The result of the Northampton by-election, which was declared on
Tuesday, was as follows :— Lt.-Col. C. L'Estrango Malone (Lab.) ..
.. 15,173 Capt. A. C4. Renton (Unionist)
.. 14,616 S. Cope Morgan (Lib.) • . .
.. 9,584 E. A. Ilailwood (Ind. Unionist) ..
1,093 • Labour maiority • • • • 557
At the 1924 election Sir A. E. Holland, the Unionist candidate, had a majority over Miss Bondfield of 971, but in the 1928 election Miss BondfieId was successful over the Unionist candidate by a majority of over 4,000. Although the Government have lost the seat they may 'detect some very, pleasing signs. If the votes of the official Unionist candidate and the Independent Unionist are added, together there is a majority for the Govern- ment. The Liberals had pitched their hopes very high at this election, but they merely added 148 votes to the Liberal poll of 1924. In vain did Mr. Cope Morgan repeatedly explain that he had no connexion with Mr. Lloyd George's Fund. The Liberals are still split and we may add that the resignation of Mr. J. A. Spender from their Campaign Committee will not help them. Mr. Hailwood, who was the Independent Unionist candidate at Southend, has again succeeded in the name of Unionism in embarrassing the Government, but he has again forfeited his deposit money. It may be that he thinks the price worth paying. He invites the Government to do all sorts of reactionary things against which the Government are pledged or which they have -explicitly repudiated. Colonel Malone added only 127 to the Labour poll of 1924.
* *
Previous page
