seat had become vacant when the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) Frank Gray was unseated on petition on 14 May, after his agent had falsified the account for his expenses at the 1923 election.[1] Gray had held the seat since the 1922 election.

Electoral history

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The result of the last General Election;

Gray
1923 general election: Oxford[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frank Gray 12,311 56.1 −2.9
Conservative Robert Bourne 9,618 43.9 +2.9
Majority 2,693 12.2 −5.8
Turnout 21,929 83.5 −0.3
Liberal hold Swing -2.9

Candidates

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Fry

Campaign

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All three candidates were former Oxford Blues enabling the popular press to dub the campaign 'The Battle of the Blues'.[3]

Former Liberal MP Frank Gray, despite being barred from standing, was still very popular in the constituency and he was active in support of Fry throughout the campaign. During the campaign Fry advocated the introduction of equal opportunities for women, the imposition of responsibilities on the fathers of illegitimate children and the introduction of a tax system that would give privacy and independence to married women.[4]

Result

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The result was a gain for the Conservatives.

1924 Oxford by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Bourne 10,079 47.8 +3.9
Liberal C.B. Fry 8,237 39.1 −17.0
Labour Kenneth Lindsay 2,769 13.1 New
Majority 1,842 8.7 N/A
Turnout 21,085 80.3 −3.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.5

Aftermath

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Bourne would hold the seat at the following General Election later in the year.

References

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  1. ^ British History Online
  2. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1979)
  3. ^ Trial by Ballot by Ivor RM Davies (1950) p77.
  4. ^ CB Fry by Iain Wilton,(1999) p325.
  5. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1979)