The by-election at Stockport last week resulted in the seat
passing from the Conservative party to Labour. The The by-election at Stockport last week resulted in the seat passing from the Conservative party to Labour. The late Member, Mr. Greenwood, was an exceptionally strong and popular local candidate, who was difficult to follow. That may account for the loss of many votes to the Conservative candidate, but hardly for the big drop from the 28,000 and 26,000, given to the two Conservatives at the General Election, to the 17,892 polled by the candidate last week. The Liberal candidate received nearly 5,000 more votes than his predecessor. The Labour candidate when beaten received 11,986 votes and now wins with 20,219, i.e., with 1,700 less supporters, and 15,000 less votes than were given to his opponents. The result is no good advertisement for our electoral system, and those who consider that the great division is between Socialism and anti-Socialism will call it absurd. Such hazards will continue until the system is adapted to the three-party conditions. .of to-day... The . continued depression of unemployment undoubtedly told against the Government, but the main transfer of votes was from the Conservative side to the Liberal, making their polls practically equal. This looks as though Lancashire and Cheshire still hold strongly to Free Trade, and condemn the Government's flirtations with Protection.
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