1880 Derby by-election
The 1880 Derby by-election was held on 26 May when the incumbent Liberal MP Samuel Plimsoll resigned to find a seat for the recently unseated Home Secretary William Vernon Harcourt.
The Liberals had formed a government after winning the 1880 general election and Harcourt, a well known radical and talented debater, had been offered the job of Home Secretary. Under the law at the time he had to resign his seat and seek re-election. In a close fought by-election Harcourt lost his Oxford seat.
Samuel Plimsoll immediately resigned and Harcourt was unopposed in the subsequent by-election.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ Otte, Thomas; Otte, T. G.; Readman, Paul (2013). By-Elections in British Politics, 1832-1914. ISBN 9781843837800.