What was the 2021 North Shropshire by-election?

The 2021 North Shropshire by-election was a special election held on December 16, 2021, to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Shropshire constituency in the UK Parliament. This election was necessitated by the resignation of the incumbent Conservative MP, Owen Paterson.

Why was the North Shropshire by-election triggered?

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson, the Conservative Member of Parliament for North Shropshire, on November 5, 2021. His resignation followed a controversy where the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found he had breached paid advocacy rules.

Who won the 2021 North Shropshire by-election?

Helen Morgan, the candidate for the Liberal Democrats, won the 2021 North Shropshire by-election.

What was the significance of the Liberal Democrats' victory in the North Shropshire by-election?

Helen Morgan's victory represented a significant 34% swing from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats. It was the party's second gain from the Conservatives since the 2019 general election and marked the first time a non-Conservative had won the North Shropshire seat since 1904, when the constituency was known as Oswestry.

When was the 2021 North Shropshire by-election held?

The 2021 North Shropshire by-election took place on Thursday, December 16, 2021.

What was the initial government response to the Owen Paterson standards report?

Initially, the government supported an amendment proposed by Andrea Leadsom to postpone consideration of Paterson's suspension and establish a new committee to review the disciplinary process for MPs. This move, backed by a three-line whip, caused significant controversy and public backlash.

How did the government's position on Owen Paterson's suspension change?

Following the outrage and public reaction, the government reversed its position on November 4, 2021, announcing that a vote on Paterson's suspension would still take place. Subsequently, Owen Paterson announced his intention to resign his seat on the same day.

What is the significance of Owen Paterson's resignation being formalized by appointment to the Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead?

The appointment to the Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead is a procedural mechanism used to vacate a seat in the House of Commons, effectively triggering the process for a by-election. Owen Paterson was appointed to this role on November 5, 2021, formalizing his resignation.

What were the main towns within the North Shropshire constituency?

The North Shropshire constituency includes the towns of Oswestry, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Wem, and Ellesmere.

What was the voting pattern in North Shropshire regarding the 2016 EU referendum?

Sixty percent of the constituents in North Shropshire who turned out to vote in the 2016 EU referendum voted to leave the European Union.

How many candidates contested the 2021 North Shropshire by-election?

There were 14 candidates who stood in the 2021 North Shropshire by-election.

Was there any discussion about a joint 'anti-sleaze' candidate before the by-election?

Yes, on November 4, 2021, the Labour, Liberal Democrats, and Green parties discussed the possibility of standing aside and backing a joint independent 'anti-sleaze' candidate. This strategy was inspired by the 1997 Tatton by-election where Martin Bell stood as an independent.

Did the proposed joint independent candidate stand in the by-election?

Martin Bell, the independent candidate from the 1997 Tatton by-election who was approached, declined to stand. Subsequently, Labour and the Liberal Democrats announced they would field their own candidates.

Who was the Conservative candidate in the by-election, and what was their background?

The Conservative candidate was Neil Shastri-Hurst. He is a barrister, a former British Army Medical Officer, and an honorary NHS consultant. His connections to the constituency included training at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry and a period stationed at Tern Hill barracks near Market Drayton.

Who was the Liberal Democrat candidate, and what was her prior experience in the constituency?

The Liberal Democrat candidate was Helen Morgan. She had previously contested the North Shropshire seat for the party in the 2019 general election. Morgan is a chartered accountant who was born and raised in the West Midlands and has resided in North Shropshire since 2014.

Who was the Labour candidate, and what was the context of his selection?

The Labour candidate was Ben Wood from Oswestry. Graeme Currie, the Labour candidate in previous general elections for the seat, was notably blocked from the party's shortlist, leading him to state he would resign from the party.

Which parties fielded 'hard eurosceptic' candidates in the by-election?

The UK Independence Party (UKIP), the Reclaim Party, and the Heritage Party fielded candidates described as 'hard eurosceptic' minor party candidates.

Who was the candidate for Reform UK, and what was their stance on Owen Paterson?

Kirsty Walmsley stood as the Reform UK candidate. She stated that she would not have stood against Owen Paterson, whom she described as a man of integrity who had worked hard for North Shropshire.

What was the outcome of the by-election in terms of votes and percentage for the winning candidate?

Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats won with 17,957 votes, securing 47.2% of the vote. This was a significant increase from her previous performance.

What was the vote share and result for the Conservative candidate, Neil Shastri-Hurst?

Neil Shastri-Hurst, the Conservative candidate, received 12,032 votes, which accounted for 31.6% of the vote. He lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats.

What was the vote share for the Labour candidate, Ben Wood?

Ben Wood, the Labour candidate, received 3,686 votes, representing 9.7% of the total vote.

What was the turnout percentage for the 2021 North Shropshire by-election?

The voter turnout for the by-election was 46.2%, which was a decrease of 21.7 percentage points compared to the previous general election.

How did the 'partygate' scandal influence the campaign and betting odds?

The 'partygate' scandal, concerning alleged rule-breaking gatherings at Downing Street during COVID-19 lockdowns, reportedly divided opinion in the constituency and increased voter apathy. It also led to bookmakers becoming divided on whether the Conservative or Liberal Democrat candidate was the favorite, before eventually favoring the Liberal Democrats.

What controversial comments did the Liberal Democrat candidate Helen Morgan make during the campaign?

Helen Morgan made two controversial comparisons: first, she likened Home Secretary Priti Patel to Joseph Goebbels in a tweet about migrant crossings, for which she later apologized. She had also previously apologized for comments likening Channel migrants to Jews held at Auschwitz.

What was the swing percentage from Conservative to Liberal Democrat in the by-election?

The swing from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats was 34.2 percentage points. This was the seventh-largest swing in UK by-election history and the second-largest swing from Conservative to Liberal Democrat or its predecessors since 1945.

What was the majority achieved by Helen Morgan in the by-election?

Helen Morgan won with a majority of 5,925 votes.

How did the by-election results impact local politics in Shropshire?

The by-election was considered a turning point for the Liberal Democrats in Shropshire, contributing to their success in gaining control of Shropshire Council in the May 2025 local elections, taking over from a previous Conservative majority.

What was the Conservative vote share in the 2019 general election in North Shropshire?

In the 2019 general election, the Conservative candidate, Owen Paterson, secured 62.7% of the vote.

What was the Liberal Democrat vote share in the 2019 general election in North Shropshire?

In the 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrat candidate, Helen Morgan, received 10.0% of the vote.

What was the Labour vote share in the 2019 general election in North Shropshire?

In the 2019 general election, the Labour candidate received 22.1% of the vote.

What was the majority held by the Conservatives in North Shropshire before the by-election?

Before the by-election, the Conservatives held a majority of 40.6% in North Shropshire, with Owen Paterson having won 35,444 votes in the 2019 general election compared to Labour's 12,495.

What was the turnout percentage in the 2019 general election for North Shropshire?

The voter turnout in the 2019 general election for North Shropshire was 67.9%.

Which candidate received the fewest votes in the 2021 North Shropshire by-election?

Yolande Kenward, an independent candidate running on an anti-corruption platform, received only 3 votes, the lowest number among all candidates.

What was the vote count for the Green Party candidate in the by-election?

Duncan Kerr, the Green Party candidate, received 1,738 votes, representing 4.6% of the vote.

Which candidate stood for The Party Party in the by-election?

Russell Dean, a consultant for a yacht broker based in Monaco, stood for The Party Party.

Who was the candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party?

Alan "Howling Laud" Hope, the party leader, was the candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

What was the stated reason for Sarah Biffen endorsing the Conservative candidate?

Sarah Biffen, widow of the former Conservative MP John Biffen, endorsed Neil Shastri-Hurst by comparing his background in the NHS and Army to her late husband's career. John Biffen had represented the area for many years.

What was the analysis of Labour's campaign strategy by the Financial Times?

The Financial Times reported that Labour strategists considered North Shropshire an inhospitable seat for their party and not worth significant resource allocation. They believed the Liberal Democrats had a better chance of winning there.

What did Labour's Yasmin Qureshi suggest about the party's approach to the by-election?

Yasmin Qureshi, Labour's Shadow Minister for International Development, acknowledged that the party had effectively left the field clear for the Liberal Democrats, stating that Labour was unlikely to win North Shropshire but the Liberal Democrats had an opportunity.

What was the reported internal memo from the Liberal Democrats regarding the election's competitiveness?

An internal memo to Liberal Democrat staff suggested that the Conservatives were only one percentage point ahead of the Liberal Democrats in the constituency, indicating a potentially close race.

What impact did the Omicron variant and weather conditions have on the by-election?

The Independent reported that the Omicron variant and poor weather conditions were potential factors that might affect voter turnout for the by-election.

What issue did the Reform UK candidate Kirsty Walmsley face during the campaign?

Kirsty Walmsley tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before the election, which meant she had to miss the final days of campaigning and the vote count.

What was the swing percentage from Conservative to Liberal Democrat in the 2021 North Shropshire by-election, and how did it rank historically?

The swing was 34.2 percentage points, making it the seventh-largest swing in UK by-election history and the second-largest swing from Conservative to Liberal Democrat or its predecessors since 1945.

When was the last time a non-Conservative MP represented the North Shropshire constituency?

The last time a non-Conservative won the seat was in 1904, when Allan Heywood Bright won as a Liberal candidate for the Oswestry constituency, which covered the same area.

What was the total number of valid votes cast in the by-election?

The total number of valid votes cast was 38,022.

How many rejected ballots were there in the 2021 North Shropshire by-election?

There were 74 rejected ballots cast in the by-election.

What was the total number of registered electors in the North Shropshire constituency for this by-election?

There were 82,314 registered electors in the North Shropshire constituency.

What was the percentage change in turnout for the by-election compared to the 2019 general election?

The turnout decreased by 21.6 percentage points, from 67.9% in the 2019 general election to 46.3% in the by-election.

What was the swing from Conservative to Labour in the by-election?

The swing from Conservative to Labour was -31.1 percentage points, indicating a significant shift away from the Conservatives towards Labour.

What was the swing from Labour to Liberal Democrats in the by-election?

The swing from Labour to the Liberal Democrats was +37.2 percentage points, showing a substantial increase in support for the Liberal Democrats at Labour's expense.

2021 North Shropshire By-election Wiki: The North Shropshire Electoral Upset: An Analysis of a Political Realignment

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Election Overview

Key Details

The 2021 North Shropshire by-election was a pivotal electoral contest held on 16 December 2021. It resulted in a significant shift in political representation, with the Liberal Democrats securing victory. This event marked a notable departure from the constituency's long-standing Conservative allegiance.

National Context

This by-election was the sixth of the 58th Parliament of the United Kingdom. It occurred amidst a period of considerable political turbulence, including controversies surrounding the incumbent government, which likely influenced voter sentiment and the eventual outcome.

The Outcome

Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Shropshire. She achieved this by unseating the Conservative candidate, Neil Shastri-Hurst, in a contest that saw a substantial swing in voter preference away from the incumbent party.

Constituency Background

Geographic and Demographic Profile

North Shropshire is geographically extensive, ranking as the third-largest constituency by area within the West Midlands region. Its electorate is distributed across several market towns, including Oswestry, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Wem, and Ellesmere. The constituency's demographic profile includes a significant proportion of voters who supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum.

Historical Electoral Trends

The constituency has historically been a Conservative stronghold. The last instance of a seat changing hands via by-election in this specific area dates back to 1904, when a Liberal candidate gained the Oswestry seat (the predecessor to North Shropshire) from the Conservatives. This historical context underscores the significance of the 2021 result.

The By-election Trigger

Owen Paterson's Resignation

The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of the incumbent Conservative MP, Owen Paterson, on 5 November 2021. His departure followed findings by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards that he had breached paid advocacy rules. The Standards Committee recommended a 30-day suspension from Parliament.

Parliamentary Controversy

A subsequent attempt by the government to defer the suspension and reform the disciplinary process generated significant controversy and public backlash. In the wake of this political turmoil, Paterson announced his resignation, thereby triggering the by-election. The writ of election was formally moved on 9 November 2021.

Key Candidates

The Contenders

A total of fourteen candidates contested the North Shropshire seat. The primary contenders represented the major political parties, alongside several independent and minor party candidates:

Liberal Democrats: Helen Morgan (Winner)
Conservative: Neil Shastri-Hurst
Labour: Ben Wood
Green: Duncan Kerr

Other Noteworthy Candidates

Several other candidates participated, representing various political platforms:

Reform UK: Kirsty Walmsley
UK Independence Party (UKIP): Andrea Allen
Reclaim Party: Martin Daubney
Heritage Party: James Elliot
Official Monster Raving Loony Party: Alan "Howling Laud" Hope
Independent: Suzie Akers-Smith
Independent (Anti-Corruption): Yolande Kenward
Rejoin EU Party: Boris Been-Bunged (Boris Johnson impersonator)
Party Party: Russell Dean
Freedom Alliance: Earl Jesse

Campaign Dynamics

Anti-Corruption and Local Issues

The campaign was notably influenced by an anti-corruption narrative, adopted by multiple candidates, including Labour. Local issues such as the provision of ambulance services and the residency of the Conservative candidate were also prominent themes. The national political climate, particularly the "Partygate" scandal, also played a role in shaping voter perceptions.

Tactical Voting and Party Strategy

Discussions around tactical voting were prevalent, with publications like The Guardian and The Observer suggesting that Labour and Green supporters should back the Liberal Democrats to maximize the chances of unseating the Conservatives. Labour strategists reportedly viewed the constituency as less favorable for their party, potentially indicating an informal strategy to cede ground to the Liberal Democrats.

Election Results

Final Tally

The by-election concluded with a significant victory for the Liberal Democrats, marking a substantial swing in voter preference. The results are detailed below:

2021 North Shropshire By-election Results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Helen Morgan	17,957	47.2	+37.2
	Conservative	Neil Shastri-Hurst	12,032	31.6	–31.1
	Labour	Ben Wood	3,686	9.7	–12.4
	Green	Duncan Kerr	1,738	4.6	+1.4
	Reform UK	Kirsty Walmsley	1,427	3.8	New
Majority			5,925	15.6	N/A
Turnout			38,022	46.3	–21.6

Electoral Significance

The swing of 34.2 percentage points from Conservative to Liberal Democrat was the seventh largest recorded in a UK by-election since 1945. This result represented the second-largest swing between these parties in a by-election during that period. It also marked the first time a non-Conservative MP had held the seat since 1904, highlighting a profound shift in the constituency's political landscape.

Aftermath and Implications

Political Realignment

The by-election outcome was widely interpreted as a significant indicator of shifting voter allegiances. It provided a considerable boost to the Liberal Democrats, demonstrating their capacity to challenge Conservative dominance in traditionally safe seats. This victory was part of a pattern of gains for the party against the Conservatives in the parliamentary term.

Local Impact

The result had a tangible impact on local politics in Shropshire. The Liberal Democrats' success in North Shropshire was seen as a precursor to their subsequent gains, contributing to their ability to gain control of Shropshire Council in the May 2021 local elections, thereby altering the regional political balance.

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References

A device for handling a resignation, see Resignation from the British House of Commons

A full list of references for this article are available at the 2021 North Shropshire by-election Wikipedia page

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Academic Integrity and Data Limitations

This document has been generated by an AI system, drawing upon publicly available data from Wikipedia. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and adherence to the source material, the content is presented for informational and educational purposes. It is not intended as a substitute for primary source verification or professional political analysis.

This is not political advice. The information provided herein should not be used as the sole basis for making political judgments or decisions. Readers are encouraged to consult official election records and diverse political commentary for a comprehensive understanding.

The creators of this content are not liable for any inaccuracies, omissions, or actions taken based on the information presented.

The North Shropshire Electoral Upset

💡 Dive in with Flashcard Learning! 💡

Election Overview ℹ️

🗳️ Key Details

🇬🇧 National Context

⚖️ The Outcome

Constituency Background 🗺️

📍 Geographic and Demographic Profile

⏳ Historical Electoral Trends

The By-election Trigger 🚨

📜 Owen Paterson's Resignation

🏛️ Parliamentary Controversy

Key Candidates 👤

🏆 The Contenders

📣 Other Noteworthy Candidates

Campaign Dynamics 🗣️

⚖️ Anti-Corruption and Local Issues

🤝 Tactical Voting and Party Strategy

Election Results 📊

📈 Final Tally

📈 Electoral Significance

Aftermath and Implications ➡️

⭐ Political Realignment

🌐 Local Impact

Teacher's Corner 🧑‍🏫

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References

📜 References

Feedback & Support 👍

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Disclaimer ⚠️

📜 Academic Integrity and Data Limitations

Dive in with Flashcard Learning!

Election Overview

Key Details

National Context

The Outcome

Constituency Background

Geographic and Demographic Profile

Historical Electoral Trends

The By-election Trigger

Owen Paterson's Resignation

Parliamentary Controversy

Key Candidates

The Contenders

Other Noteworthy Candidates

Campaign Dynamics

Anti-Corruption and Local Issues

Tactical Voting and Party Strategy

Election Results

Final Tally

Electoral Significance

Aftermath and Implications

Political Realignment

Local Impact

Teacher's Corner

True or False?

Test Your Knowledge!

Gamer's Corner

Discover other topics to study!

References

Feedback & Support

Disclaimer

Academic Integrity and Data Limitations