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{{Short description|Parliamentary by-election in South Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2022}}
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The '''Neath by-election, 1945''', was a parliamentary [[by-election]] held for the [[British House of Commons]] constituency of [[Neath (UK Parliament constituency)|Neath]] in South [[Wales]].


⚫
The '''1945 Neath by-election''' was a parliamentary [[by-election]] held for the [[British House of Commons]] constituency of [[Neath (UK Parliament constituency)|Neath]] in South [[Wales]].
⚫
Neath was considered a [[safe seat]] for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] and had been held by [[William Jenkins (Labour politician)|William Jenkins]] since the [[United Kingdom general election, 1922|1922 general election]]. No other candidate had stood in seat at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1935|last general election]].<ref name="polling">"Neath Polling To-Day", ''[[Manchester Guardian]]'', 15 May 1945</ref> Jenkins died on 8 December 1944, but as [[World War II]] was still underway, the process of calling a by-election was slow, and the date was ultimately set as 15 May 1945.<ref name="war">[[Sam Bornstein]] and [[Al Richardson (historian)|Al Richardson]], ''War and the International'' (1986) pp136-140</ref>

⚫
Neath was considered a [[safe seat]] for the [[Welsh Labour|Labour Party]] and had been held by [[William Jenkins (Labour politician)|William Jenkins]] since the [[1922 United Kingdom general election|1922 general election]]. No other candidate had stood in the seat at the [[1935 United Kingdom general election|last general election]].<ref name="polling">"Neath Polling To-Day", ''[[Manchester Guardian]]'', 15 May 1945</ref> Jenkins died on 8 December 1944, but as [[World War II]] was still underway, the process of calling a by-election was slow, and the date was ultimately set as 15 May 1945.<ref name="war">[[Sam Bornstein]] and [[Al Richardson (historian)|Al Richardson]], ''War and the International'' (1986) pp. 136–140</ref>


==Candidates==
==Candidates==
The Labour Party expected to easily hold the seat, and stood local miner [[D. J. Williams (politician)|D. J. Williams]]. Williams was a member of [[Pontardawe]] [[Rural District Council]], and the Executive Council of the [[South Wales Miners' Federation]]. He had been part of a miners' delegation to the [[Soviet Union]] and was known for his opposition to [[Welsh nationalism]].<ref>M. Stenton and S. Lees, ''Who's Who of British MPs Vol. IV'' (Harvester Press, 1981)</ref> Williams was supported by [[Will Lawther]], President of the [[National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain)|National Union of Mineworkers]], which sponsored his candidature.<ref name="deposit">"Labour Holds Neath: Communist Loses Deposit", ''[[Manchester Guardian]]'', 17 May 1945</ref>
The Labour Party expected to easily hold the seat, and stood local miner [[D. J. Williams (politician)|D. J. Williams]]. Williams was a member of [[Pontardawe]] [[Rural District Council]], and the Executive Council of the [[South Wales Miners' Federation]]. He had been part of a miners' delegation to the [[Soviet Union]] and was known for his opposition to [[Welsh nationalism]].<ref>M. Stenton and S. Lees, ''Who's Who of British MPs Vol. IV'' (Harvester Press, 1981)</ref> Williams was supported by [[Will Lawther]], President of the [[National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain)|National Union of Mineworkers]], which sponsored his candidature.<ref name="deposit">"Labour Holds Neath: Communist Loses Deposit", ''[[Manchester Guardian]]'', 17 May 1945</ref>


There was a truce between the major parties: Labour, the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] and the [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal Party]]. The [[Communist Party of Great Britain]] (CPGB), which had considerable strength in South Wales, was not a signatory to the pact, but had undertaken not to contest seats held by the major parties. As a result, the only opposition in by-elections came from [[independent (politician)|independent]]s, minor parties and occasional unofficial party candidates aligned with major parties.
There was a truce between the major parties: Labour, the [[Welsh Conservatives|Conservative Party]], the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] and the [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal Party]]. The [[Communist Party of Great Britain]] (CPGB), which had considerable strength in South Wales, was not a signatory to the pact, but had undertaken not to contest seats held by the major parties. As a result, the only opposition in by-elections came from [[independent (politician)|independent]]s, minor parties and occasional unofficial party candidates aligned with major parties.


[[Plaid Cymru]] stood [[Wynne Samuel]], its South Wales organiser. The party's main strengths were in North Wales, and he was not expected to be a strong contender, but the party hoped this would launch a new strategy of winning over industrial workers in the south of the nation.<ref>"Elections Test Future of Welsh Party", ''[[The Observer]]'', 11 February 1945</ref>
[[Plaid Cymru]] stood [[Wynne Samuel]], its South Wales organiser. The party's main strengths were in North Wales, and he was not expected to be a strong contender, but the party hoped this would launch a new strategy of winning over industrial workers in the south of the nation.<ref>"Elections Test Future of Welsh Party", ''[[The Observer]]'', 11 February 1945</ref>


The [[Trotskyist]] [[Revolutionary Communist Party (UK, 1944)|Revolutionary Communist Party]] (RCP) stood [[Jock Haston]], its General Secretary. This was the first time any Trotskyist organisation had stood a candidate in a British Parliamentary election.<ref name="appeal">"[http://www.socialist.net/britain-1945-trotskyism150405.htm Trotskyism in May 1945: Down with the Churchill Coalition! Labour to Power on a Socialist Programme!]", ''[[Socialist Appeal (International Marxist Tendency journal)|Socialist Appeal]]'', 15 April 2005</ref> The party had only been established the previous year, and Trotskyism had not previously had a base in South Wales.<ref name="war" />
The [[Trotskyist]] [[Revolutionary Communist Party (UK, 1944)|Revolutionary Communist Party]] (RCP) stood [[Jock Haston]], its General Secretary. This was the first time any Trotskyist organisation had stood a candidate in a British Parliamentary election.<ref name="appeal">"[http://www.socialist.net/britain-1945-trotskyism150405.htm Trotskyism in May 1945: Down with the Churchill Coalition! Labour to Power on a Socialist Programme!]", ''[[Socialist Appeal (UK, 1992)|Socialist Appeal]]'', 15 April 2005</ref> The party had only been established the previous year, and Trotskyism had not previously had a base in South Wales.<ref name="war" />


The RCP had been leading supporters of strikes by coal miners which had occurred in the area in 1944, for which efforts some of its members had been imprisoned. Several local miners' lodges had supported their defence, and the RCP had sent a prominent member, [[John Lawrence (political activist)|John Lawrence]], as a full-time organiser for the area, recruiting some activists in [[Merthyr Tydfil]], [[Llanelli]] and [[Swansea]].<ref name="war" />
The RCP had been leading supporters of strikes by coal miners which had occurred in the area in 1944, for which efforts some of its members had been imprisoned. Several local miners' lodges had supported their defence, and the RCP had sent a prominent member, [[John Lawrence (political activist)|John Lawrence]], as a full-time organiser for the area, recruiting some activists in [[Merthyr Tydfil]], [[Llanelli]] and [[Swansea]].<ref name="war" />


The party stood on a [[revolutionary]] [[Internationalism (politics)|internationalist]] platform, declaring "Our candidate will fight on a platform of uncompromising hostility to the imperialist war, for the breaking of the Coalition, for the overthrow of the Churchill Government and for Labour to take power on a Socialist platform."<ref name="appeal" /> Their main slogan was "Break the Coalition, Labour to Power".<ref name="war" />
The party stood on a [[revolutionary]] [[Internationalism (politics)|internationalist]] platform, declaring "Our candidate will fight on a platform of uncompromising hostility to the imperialist war, for the breaking of the Coalition, for the overthrow of the Churchill Government and for Labour to take power on a Socialist platform."<ref name="appeal" /> Their main slogan was "Break the Coalition, Labour to Power".<ref name="war" />


==Campaign==
==Campaign==
Line 25: Line 27:
The local [[Independent Labour Party]] was small, and was split as to how to respond to the election. Two of their local activists campaigned for and subsequently joined the RCP.<ref>[[Jim Higgins (British politician)|Jim Higgins]], [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1963/xx/10years.htm Ten Years for the Locust]</ref>
The local [[Independent Labour Party]] was small, and was split as to how to respond to the election. Two of their local activists campaigned for and subsequently joined the RCP.<ref>[[Jim Higgins (British politician)|Jim Higgins]], [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1963/xx/10years.htm Ten Years for the Locust]</ref>


In the final week of the campaign, the war in Europe was concluded and [[VE Day]] was held, overshadowing the by-election.<ref name="polling" /> Although it was apparent that Labour would not agree to continue the coalition and would compel Churchill to call a [[United Kingdom general election, 1945|general election]], the ''[[Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail]]'' called on all Conservative and Liberal supporters to vote for Williams.<ref name="war" />
In the final week of the campaign, the war in Europe was concluded and [[VE Day]] was held, overshadowing the by-election.<ref name="polling" /> Although it was apparent that Labour would not agree to continue the coalition and would compel Churchill to call a [[1945 United Kingdom general election|general election]], the ''[[Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail]]'' called on all Conservative and Liberal supporters to vote for Williams.<ref name="war" />


==Results==
==Results==
Williams retained the seat for Labour with a large majority, and held it until his retirement at the [[United Kingdom general election, 1964|1964 general election]]. Samuels retained his deposit in a distant second place. Haston took only 1,781 votes, losing his deposit,<ref name="deposit" /> but the RCP claimed the campaign a success and maintained a full-time organiser in the area. Haston remained on good terms with Williams, and when the RCP disintegrated in 1950, Williams assisted him in finding employment with the [[National Council of Labour Colleges]].<ref name="war" />
Williams retained the seat for Labour with a large majority, and held it until his retirement at the [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964 general election]]. Samuel retained his deposit in a distant second place. Haston took only 1,781 votes, losing his deposit,<ref name="deposit" /> but the RCP claimed the campaign a success and maintained a full-time organiser in the area. Haston remained on good terms with Williams, and when the RCP disintegrated in 1950, Williams assisted him in finding employment with the [[National Council of Labour Colleges]].<ref name="war"/>


{{Election box begin |title=1945 Neath by-election<ref name="Craig, F. W. S. 1918-49">Craig, F. W. S. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (1 ed.). Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. {{ISBN|0-900178-019}}. Page 560</ref>}}
{{Election box begin |title=[[Neath by-election, 1945]]
⚫
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
}}
⚫
|party = Welsh Labour
⚫
{{Election box candidate with party link|
⚫
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = [[D. J. Williams (politician)|D. J. Williams]]
|candidate = [[D. J. Williams (politician)|D. J. Williams]]
|votes = 30,847
|votes = 30,847
Line 64: Line 65:
}}
}}
{{Election box registered electors|
{{Election box registered electors|
|reg. electors = 67,083
|reg. electors = 67,083
}}
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|winner = Welsh Labour
|swing = ''N/A''
|swing = ''N/A''
}}
}}
Line 73: Line 74:


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
<references />

* ''British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949'', compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
==Further reading==
⚫
*[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/ A Vision Of Britain Through Time] (Constituency elector numbers)
* {{cite book |last=Craig |first=F. W. S. |author-link= F. W. S. Craig |title=British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 |orig-year=1969 |edition= 3rd |year=1983 |publisher= Parliamentary Research Services |location=Chichester |isbn= 0-900178-06-X}}
* {{Rayment|external links=y|date=February 2012}}
⚫
* [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/ A Vision Of Britain Through Time] (Constituency elector numbers)


{{By-elections to the 37th UK Parliament}}
{{By-elections to the 37th UK Parliament}}
{{Westminster by-elections in Wales 1900–1949}}


[[Category:1945 elections in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1945 elections in the United Kingdom|Neath by-election]]
[[Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Welsh constituencies]]
[[Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Welsh constituencies|Neath, 1945]]
[[Category:Politics of Neath Port Talbot]]
[[Category:Politics of Neath Port Talbot]]
[[Category:1945 in Wales]]
[[Category:1945 in Wales|Neath by-election]]
[[Category:May 1945 events]]
[[Category:1940s elections in Wales|Neath by-election, 1945]]
[[Category:May 1945 events in the United Kingdom|Neath by-election]]
[[Category:1940s in Glamorgan|Neath by-election, 1945]]

Latest revision as of 22:40, 16 April 2024

The 1945 Neath by-election was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Neath in South Wales.

Neath was considered a safe seat for the Labour Party and had been held by William Jenkins since the 1922 general election. No other candidate had stood in the seat at the last general election.[1] Jenkins died on 8 December 1944, but as World War II was still underway, the process of calling a by-election was slow, and the date was ultimately set as 15 May 1945.[2]

Candidates

[edit]

The Labour Party expected to easily hold the seat, and stood local miner D. J. Williams. Williams was a member of Pontardawe Rural District Council, and the Executive Council of the South Wales Miners' Federation. He had been part of a miners' delegation to the Soviet Union and was known for his opposition to Welsh nationalism.[3] Williams was supported by Will Lawther, President of the National Union of Mineworkers, which sponsored his candidature.[4]

There was a truce between the major parties: Labour, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the National Liberal Party. The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), which had considerable strength in South Wales, was not a signatory to the pact, but had undertaken not to contest seats held by the major parties. As a result, the only opposition in by-elections came from independents, minor parties and occasional unofficial party candidates aligned with major parties.

Plaid Cymru stood Wynne Samuel, its South Wales organiser. The party's main strengths were in North Wales, and he was not expected to be a strong contender, but the party hoped this would launch a new strategy of winning over industrial workers in the south of the nation.[5]

The Trotskyist Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) stood Jock Haston, its General Secretary. This was the first time any Trotskyist organisation had stood a candidate in a British Parliamentary election.[6] The party had only been established the previous year, and Trotskyism had not previously had a base in South Wales.[2]

The RCP had been leading supporters of strikes by coal miners which had occurred in the area in 1944, for which efforts some of its members had been imprisoned. Several local miners' lodges had supported their defence, and the RCP had sent a prominent member, John Lawrence, as a full-time organiser for the area, recruiting some activists in Merthyr Tydfil, Llanelli and Swansea.[2]

The party stood on a revolutionary internationalist platform, declaring "Our candidate will fight on a platform of uncompromising hostility to the imperialist war, for the breaking of the Coalition, for the overthrow of the Churchill Government and for Labour to take power on a Socialist platform."[6] Their main slogan was "Break the Coalition, Labour to Power".[2]

Campaign

[edit]

The Communist Party offered its full support to the Labour candidate and campaigned against the RCP, using the slogan "A Vote for Haston is a Vote for Hitler". Williams repudiated the Communist support, opposing its policy of a popular front with the Conservatives and Labour after the war.[2]

After repeated requests from the RCP, the CPGB agreed to hold a debate in Neath, putting up Alun Thomas, leader of the Communist Party in West Wales, against Haston. The meeting attracted about 1,500 voters, who heard Thomas claim that "In Russia they defeated fascism because they shot all the Trotskyists and the Fifth column scum, and if we had our way, these people on this platform would be shot."[6]

The local Independent Labour Party was small, and was split as to how to respond to the election. Two of their local activists campaigned for and subsequently joined the RCP.[7]

In the final week of the campaign, the war in Europe was concluded and VE Day was held, overshadowing the by-election.[1] Although it was apparent that Labour would not agree to continue the coalition and would compel Churchill to call a general election, the Western Mail called on all Conservative and Liberal supporters to vote for Williams.[2]

Results

[edit]

Williams retained the seat for Labour with a large majority, and held it until his retirement at the 1964 general election. Samuel retained his deposit in a distant second place. Haston took only 1,781 votes, losing his deposit,[4] but the RCP claimed the campaign a success and maintained a full-time organiser in the area. Haston remained on good terms with Williams, and when the RCP disintegrated in 1950, Williams assisted him in finding employment with the National Council of Labour Colleges.[2]

1945 Neath by-election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. J. Williams 30,847 79.3 N/A
Plaid Cymru Wynne Samuel 6,290 16.2 N/A
Revolutionary Communist Jock Haston 1,781 4.6 N/A
Majority 24,557 63.1 N/A
Turnout 38,918 58.0 N/A
Registered electors 67,083
Labour hold Swing N/A

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Neath Polling To-Day", Manchester Guardian, 15 May 1945
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Sam Bornstein and Al Richardson, War and the International (1986) pp. 136–140
  3. ^ M. Stenton and S. Lees, Who's Who of British MPs Vol. IV (Harvester Press, 1981)
  4. ^ a b "Labour Holds Neath: Communist Loses Deposit", Manchester Guardian, 17 May 1945
  5. ^ "Elections Test Future of Welsh Party", The Observer, 11 February 1945
  6. ^ a b c "Trotskyism in May 1945: Down with the Churchill Coalition! Labour to Power on a Socialist Programme!", Socialist Appeal, 15 April 2005
  7. ^ Jim Higgins, Ten Years for the Locust
  8. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (1 ed.). Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-019. Page 560

Further reading

[edit]
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