1920 Paisley by-election facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
1920 Paisley by-election

← 1918 12 February 1920 1922 →

Candidate Asquith Biggar MacKean Party Liberal Labour Unionist Popular vote 14,736 11,902 3,795 Percentage 48.4 39.1 12.5

MP before election McCallum Liberal Subsequent MP Asquith Liberal

The 1920 Paisley by-election was a special election held in Paisley, Scotland, on February 12, 1920. A by-election happens when a seat in the House of Commons becomes empty between general elections. This election was needed because the local MP, Sir John Mills McCallum from the Liberal Party, had passed away.

This by-election was very important because it allowed H. H. Asquith, a former Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, to return to Parliament. He had lost his own seat in the 1918 general election.

Why the Paisley Election Mattered

The 1920 Paisley by-election was a big deal for H. H. Asquith. He had been the Prime Minister but lost his seat in 1918. This election gave him a chance to get back into the House of Commons.

The Liberal Party's Challenges

At the time, the Liberal Party was divided. One part supported Asquith, while another supported David Lloyd George. Lloyd George had formed a coalition government with the Conservatives. Asquith and his supporters were known as the Independent Liberals. They were sometimes unofficially called the 'Wee Frees'.

Many people thought John Biggar from the Labour Party would win. He had almost won the seat in 1918. Even some former Liberal MPs supported him. Asquith was only just chosen as the Liberal candidate for Paisley. He was worried about running in Scotland again, but he became more confident during the campaign.

Asquith's Campaign Ideas

Asquith spoke about several important issues during his campaign:

• He criticized the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I. He felt it was too harsh on Germany.
• He wanted Ireland to have Dominion Status. This meant Ireland would be self-governing but still part of the British Empire. At the time, the Irish War of Independence was happening.
• He warned against setting up tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods. He worried these would hurt trade, especially with new countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Asquith had not supported women's right to vote in the past. However, women over thirty had gained the right to vote in 1918. His daughter, Violet, was a very good speaker and helped him campaign.

Election Results

The election took place on February 12, 1920. Here's how the votes turned out:

Asquith won the election with a majority of 2,834 votes over the Labour candidate. The Unionist candidate, who Asquith called a "foul-mouthed Tory," lost his deposit. This means he didn't get enough votes to get back the money he paid to run in the election. This victory was seen as a big success for the Independent Liberals.

What Happened Next

Asquith managed to keep his seat in Paisley in the next general election in 1922. He won by a smaller margin that time. He also held the seat in the 1923 election. However, he lost to the Labour candidate in the 1924 election. After this, he was given a special title and joined the House of Lords as the Earl of Oxford and Asquith.