Clitheroe by-election, 1902

The 1902 Clitheroe by-election was held on 20 August 1902 after the incumbent Liberal MP Sir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Shuttleworth, of Gawthorpe in the County Palatine of Lancaster.[1] and so having to resign his seat in the House of Commons. The seat was gained by the unopposed Labour Representation Committee candidate David Shackleton[2] who became the third MP for the Labour Representation Committee which would later become the Labour Party and the first to win at a by-election.

Shackleton was the general secretary of the Textile Factory Workers Association. Although the textile workers had not yet joined the Labour Representation Committee, Shackleton was appointed its candidate for the by-election. Philip Snowden, who had been considered by the Independent Labour Party, withdrew from the race. The Liberals and Conservatives also withdrew, sensing Shackleton's strong lead. He was thus elected unopposed. The textile workers' unions affiliated to the LRC shortly afterwards. Shackleton served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party for a period.

References

  1. The London Gazette: no. 27455. p. 4587. 18 July 1902.
  2. The Constitiutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 146 (170 in web page), Lancashire North East
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