Kensington and Chelsea by-election
25 November 1999
Turnout29.7%
 
Candidate Michael Portillo Robert Atkinson Robert Woodthorpe Browne
Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats
Popular vote 11,004 4,298 1,831
Percentage 56.4% 22.0% 9.4%
MP before election

Alan Clark
Conservative

 Subsequent MP

Michael Portillo
Conservative

The Member of Parliament for Kensington and Chelsea, The Rt. Hon Alan Clark (Conservative), died of a brain tumour on 5 September 1999.

This was the first safe Conservative seat to have a by-election in the 1997–2001 UK Parliament. There was immediate speculation that Michael Portillo, the most high-profile casualty of the 1997 general election, would use it to return to frontline politics. Portillo immediately confirmed his interest in the seat, but was then confronted with the publication of an interview he had given previously that summer in which he had confirmed that while at Peterhouse, Cambridge he had had homosexual affairs.

Portillo was selected as Conservative candidate but faced demonstrations organised by gay rights group OutRage! and its principal campaigner Peter Tatchell who protested against his vote for an unequal age of consent for gay and straight sex, and support for the ban on homosexuality in the UK armed forces while Secretary of State for Defence. Tatchell continued to try to confront Portillo throughout the election, not assuaged by Portillo saying that he had changed his mind on the age of consent.

The Labour Party selected Robert Atkinson, who had fought the 1997 election and was a local councillor. The Liberal Democrats also renominated their general election candidate, Robert Woodthorpe Browne. Because of the prominence of the by-election in central London and the big political name, there were a wide variety of fringe and minor party candidates. Polling day was 25 November. Portillo was returned safely to Parliament.

Results

1999 by-election: Kensington and Chelsea[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Portillo 11,004 56.4 +2.8
Labour Robert Atkinson 4,298 22.0 –5.9
Liberal Democrats Robert Woodthorpe Browne 1,831 9.4 –5.9
Pro-Euro Conservative John Stevens 740 3.8 New
UKIP Damian Hockney 450 2.3 +0.9
Green Hugo Charlton 446 2.3 New
Democratic Party The Earl of Burford 182 0.9 New
Legalise Cannabis Colin Paisley 141 0.7 New
Independent Michael Irwin 97 0.5 New
UK Pensioners Party Paul Oliver 75 0.4 –0.1
Referendum Stephen Scott-Fawcett 57 0.3 New
Independent Louise Hodges 48 0.3 New
Natural Law Gerard 'Ged' Valente 35 0.2 –0.1
People's Net Dream Ticket Party Lisa Lovebucket 26 0.1 New
Environmentalist John Davies 24 0.1 New
Equal Parenting Party Peter May 24 0.1 New
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 20 0.1 New
Independent Tonysamuelsondotcom 15 0.1 New
Majority 6,706 34.4 +8.7
Turnout 19,510 29.7 –25.0
Conservative hold Swing

General Election result, 1997

General election 1997: Kensington and Chelsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Clark 19,887 53.6 -14.6
Labour Robert Atkinson 10,368 27.9 +11.3
Liberal Democrats Robert Woodthorpe Browne 5,668 15.3 +2.1
Teddy Bear Alliance Edward Bear 218 0.6 New
United Kingdom Pensioners Party Paul Oliver 176 0.5 New
Natural Law Susan Hamza 122 0.3 New
Rainbow Dream Ticket Paul Sullivan 65 0.2 New
Independent Pete Parliament 44 0.1 New
Majority 9,519 25.7 –25.9
Turnout 36,548 54.7
Conservative hold Swing

See also

References

  1. ↑ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1997-2002 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
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