1927 Combined Scottish Universities by-election

The 1927 Combined Scottish Universities by-election was a by-election held from 26 to 29 April 1927 for the Combined Scottish Universities, a university constituency of the British House of Commons.

1927 Combined Scottish Universities by-election

← 1924 26–29 April 1927 1929 →

Constituency of Combined Scottish Universities
Turnout55.1%
  First party Second party
 
Lab
Candidate John Buchan Hugh Guthrie
Party Unionist Labour
Popular vote 16,963 2,378
Percentage 87.7% 12.3%

MP before election

Sir Henry Craik, Bt.
Unionist

Subsequent MP

John Buchan
Unionist

Vacancy

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The seat had become vacant on 16 March 1927 when the Unionist Member of Parliament (MP) Sir Henry Craik, Bt. had died, aged 80. He had held the seat since its creation for the 1918 general election, having previously been MP for Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities.

Candidates

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Two candidates contested the by-election. John Buchan, the novelist, of the Unionist Party and Hugh Guthrie of the Labour Party, who had contested Glasgow Camlachie at the 1918 general election.

Result

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The result was a victory for Buchan, who won nearly 88% of the votes. He held the seat until 1935, when he resigned to take up the post of Governor General of Canada.

Votes

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Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 26-29 April 1927
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist John Buchan 16,963 87.7 +66.2
Labour Hugh Guthrie 2,378 12.3 +3.0
Majority 14,585 75.4 +63.2
Turnout 19,341 55.1 0.0
Unionist hold Swing

See also

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Sources

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  • Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs