1988 Glasgow Govan by-election

1988 Glasgow Govan by-election

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Clacton constituency
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Jim Sillars Bob Gillespie Graeme Hamilton Party SNP Labour Conservative Popular vote 14,677 11,123 2,207 Percentage 48.8% 36.9% 7.3% Swing 38.4% 27.8% 4.6%
MP before election Bruce Millan Labour Subsequent MP Jim Sillars SNP

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The Glasgow Govan by-election, for the House of Commons constituency of Glasgow Govan, Scotland, was held on 10 November 1988. It was caused by the resignation of Bruce Millan as Member of Parliament for the constituency following his appointment as a European Commissioner.^[1]

The result of the election provided the first major upset of the by-elections in the 1987-92 Parliament and was seen as embarrassing for the Labour Party, with the former Labour MP Jim Sillars winning the seat for the Scottish National Party with a majority of 3,554 votes and a large swing from Labour to the SNP. However, it would soon be the Tories who were suffering losses in by-elections, although the 1987-1992 Parliament would ultimately end with a fourth consecutive Conservative victory.^[1]