List of ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain

Ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain at Westminster were held from 1707 to 1801, 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 same 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.

Elections

18th Parliament (1796–1800)

Date Constituency c/u Former incumbent Winner Position13 December 1800WendoveruJohn Hiley AddingtonJohn Hiley AddingtonJunior Lord of the Treasury2 August 1800StaffordshireuLord Granville Leveson GowerLord Granville Leveson GowerJunior Lord of the Treasury28 July 1800BuckinghamuThomas GrenvilleThomas GrenvilleChief Justice in Eyre South of Trent5 July 1800St GermansuWilliam EliotWilliam EliotLord of the Admiralty9 June 1800RyeuRobert Saunders DundasRobert Saunders DundasKeeper of the Signet for Scotland9 June 1800PenrynuThomas WallaceThomas WallaceCommissioner of the Board of Control7 June 1800TivertonuDudley RyderDudley RyderTreasurer of the Navy5 June 1800WendoveruGeorge CanningGeorge CanningJoint Paymaster of the Forces2 June 1800EdinburghuHenry DundasHenry DundasKeeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland5 April 1800New WindsoruRobert Fulke GrevilleRobert Fulke GrevilleGroom of the Bedchamber11 October 1799EdinburghshireuRobert DundasRobert DundasJoint Clerk and Keeper of Sasines2 August 1799BanffshireuWilliam GrantSir William GrantResignation pending appointment as Solicitor General for England and Wales26 March 1799WendoveruGeorge CanningGeorge CanningCommissioner of the Board of Control19 March 1799Flint BoroughsuWatkin WilliamsWatkin WilliamsConstable of Flint Castle13 March 1799RyeuLord HawkesburyLord HawkesburyMaster of the Mint10 December 1798BanffshireuWilliam GrantWilliam GrantChief Justice of Chester6 December 1798DowntonuSir William ScottSir William ScottJudge of the Admiralty Court2 December 1797Tain BurghsuWilliam DundasWilliam DundasCommissioner of the Board of Control10 November 1797ChichesteruThomas SteeleThomas SteeleKing's Remembrancer31 July 1797PenrynuThomas WallaceThomas WallaceLord of the Admiralty27 July 1797DovercCharles Small PybusCharles Small PybusJunior Lord of the Treasury25 July 1797Newark-on-TrentuThomas Manners SuttonThomas Manners SuttonChief Justice of the North Wales Circuit8 May 1797ScarboroughuLord Charles Henry SomersetLord Charles Henry SomersetComptroller of the Household22 February 1797MidhurstuSylvester DouglasSylvester DouglasJunior Lord of the Treasury9 December 1796Higham FerrersuJames AdairJames AdairChief Justice of Chester

17th Parliament (1790–1796)

Date Constituency c/u Former incumbent Winner Position6 January 1796BeaumarisuSir Watkin Williams-WynnSir Watkin Williams-WynnSteward of Bromfield and Yale13 March 1795SandwichuSir Philip StephensSir Philip StephensLord of the Admiralty7 March 1795WendoveruLord Hugh SeymourLord Hugh SeymourLord of the Admiralty7 February 1795LeicesteruThomas Boothby ParkynsThomas Boothby ParkynsAccepted a Commission in the Army4 February 1795Caernarvon BoroughsuLord PagetLord PagetAccepted a Commission in the Army19 July 1794Bishop's CastleuHenry StracheyHenry StracheyMaster of the Household15 July 1794HonitonuSir George YongeSir George YongeMaster of the Mint12 July 1794NorwichcWilliam WindhamWilliam WindhamResignation pending appointment as Secretary at War9 May 1794PontefractuJohn SmythJohn SmythJunior Lord of the Treasury5 April 1794Cambridge UniversityuEarl of EustonEarl of EustonChief Ranger of St. James Park and Hyde Park29 January 1794SeafordcJohn SargentRichard Paul JodrellClerk of the OrdnanceSargent sought re-election at Queenborough 5 August 1793CockermouthuJohn AnstrutherJohn AnstrutherChief Justice of the North Wales Circuit29 June 1793Great BedwynuViscount StopfordViscount StopfordTreasurer of the Household28 June 1793RyeuRobert Banks JenkinsonRobert Banks JenkinsonCommissioner of the Board of Control28 June 1793LiskearduEdward James EliotEdward James EliotCommissioner of the Board of Control28 June 1793EdinburghuHenry DundasHenry DundasPresident of the Board of Control26 June 1793WhitchurchuJohn Thomas TownshendJohn Thomas TownshendJunior Lord of the Treasury26 June 1793ShaftesburyuWilliam GrantPaul BenfieldSecond Justice of the South Wales CircuitGrant sought re-election at New Windsor 20 February 1793WeobleyuSir John ScottSir John ScottAttorney General for England and Wales20 February 1793Bere AlstonuJohn MitfordSir John MitfordSolicitor General for England and Wales8 February 1793Lyme RegisuThomas FaneThomas FaneGroom of the Bedchamber19 December 1792GuildforduThomas OnslowThomas OnslowOut-Ranger of Windsor Forest18 December 1792Cambridge UniversityuWilliam Pitt the YoungerWilliam Pitt the YoungerLord Warden of the Cinque Ports20 June 1791PontefractuJohn SmythJohn SmythLord of the Admiralty17 June 1791QueenboroughuRichard HopkinsRichard HopkinsJunior Lord of the Treasury17 June 1791DoveruCharles Small PybusCharles Small PybusLord of the Admiralty15 June 1791EdinburghuHenry DundasHenry DundasHome Secretary6 May 1791DorsetuWilliam Morton PittWilliam Morton PittSeeks re-election due to holding a contract to supply cordage2 May 1791MineheaduViscount ParkerViscount ParkerComptroller of the Household27 April 1791HarwichuThomas OrdeThomas OrdeGovernor of the Isle of Wight12 March 1791PoolecBenjamin LesterBenjamin LesterSeeks re-election due to holding an Admiralty contract2 March 1791TivertonuDudley RyderDudley RyderJoint Paymaster of the Forces28 February 1791ChichestercThomas SteeleThomas SteeleJoint Paymaster of the Forces22 December 1790WarwickuThe Lord ArdenThe Lord ArdenRegistrar of the Court of the Admiralty

16th Parliament (1784–1790)

Date Constituency c/u Former incumbent Winner Position25 May 1790CirencesteruLord ApsleyLord ApsleyTeller of the Receipt of the Exchequer1 March 1790Old SarumuJohn Charles VilliersJohn Charles VilliersChief Justice in Eyre North of Trent26 February 1790TivertonuDudley RyderDudley RyderComptroller of the Household24 August 1789East LooeuViscount BelgraveViscount BelgraveResignation pending appointment as a Lord of the Admiralty10 August 1789Great BedwynuMarquess of GrahamMarquess of GrahamJoint Paymaster of the Forces7 August 1789CirencesteruLord ApsleyLord ApsleyJunior Lord of the Treasury7 August 1789BathuViscount BayhamViscount BayhamJunior Lord of the Treasury29 July 1789Bere AlstonuJohn MitfordJohn MitfordJustice of Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire19 June 1789BuckinghamshireuWilliam Wyndham GrenvilleWilliam Wyndham GrenvilleHome Secretary11 May 1789CambridgeuJames Whorwood AdeaneEdward FinchGroom of the BedchamberAdeane sought re-election at Cambridgeshire 8 April 1789GloucestershireuGeorge Cranfield BerkeleyGeorge Cranfield BerkeleySurveyor-General of the Ordnance4 August 1788WestminstercThe Lord HoodLord John TownshendNaval Lord12 July 1788HindonuEdward BearcroftEdward BearcroftChief Justice of Chester9 July 1788New WoodstockuFrancis BurtonFrancis BurtonSecond Justice of Chester7 July 1788WeobleyuSir John ScottSir John ScottSolicitor General for England and Wales4 July 1788Newcastle-under-LymeuArchibald MacdonaldSir Archibald MacdonaldAttorney General for England and Wales1 July 1788New WindsoruPeniston Portlock PowneyPeniston Portlock PowneyRanger of Windsor Little Park25 June 1788AldboroughuRichard Pepper ArdenRichard Pepper ArdenMaster of the Rolls18 June 1788LauncestonuGeorge RoseSir John SwinburneClerk of the ParliamentsRose sought re-election at Lymington 26 December 1787HarwichuJohn RobinsonJohn RobinsonSurveyor General of Woods, Forests, Parks, and Chases4 December 1787Old SarumuGeorge HardingeGeorge HardingeChief Justice of Breconshire17 July 1787ArgyllshireuLord Frederick CampbellLord Frederick CampbellResignation pending appointment as Vice-Treasurer of Ireland23 February 1787Old SarumuJohn Charles VilliersJohn Charles VilliersComptroller of the Household1 February 1787Bere AlstonuThe Earl of MorningtonCharles RainsfordJunior Lord of the TreasuryMornington sought re-election at Saltash 6 February 1786LiskearduEdward James EliotEdward James EliotKing's Remembrancer12 May 1785DumfriesshireuSir Robert LaurieSir Robert LaurieKnight Marischal22 February 1785MorpethuSir James St Clair ErskineSir James St Clair ErskineAccepts a beneficial interest in the Office of Director of Chancery in Scotland31 August 1784MarlboroughuThe Earl of CourtownThe Earl of CourtownTreasurer of the Household28 August 1784Chipping WycombeuRobert WallerRobert WallerGroom of the Bedchamber

15th Parliament (1780–1784)