Middlesbrough West by-election, 1962

The 1962 Middlesbrough West by-election was held on 6 June 1962 when the incumbent Conservative MP, Sir Jocelyn Simon was appointed as President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court. The by-election was won by the Labour MP, Jeremy Bray, who retained the gain at the 1964 general election.

Thompson was serving in the British Armed Forces. The law stated that, on standing in a Parliamentary election, he would be released from the Forces; this was, therefore, a way to receive an early honourable discharge, for the cost of a lost deposit. This approach was copied by eight candidates in the by-elections held on 22 November, and was banned soon afterwards.^[1]

Middlesbrough West by-election, 1962

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Jeremy William Bray	15,095	39.67	+4.22
	Conservative	Bernard Connelly	12,825	33.70	-21.18
	Liberal	George Edwin Scott	9,829	25.83	+16.16
	Independent	Russell Ernest Eckley	189	0.5
	Independent	Malcolm Thompson	117	0.31
Majority			2,270	5.97
Turnout			38,055
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

References

1. F. W. S. Craig, Minor Parties at British Parliamentary Elections, p.129