Bately And Spen By-Election Will Not Be Contested

[Gromit]

// the Conservatives, Lib Dems and UKIP all announced they would not contest the by-election resulting from her death. //

Absolutely the right thing to do, but still congratulations should go out to these party leaders. Well done.

[Old_Geezer]

Decent gesture.

[THECORBYLOON]

Will there be folk from any minor parties standing I wonder?

[Svejk]

Not everyone is so accommodating.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastbourne_by-election,_1990

[mikey4444]

Seems like an unprecedented announcement to me...well done to all !

[jourdain2]

The right thing to do. No fanfares needed. Pleased.

[TheChair]

It's called pragmatism: "Cox won the seat with 43.2% of the vote, increasing Labour's majority to 6,051"

The other parties have more to lose than to gain in contesting it.

[mikey4444]

As OG has said, a decent gesture.....but I bet some of our Usual Suspects don't agree !

[naomi24]

Absolutely right!

[Jackdaw33]

I thought this might be the case. In the 80s that seat was held by the Tories. I think the last time someone was returned unopposed was around 1950. I think it is the right decision.

[Svejk]

Nobody seems to have disagreed with it, mikey, but your party didn't extend the same courtesy after Ian Gow was murdered.

Some fool even said this, ' It’s about time we started honouring those people involved in the armed struggle.’

[gness]

Congratulations indeed, Gromit...x

[Mamyalynne]

Fair and decent decision.

[Gromit]

Conservative MP John Bercow was elected unapposed* due to him being speaker of the House. Of course the by-election after the death of Ian Gow should have been unapposed, especially as the LibDems took the seat, for a short period. As mentioned above, nobody would be expe ted to take the Batley seat, so it is easier to not oppose it.

* The main parties did not oppose the Buckingham constituency, but the minor parties do.

[zebo]

If no-one else stands, why waste the money on an election? Let Labour choose a new MP.

[Jackdaw33]

If no one else stands there will not be an election. The candidate will be 'returned unopposed'.

[mikey4444]

All the main parties have said that they won't stand against the next Labour candidate, but that doesn't mean that our small, loony-tune parties will follow suit.