1945 Combined Scottish Universities by-election

The 1945 Combined Scottish Universities by-election was a by-election held from 9 to 13 April 1945 for the Combined Scottish Universities, a university constituency of the British House of Commons.

1945 Combined Scottish Universities by-election

9–13 April 1945
Constituency of Combined Scottish Universities
Turnout	44.6% (7.5%)
First party Second party   LNP Candidate John Boyd Orr R. M. Munro Party Independent National Liberal Popular vote 20,197 8,177 Percentage 71.2% 28.8%
MP before election George Morrison National Liberal Subsequent MP John Boyd Orr Independent

Vacancy

The seat had become vacant on 6 March 1945 when the National Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) George Morrison had resigned by the procedural device of accepting the post of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, a notional 'office of profit under the crown' which is used as a procedural device to enable MPs to resign from the Commons.

Candidates

Two candidates contested the by-election. The Rector of the University of Glasgow, Sir John Boyd Orr, stood as an independent. He was a doctor and biologist, and founder of the Rowett Research Institute.

The other candidate was R. M. Munro of the National Liberal Party.

Result

The result was a victory for Boyd Orr, who won over 70% of the votes. He held the seat until 1946, when he resigned to take up the post of Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Votes

Combined Scottish Universities by-election, 9–13 April 1945

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Boyd Orr	20,197	71.2	N/A
	National Liberal	R. M.Munro	8,177	28.8	N/A
Majority			12,020	42.4	N/A
Turnout			28,374	44.6	−7.5
	Independent gain from National Liberal		Swing

See also

• Combined Scottish Universities (UK Parliament constituency)
• 1927 Combined Scottish Universities by-election
• 1934 Combined Scottish Universities by-election
• 1935 Combined Scottish Universities by-election
• 1936 Combined Scottish Universities by-election
• 1938 Combined Scottish Universities by-election
• 1946 Combined Scottish Universities by-election
• List of United Kingdom by-elections (1931–1950)

Sources

• Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs