List of ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster were held from 1801 to the 1920s when a Member of Parliament (MP) was appointed as a minister in the government. Unlike most Westminster by-elections, ministerial by-elections were often a formality, uncontested by opposition parties. Re-election was required under the Succession to the Crown Act 1707. This was in line with the principle established in 1624 that accepting an office of profit from the Crown would precipitate resignation from the House, with the option of standing for re-election. Typically a minister sought re-election in the constituency he had just vacated, but occasionally contested another seat which was also vacant. In 1910 The Times newspaper noted that the relevant Act had been passed in the reign of Queen Anne "to prevent the Court from swamping the House of Commons with placemen and pensioners", and described the process as "anomalous" and "indefensible" in the 20th century. The Re-Election of Ministers Act 1919 ended the necessity to seek re-election within nine months of a general election, and the Re-Election of Ministers Act (1919) Amendment Act 1926 ended the practice in all other cases.

Ministerial by-elections

34th Parliament (1924–1929)

31st Parliament (1919–1922)

30th Parliament (August 1914 – 1918)

10th Parliament (1831–1832)

9th Parliament (1830–1831)

8th Parliament (1826–1830)

7th Parliament (1820–1826)

6th Parliament (1818–1820)

5th Parliament (1812–1818)

4th Parliament (1807–1812)

3rd Parliament (1806–1807)

2nd Parliament (1802–1806)

1st Parliament (1801–1802)

See also

• List of ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain (pre-1801)

References

1. List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom
2. Salaries of members of the United Kingdom Parliament
3. Elections in the United Kingdom
4. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
5. History of the prime minister of the United Kingdom
6. List of ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain
7. Cabinet of the United Kingdom
8. House of Commons of the United Kingdom
9. Government of the United Kingdom
10. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1804
11. Constitution of the United Kingdom
12. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1948
13. Resignation from the House of Commons of the United Kingdom
14. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1942
15. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1805–1808
16. Parliament of the United Kingdom
17. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1870–1875
18. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1815–1818
19. List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1830–1834
20. Ministerial by-election