This is a list of parliamentary by-elections in the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2024, with the names of the incumbent and victor and their respective parties. Where seats changed political party at the election, the result is highlighted: blue for a Conservative gain, red for a Labour gain, orange for a Liberal Democrat gain, purple for a UKIP gain, and other colours for any other gains.
58 by-elections were held in this period. The first was held in January 2011 and the last in May 2024.
Process of resignation from the House of Commons
Where the cause of by-election is given as "resignation" or "seeks re-election", this indicates that the incumbent was appointed on his or her own request to an "office of profit under the Crown", either the Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Steward of the Manor of Northstead. Accepting an office of profit under the Crown vacates the member's seat. This process is used because members of the House of Commons are not technically permitted to resign. A member who vacates their seat in this manner may stand for re-election.
Recall petition
A recall petition is created by advice of the Speaker of the House of Commons if an MP is suspended from the House for at least 10 sitting days, usually a result of a criminal conviction or breaking Commons Select Committee on Standards conventions. A petition is successful if at least 10 per cent of the constituency's electorate sign the petition. Successful petitions result in the MP vacating the seat, triggering a by-election.
As of March 2024, six petitions have been held under the Act, four resulting in by-elections and one being terminated early due to the MP's resignation.
By-elections 2019–2024 Parliament There were twenty-three by-elections in the 2019–2024 Parliament, the most by-elections in one parliament since the 1987–1992 Parliament, which had 24. Fourteen by-elections occurred in constituencies previously represented by the governing Conservatives, seven in constituencies represented by Labour, and two in constituencies represented by the SNP. The incumbent MP's party won nine by-elections, including one at Southend West, in which the other major parties did not field candidates. Labour won thirteen by-elections, gaining seven seats from the Conservatives and one from the SNP, but losing one each to the Conservatives and the Workers Party of Britain. The Liberal Democrats gained four seats from the Conservatives, while the Conservatives gained one from Labour. Five by-elections happened due to the deaths of the incumbent MPs, three of whom represented the Conservatives and two Labour.
By-electionDateIncumbentPartyWinnerPartyCauseBlackpool South2 May 2024Scott BentonChris WebbResigned after being suspended from Parliament for five weeks and being subject to a recall petition for breaching lobbying rulesRochdale29 February 2024Tony LloydGeorge GallowayDeath (leukaemia).Kingswood15 February 2024Chris SkidmoreDamien EganResignation in protest of the Conservative government's bill to grant new oil and gas licences.Wellingborough15 February 2024Peter BoneGen KitchenSuccessful recall petition after allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct.Tamworth19 October 2023Chris PincherSarah EdwardsResigned after losing his appeal to his suspension due to groping allegations.Mid Bedfordshire19 October 2023Nadine DorriesAlistair StrathernResigned after being omitted from Boris Johnson's resignation honours list.Rutherglen and Hamilton West5 October 2023Margaret FerrierMichael ShanksRecall petition after breaking COVID-19 rules in 2020.Somerton and Frome20 July 2023David WarburtonSarah DykeResigned 14 months after suspension from the Conservative Party pending an investigation.Selby and Ainsty20 July 2023Nigel AdamsKeir MatherResigned after being omitted from Boris Johnson's resignation honours list.Uxbridge and South Ruislip20 July 2023Boris JohnsonSteve TuckwellResigned after a parliamentary investigation found evidence he misled Parliament over Partygate and he failed to act on warnings about Chris Pincher. This led a parliamentary committee to recommend suspending him from the House for 20 days.West Lancashire9 February 2023Rosie CooperAshley DaltonResigned to be chair of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.Stretford and Urmston15 December 2022Kate GreenAndrew WesternResigned to be deputy mayor of Greater Manchester.City of Chester1 December 2022Chris MathesonSamantha DixonResigned after suspension for serious sexual misconduct.Tiverton and Honiton23 June 2022Neil ParishRichard FoordResigned after admitting to watching pornography twice in the House of Commons.Wakefield23 June 2022Imran Ahmad KhanSimon LightwoodResigned after conviction of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.Birmingham Erdington3 March 2022Jack DromeyPaulette HamiltonDeath (heart failure).Southend West3 February 2022David AmessAnna FirthDeath (murder).North Shropshire16 December 2021Owen PatersonHelen MorganResigned after being found to have broken lobbying rules.Old Bexley and Sidcup2 December 2021James BrokenshireLouie FrenchDeath (cancer).Batley and Spen1 July 2021Tracy BrabinKim LeadbeaterResigned after election as Mayor of West Yorkshire.Chesham and Amersham17 June 2021Cheryl GillanSarah GreenDeath (cancer).Airdrie and Shotts13 May 2021Neil GrayAnum QaisarResigned to contest Airdrie and Shotts in the Scottish Parliament.Hartlepool6 May 2021Mike HillJill MortimerResigned following allegations of sexual harassment and victimisation.
2017–2019 Parliament There were five by-elections in the 2017–2019 Parliament, which was the smallest number since the six-month parliament that sat between the two general elections in February and October 1974. Three were in seats held by Labour, one by the governing Conservatives and one by Sinn Féin, who do not take up their seats in the House of Commons. Four by-elections were won by the incumbent party and the Liberal Democrats won a seat from Conservatives. One by-election was a result of the death of the incumbent MP, who represented Labour. Two by-elections were the result of recall petitions via the provisions of the Recall of MPs Act 2015, the first such in the country.
At the dissolution of Parliament in 2019 there were two vacancies: Bassetlaw, caused by the resignation of Labour member John Mann, and Buckingham, caused by the resignation of Speaker John Bercow. With the proximity of the 2019 general election, by-elections were not called for these seats. The Conservatives, the party Bercow had represented before he took up the speakership, regained Buckingham and won Bassetlaw from Labour as well.
By-electionDateIncumbentPartyWinnerPartyCauseBrecon and Radnorshire1 August 2019Chris DaviesJane DoddsRecall petition after conviction for false expenses claims.Peterborough6 June 2019Fiona OnasanyaLisa ForbesRecall petition after conviction for perverting the course of justice, in relation to a motoring offence.Newport West4 April 2019Paul FlynnRuth JonesDeath (long illness).Lewisham East14 June 2018Heidi AlexanderJanet DabyResignation on appointment as Deputy Mayor of London.West Tyrone3 May 2018Barry McElduffÓrfhlaith BegleyResignation after a joke about the Kingsmill massacre on social media.
2015–2017 Parliament There were ten by-elections in the 2015–2017 Parliament (with a planned by-election in Manchester Gorton cancelled when the 2017 general election was called). Seven were in seats held by Labour, and three by the governing Conservatives. Eight by-elections were won by the incumbent party: the Conservatives won a seat from Labour and lost one to the Liberal Democrats. Three by-elections happened due to the deaths of the incumbent MPs, all of whom represented Labour.
At the dissolution of Parliament in 2017, one seat was vacant: that for Manchester Gorton, caused by the death of its Labour member Gerald Kaufman. With the close proximity of the 2017 general election on 8 June, the by-election previously called for 4 May had its writ cancelled by the House of Commons. All but two of the candidates nominated for the by-election then stood at the general election, and Labour held the seat.
By-electionDateIncumbentPartyWinnerPartyCauseStoke-on-Trent Central23 February 2017Tristram HuntGareth SnellResignation to take up his new role as head of the Victoria and Albert Museum.Copeland23 February 2017Jamie ReedTrudy HarrisonResignation to take up his new role in the nuclear power industry.Sleaford and North Hykeham8 December 2016Stephen PhillipsCaroline JohnsonResignation citing irreconcilable differences with the government.Richmond Park1 December 2016Zac GoldsmithSarah OlneySought reelection as an independent in opposition to the government's policy on Heathrow Airport expansion.Witney20 October 2016David CameronRobert CourtsResignation as MP two months after resigning as Prime Minister and Leader of Conservative Party.Batley and Spen20 October 2016Jo CoxTracy BrabinDeath (murder).Tooting16 June 2016Sadiq KhanRosena Allin-KhanResignation upon election as Mayor of London.Ogmore5 May 2016Huw Irranca-DaviesChristopher ElmoreResignation to contest the Welsh Assembly election.Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough5 May 2016Harry HarphamGill FurnissDeath (cancer).Oldham West and Royton3 December 2015Michael MeacherJim McMahonDeath (short illness).
2010–2015 Parliament There were 21 by-elections in the 2010–2015 Parliament. Fourteen were in constituencies held by Labour, four by the governing Conservatives, one by their coalition partners the Liberal Democrats and two by Sinn Féin, who do not take up their seats in the House of Commons. Seventeen by-elections were won by the incumbent party: Labour won a seat from the Conservatives and lost one to Respect, while UKIP gained two seats from the Conservatives after the incumbent MPs defected to the party and were re-elected. Six by-elections happened due to the deaths of the incumbent MPs, all of whom represented Labour. In all six of those by-elections, Labour retained the seat.