2000 Falkirk West by-election
21 December 2000
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Eric Joyce David Kerr
Party Labour SNP
Popular vote 8,492 7,787
Percentage 43.5% 39.9%
Swing Decrease15.9pp Increase16.5pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Candidate Craig Stevenson Iain Hunter
Party Conservative Scottish Socialist
Popular vote 1,621 989
Percentage 8.3% 5.1%
Swing Decrease3.8pp New
MP before election

Dennis Canavan
Labour

 Elected MP

Eric Joyce
Labour

The 2000 Falkirk West by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 21 December 2000 for the Scottish constituency of Falkirk West.

The vacancy was caused by the resignation from the House of Commons of Dennis Canavan, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Falkirk West. Canavan had first been elected for West Stirlingshire in the October 1974 election as a Labour Party candidate, and had held that seat until its abolition in 1983. He had then won the new Falkirk West seat, and held that seat as a Labour MP until he was expelled from Labour in 1999. He then sat as an Independent until he resigned on 21 November 2000 by accepting the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.

A by-election to fill the seat was held on 21 December. The Scottish National Party mounted a strong challenge, but fell 705 votes short of winning.

Results

Falkirk West by-election, 2000[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eric Joyce 8,492 43.5 −15.9
SNP David Kerr 7,787 39.9 +16.5
Conservative Craig Stevenson 1,621 8.3 −3.8
Scottish Socialist Iain Hunter 989 5.1 New
Liberal Democrats Hugh O'Donnell 615 3.2 −1.9
Majority 705 3.6 -32.3
Turnout 19,504 36.1 -36.5
Labour hold Swing -16.2

General Election result, 1997

General Election 1997: Falkirk West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Canavan 22,772 59.3
SNP David Alexander 8,989 23.4
Conservative Carol Buchanan 4,639 12.1
Liberal Democrats Derek Houston 1,970 5.1
Majority 13783 35.9
Turnout 38370 72.6
Labour 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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