1937 Holland with Boston by-election


The Holland with Boston by-election, 1937 was a parliamentary by-election held on 24 June 1937 for the British House of Commons constituency of Holland with Boston.

Previous MP

The seat had become vacant when the constituency's National Liberal Member of Parliament, Sir James Blindell died.
He was first elected as the constituency's MP at the 1929 Holland with Boston by-election, caused by the death of the Conservative MP Arthur Dean. Blindell overturned a Conservative majority of nearly 5,000 to win with a majority of 3,706. His victory was the last Liberal by-election gain until Torrington in 1958.
Blindell was re-elected as a Liberal at the 1929 general election, but in 1931 he was one of the Liberal MPs who broke with their party to support Ramsay MacDonald's National Government, eventually forming the National Liberal Party.
He was re-elected as a National Liberal at the 1931 general election and at the 1935 general election. In both elections, the Conservatives did not field a candidate against him, and he was returned with large majorities.

Candidates

Two candidates were nominated. The list below is set out in descending order of the number of votes received at the by-election.
1. The National Liberal Party candidate, supporting the National government, was Herbert Walter Butcher. After winning the by-election he retained the seat until he retired in 1966, shortly before he died.
2. Representing the Labour Party was E.E. Reynolds. He had previously contested Holland with Boston in the 1935 general election.

Votes