List of United Kingdom MPs with the shortest service

List of United Kingdom MPs with the shortest service is an annotated list of the Members of the United Kingdom Parliament since 1900 having total service of less than 365 days.

Nominal service is the number of days elapsed between the Declaration (or deemed election) and the date of death, defeat, disqualification, resignation, etc.

Effective service is the number of days elapsed between taking the Oath as a Member of Parliament (if the Member did so) and the date of death, resignation, disqualification or dissolution of Parliament. In other words, this number is the maximum number of days the Member could have sat in Parliament, whether or not they actually did so.

Member Party Constituency Election date Nominal service (days) Took the Oath Maiden speech Effective service (days) Notes
Higgins, ThomasThomas Higgins Irish Parliamentary North Galway, 1906 25 January 1906 0 [1] N N 0 Died
Dobbs, AlfredAlfred Dobbs Labour Smethwick, 1945 26 July 1945[2] 1 N N 0 Died
Annand, JamesJames Annand Liberal East Aberdeenshire, 1906 24 January 1906 16 N N 0 Died
Sands, BobbyBobby Sands Anti H-Block Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, April 1981 9 April 1981 25 N N 0 Died
Wrightson, HarryHarry Wrightson Conservative Leyton West, 1918 28 December 1918[3] 32 N N 0 Died
Bell, Joseph NicholasJoseph Nicholas Bell Labour Newcastle East, 1922 15 November 1922 32 N N 0 Died
Compton, Henry FrancisHenry Francis Compton Conservative New Forest by-election, 1905 6 December 1905 46 N N 0 Defeated at next general election
Anderson, Hugh AlfredHugh Alfred Anderson Irish Unionist North Londonderry, 1918 28 December 1918 47 10 February 1919 N [4] 3 Resigned
Carr, MichaelMichael Carr Labour Bootle by-election, May 1990 24 May 1990 57 5 June 1990 14 June 1990 45 Died
Gordon, Alexander TheodoreAlexander Theodore Gordon Conservative Aberdeen and Kincardine Central, 1918 28 December 1918 68 5 February 1919 N [5] 29 Died
McCan, PiercePierce McCan Sinn Féin East Tipperary, 1918 28 December 1918 68 N N 0 Died[6]
Bennett, DonaldDonald Bennett Liberal Middlesbrough West by-election, 1945 14 May 1945 73 15 May 1945 N 31 Defeated at next general election
O'Brien, OswaldOswald O'Brien Labour Darlington by-election, 1983 24 March 1983 77 29 March 1983 14 April 1983 45 Defeated at next general election
Dumphreys, JohnJohn Dumphreys Conservative Bermondsey by-election, 1909 28 October 1909 83 1 November 1909 N [7] 70 Defeated at next general election
Mathew, Charles JamesCharles James Mathew Labour Whitechapel and St. George's, 1922 15 November 1922 85 21 November 1922 N [8] 48 Died
Seaborne Davies Liberal Caernarvon Boroughs by-election, 1945 26 April 1945 91 1 May 1945 11 June 1945 45 Defeated at next general election
Joseph Ormond Andrews Liberal Barkston Ash by-election, 1905 13 October 1905 97 N N 0 Defeated at next general election
McIntyre, RobertRobert McIntyre [9] SNP Motherwell by-election, 1945 12 April 1945 104 17 April 1945 1 May 1945 59 Defeated at next general election
Dalton, RuthRuth Dalton Labour Bishop Auckland by-election, 1929 7 February 1929 112 12 February 1929 13 March 1929 87 Retired at next general election
MacDonald, MargoMargo MacDonald [10] SNP Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973 8 November 1973 112 22 November 1973 11 December 1973 78 Defeated at next general election
Anderson, George KnoxGeorge Knox Anderson Conservative Canterbury by-election, 1918 9 August 1918 113 15 October 1918 N [11] 41 Retired at next general election
Evans, HerbertHerbert Evans Labour Gateshead by-election, 1931 8 June 1931 121 11 June 1931 14 September 1931 118 Died
Wilson, Sir HenrySir Henry Wilson Irish Unionist North Down by-election, February 1922 21 February 1922 121 23 February 1922 21 March 1922 119 Assassinated
Sunderland, John WilliamJohn William Sunderland Labour Preston, 1945 26 July 1945 121 2 August 1945 11 October 1945 114 Died
Beattie, CharlesCharles Beattie Ulster Unionist Mid Ulster by-election, 1955 11 August 1955 123 25 October 1955 N 105 Disqualified
Williamson, George HenryGeorge Henry Williamson Conservative Worcester, 1906 17 January 1906 128 Y[12] N circa 100 days Unseated
St. Maur, HaroldHarold St. Maur Liberal Exeter, Dec 1910 3 December 1910 129 Y [13] 22 February 1911 circa 55 days Unseated
Whittaker, John EdmondsonJohn Edmondson Whittaker Labour Heywood and Radcliffe, 1945 26 July 1945 136 2 August 1945 16 October 1945 129 Died
Mathias, RichardRichard Mathias Liberal Cheltenham, Dec 1910 5 December 1910 144 1 February 1911 N 68 Unseated
Hillman, George BrownGeorge Brown Hillman Conservative Wakefield, 1931 27 October 1931 144 4 November 1931 N 136 Died
Cotton, EvanEvan Cotton Liberal Finsbury East by-election, 1918 16 July 1918 151 17 July 1918 6 August 1918 131 Defeated at next general election
Chichester, RobertRobert Chichester Irish Unionist South Londonderry by-election, 1921 29 August 1921 152 Y Died
Philip Clarke Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 1955 26 May 1955 152 N N 0 Unseated
Thomas Mitchell Sinn Féin Mid-Ulster, 1955 26 May 1955 152 N N 0 Disqualified
Stephen, NicolNicol Stephen Lib Dem Kincardine and Deeside by-election, 1991 7 November 1991 154 12 November 1991 26 November 1991 125 Defeated at next general election
Hardie, DavidDavid Hardie Labour Glasgow Rutherglen by-election, 1931 21 May 1931 159 2 June 1931 25 June 1931 127 Defeated at next general election
O'Sullivan, EugeneEugene O'Sullivan Ind. Nationalist East Kerry, Jan 1910. 22 January 1910 170 Y [14] N circa 140 days Unseated
MacDonald, David HendersonDavid Henderson MacDonald Conservative Bothwell, 1918 28 December 1918 176 5 February 1919 27 March 1919 137 Died
Sparkes, HerbertHerbert Sparkes Conservative Tiverton, 1922 15 November 1922 188 21 November 1922 14 February 1923 182 Died
Helen McElhone Labour Glasgow Queen's Park by-election, 1982 2 December 1982 189 8 December 1982 17 January 1983 156 Retired at next general election
Philipson, HiltonHilton Philipson National Liberal Berwick-on-Tweed, 1922 15 November 1922 197 21 November 1922 N 168 Unseated
Wodehouse, ArmineArmine Wodehouse Liberal Saffron Walden, 1900 15 October 1900 200 4 December 1900 27 March 1901 148 Died
Cawley, OswaldOswald Cawley Liberal Prestwich by-election, January 1918 31 January 1918 202 20 June 1918 N [15] 63 Killed in action World War I
Norie-Miller, FrancisFrancis Norie-Miller Liberal National Perth by-election, 1935 16 April 1935 212 2 May 1935 N 176 Retired at next general election
Austick, DavidDavid Austick Liberal Ripon by-election, 1973 26 July 1973 217 16 October 1973 6 November 1973 115 Defeated at next general election
Frewen, MoretonMoreton Frewen Ind. Nationalist Cork North-East, Dec 1910 8 December 1910 220 Y [16] 24 April 1911 circa 160 days Resigned
West, HarryHarry West[17] Ulster Unionist Fermanagh and South Tyrone, February 1974 28 February 1974 224 13 March 1974 14 March 1974 191 Defeated at next general election
Willey, Arthur WellesleyArthur Wellesley Willey Conservative Leeds Central, 1922 15 November 1922 229 21 November 1922 N 223 Died
Ward, ChristopherChristopher Ward Conservative Swindon by-election, 1969 30 October 1969 231 4 November 1969 15 December 1969 206 Defeated at next general election
Somervell, William HenryWilliam Henry Somervell Liberal Keighley by-election, 1918 26 April 1918 232 29 April 1918 27 June 1918 210 Defeated at next general election
MacManaway, James GodfreyJames Godfrey MacManaway Ulster Unionist Belfast West, 1950 23 February 1950 238 13 June 1950 19 October 1950 128 Disqualified
Wallace, Thomas BrowneThomas Browne Wallace Irish Unionist West Down by-election, 1921 23 June 1921 239 Y Resigned
Gibbins, Frederick WilliamFrederick William Gibbins Liberal Mid Glamorgan by-election, 1910 31 March 1910 253 4 April 1910 N 238 Retired at next general election
Palmer, Charles FrederickCharles Frederick Palmer Independent The Wrekin by-election, February 1920 7 February 1920 261 23 February 1920 27 February 1920 245 Died
Hayes, HughHugh Hayes Ulster Unionist West Down by-election, 1922 17 February 1922 271 2 March 1922 238 Retired at next general election
Harpham, HarryHarry Harpham Labour Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, 2015 7 May 2015 273 20 May 2015 17 June 2015 260 Died
Cleary, Joseph JacksonJoseph Jackson Cleary Labour Liverpool Wavertree by-election, 1935 6 February 1935 281 11 February 1935 14 February 1935 256 Defeated at next general election
Beveridge, Sir WilliamSir William Beveridge Liberal Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1944 17 October 1944 282 19 October 1944 3 November 1944 239 Defeated at next general election
Sidney, W. P.W. P. Sidney, VC Conservative Chelsea by-election, 1944 11 October 1944 288 17 October 1944 29 November 1944 241 Succeeded to the Peerage
Holland, AlfredAlfred Holland Labour Clay Cross, 1935 14 November 1935 290 27 November 1935 30 April 1936 277 Died
Reith, Sir JohnSir John Reith National Southampton by-election, February 1940 1 February 1940 293 6 February 1940 N 258 Elevated to the Peerage
Gill, Parmjit SinghParmjit Singh Gill Lib Dem Leicester South by-election, 2004 15 July 2004 294 20 July 2004 23 November 2004 261 Defeated at next general election
Pain, Sir William HacketSir William Hacket Pain Ulster Unionist South Londonderry by-election, 1922 18 January 1922 301 8 February 1922 10 May 1922 260 Retired at next general election
Gibbons, W. E.W. E. Gibbons Conservative Bilston by-election, 1944 20 September 1944 309 26 September 1944 6 December 1944 262 Defeated at next general election
Anderson, David ColvilleDavid Colville Anderson Conservative Dumfriesshire by-election, 1963 12 December 1963 309 17 December 1963 8 February 1964 283 Retired at next general election
22 MPs who only sat in the February-November 1910 Parliament various various various between 14 January and 9 February 1910 various various various 286
Chaplin, JudithJudith Chaplin Conservative Newbury, 1992 9 April 1992 316 29 April 1992 10 June 1992 296 Died
64 MPs who only sat in the January-October 1924 Parliament various various 6 December 1923 328 various various 275
Teevan, ThomasThomas Teevan Ulster Unionist Belfast West by-election, 1950 29 November 1950 330 5 December 1950 11 April 1951 304 Defeated at next general election
Jones, William NathanielWilliam Nathaniel Jones Liberal Carmarthen by-election, 1928 28 June 1928 336 3 July 1928 N? 311 Defeated at next general election
Henniker-Hughan, ArthurArthur Henniker-Hughan Conservative Galloway, 1924 29 October 1924 340 3 December 1924 19 March 1925 305 Died
Morris, MartinMartin Morris Irish Unionist Galway Borough, 1900 1 October 1900 342 4 December 1900 22 April 1901 278 Succeeded to the Peerage
Law, PeterPeter Law Independent Blaenau Gwent, 2005 5 May 2005 355 16 May 2005 16 June 2005 344 Died
Lawler, WallaceWallace Lawler Liberal Birmingham Ladywood by-election, 1969 26 June 1969 357 3 July 1969 23 July 1969 330 Defeated at next general election
Machin, GeorgeGeorge Machin Labour Dundee East by-election, 1973 1 March 1973 364 6 March 1973 8 March 1973 339 Defeated at next general election
51 MPs who only sat in the November 1922 – November 1923 Parliament various various 15 November 1922 386 various various 361
  1. ↑ Higgins died hours before his declaration on 26 January 1906, and was declared elected posthumously.
  2. ↑ Polling took place on 5 July 1945, but results were not declared until 26 July.
  3. ↑ Polling took place on 14 December 1918, but results were not declared until 28 December.
  4. ↑ Anderson took his seat, but never spoke, asked a question, or voted.
  5. ↑ Gordon never spoke, asked a question, or voted. In March 1919 he was appointed to the Scottish Standing Committee, but died two days later.
  6. ↑ McCan was in prison at the time of his death but as an abstentionist would not have taken his seat, had he been free to do so.
  7. ↑ Dumphreys never spoke or asked a written question, but he voted in 19 divisions.
  8. ↑ Mathew never made a formal maiden speech, although he made several interventions, notably on 28 November 1922, when he challenged the Prime Minister, Andrew Bonar Law, over Unemployment. He also voted in 18 divisions.
  9. ↑ McIntyre holds the record for the most attempts by a former MP to return to the Commons.
  10. ↑ MacDonald was a member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 until her death in 2014.
  11. ↑ Anderson never spoke or asked a question, but he voted in 12 divisions.
  12. ↑ The precise date of Williamson's taking of the Oath is not recorded; it probably occurred on 14/15 February 1906. Williamson spoke once in Parliament, to ask that "The Question be now put", but was overruled by the Speaker. He voted in several divisions.
  13. ↑ The precise date of St. Maur's taking of the Oath is not recorded; it occurred in late February 1911.
  14. ↑ The precise date of O'Sullivan's taking of the Oath is not recorded; it occurred in late February 1910.
  15. ↑ Cawley took his seat, but never spoke, asked a question, or voted.
  16. ↑ The precise date of Frewen's taking of the Oath is not recorded; it probably occurred in late February 1911.
  17. ↑ West was the only member of the March-October 1974 Parliament who did not serve in any other Parliament.

See also

References

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