28 FEBRUARY 1931, Page 2

The East Islington By-Election The result of the East Islington

by-election was declared on Thursday, Febniary 19th. The figures were :— Mits. L. MANwriqo (Lab.) .. 10,591

Brig.-Gen. A. C. Critchley (Empire Crusade) 8,314 Miss T. Cazalet (U.) 7,182 Major H. E. Crawfurd (L.).. 4,450 Labour majority .. .. 2,277

The following was the result of the last election :- Dr. Ethel Bentham (Lab.) ..

15,199 Major R. I. Tasker (U.) .. 13,641 E. C. Middleton (L.) 11,136 Labour majority .. 1,558

Less than 50 per cent, of the electors voted. This apathy was the more noticeable after what may be called the organized excitement of many of the meetings. Particularly interesting is the behaviour of the Liberals. As the London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian points out, it is a puzzle to know where the Liberal votes have gone. Major Crawfurd was a very strong candidate, yet his supporters made a very poor show. As a rule votes lost to the Liberals can be traced as having been transferred to a Unionist or a Labour candidate. But in East Islington, and again in Fareham, most reputed Liberals did not vote at all.