1986 Ryedale by-election

The 1986 Ryedale by-election took place on 8 May 1986. The election was held on the same day as the 1986 local elections and the West Derbyshire by-election

1986 Ryedale by-election

8 May 1986
Constituency of Ryedale
Turnout	67.3% (4.5%)
First party Second party Third party   Con Lab Candidate Elizabeth Shields Neil Balfour Shirley Haines Party Liberal Conservative Labour Popular vote 27,612 22,672 4,633 Percentage 50.3% 41.3% 8.4% Swing 19.8% 17.9% 1.9%
MP before election John Spence Conservative Subsequent MP Elizabeth Shields Liberal

It is the latest by-election to have just three candidates standing.

The seat was regained by the Conservatives the next year at the 1987 general election by John Greenway.

Background

In the spring of 1986 unemployment began rising at a greater rate than in previous years and the Conservative loss at Ryedale was a factor (according to Nigel Lawson) in "even committed supporters of the Government's economic strategy...insisting that reducing unemployment should now have priority".

Result

Ryedale by-election, 1986

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal (Alliance)	Elizabeth Shields	27,612	50.28	+19.8
	Conservative	Neil Balfour	22,672	41.28	−17.9
	Labour	Shirley Haines	4,633	8.44	−1.9
Majority			4,940	9.00	N/A
Turnout			54,917	67.3	−4.5
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+19.0

Previous General election

General election 1983: Ryedale

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Spence	33,312	59.2
	Alliance (Liberal)	Elizabeth Shields	17,170	30.5
	Labour	P Bloom	5,816	10.3
Majority			16,142	28.7
Turnout			56,838
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency)
• Thirsk and Malton (UK Parliament constituency)
• List of United Kingdom by-elections

Notes

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)