The 1916 Berwickshire by-election was a parliamentary by-election held for the UK House of Commons constituency of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders on 18 July 1916.
Vacancy Under the provisions of the Succession to the Crown Act 1707 and a number of subsequent Acts, MPs appointed to certain ministerial and legal offices were at this time required to seek re-election.F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885-1918; Macmillan Press, 1974 pxiv The by-election in Berwickshire was caused by the appointment of the sitting Liberal MP, Harold "Jack" Tennant as Secretary for Scotland.The Times, 11 November 1935, p14
Process The writ for the by-election was moved in Parliament on 10 JulyThe Times, 11 July 1916, p10 and the returning officer, the Sheriff of Berwickshire, fixed 18 July for the nomination of candidates.The Times, 14 July 1916, p5
Candidates As the other political parties were collaborating in the wartime coalition government of H H Asquith, the Tories were not expected to oppose TennantThe Times, 14 July 1916, p5 and there was not, as yet, any tradition of Labour contesting Berwickshire.F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885-1918; Macmillan Press, 1974 p531 In the absence of any other candidate, Tennant was duly returned unopposed on 18 July and, introduced by the Prime Minister and Eugene Wason MP, re-took his seat in the House of Commons on 20 July to cheers as Secretary for Scotland.The Times, 21 July 1916, p10
The result
See also Lists of United Kingdom by-elections United Kingdom by-election records
References