# List of United Kingdom by-elections (1979–2010)

There were 131 parliamentary by-elections in the United Kingdom between the 1979 and 2010 general elections. In the list below, the names of the incumbent and victor and their respective parties are given. Where seats changed political party at the election, the result is highlighted: blue for a Conservative gain, red for a Labour gain, yellow for an SNP gain, orange for a Liberal, Social Democratic Party or Liberal Democrat gain and other colours for other gains.

## Resignations

Where the cause of by-election is given as "resignation" or "seeks re-election", this indicates that the incumbent was appointed on his or her own request to an "office of profit under the Crown", either the Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Steward of the Manor of Northstead. Accepting an office of profit under the Crown vacates the member's seat. This process is used because members of the House of Commons are not technically permitted to resign. A member who resigns in this manner may stand for re-election.

## By-elections
### 2005–2010 Parliament

There were 14 by-elections in the 2005–2010 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing Labour party, three by the Conservatives, one by the Liberal Democrats, one by an independent and one by the speaker. Eight by-elections were won by the incumbent party, including in Haltemprice and Howden where Conservative David Davis resigned to recontest his seat. Meanwhile, Blaenau Gwent was won by a second independent candidate. Labour lost four seats; two to the Conservatives, one to the Liberal Democrats and one to the SNP. The speaker's seat was regained by Labour, the party speaker Michael Martin represented before he took up the position in a previous constituency. Eight by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP - five Labour MPs died, along with one Liberal Democrat, one Conservative and independent MP Peter Law.
At the dissolution of Parliament in 2010 there were three vacancies: North West Leicestershire and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, caused by the death of their respective Labour members David Taylor and Ashok Kumar; and Strangford caused by the resignation of the DUP's Iris Robinson. With the close proximity of the 2010 general election, by-elections were not held in these seats. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and Strangford were held by Tom Blenkinsop and Jim Shannon respectively, but North West Leicestershire was won by Conservative Andrew Bridgen.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Glasgow North East | 12 November 2009 | Michael Martin | Speaker | Willie Bain | Labour | Resignation |
| Norwich North | 23 July 2009 | Ian Gibson | Labour | Chloe Smith | Conservative | Resignation |
| Glenrothes | 6 November 2008 | John MacDougall | Labour | Lindsay Roy | Labour | Death (mesothelioma) |
| Glasgow East | 24 July 2008 | David Marshall | Labour | John Mason | SNP | Resignation due to ill health |
| Haltemprice and Howden | 10 July 2008 | David Davis | Conservative | David Davis | Conservative | Resigned to recontest |
| Henley | 26 June 2008 | Boris Johnson | Conservative | John Howell | Conservative | Election as Mayor of London |
| Crewe and Nantwich | 22 May 2008 | Gwyneth Dunwoody | Labour | Edward Timpson | Conservative | Death (heart attack) |
| Sedgefield | 19 July 2007 | Tony Blair | Labour | Phil Wilson | Labour | Resignation on appointment as Middle East Envoy |
| Ealing Southall | 19 July 2007 | Piara Khabra | Labour | Virendra Sharma | Labour | Death (liver problems) |
| Bromley and Chislehurst | 29 June 2006 | Eric Forth | Conservative | Bob Neill | Conservative | Death (cancer) |
| Blaenau Gwent | 29 June 2006 | Peter Law | Independent | Dai Davies | Independent | Death (cancer) |
| Dunfermline and West Fife | 9 February 2006 | Rachel Squire | Labour | Willie Rennie | Liberal Democrats | Death (cancer/stroke) |
| Livingston | 29 September 2005 | Robin Cook | Labour | Jim Devine | Labour | Death (heart disease) |
| Cheadle | 14 July 2005 | Patsy Calton | Liberal Democrats | Mark Hunter | Liberal Democrats | Death (cancer) |
* 1 2 3 Gain retained at the 2010 general election.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hold retained at the 2010 general election.
* 1 2 Gain not retained at the 2010 general election.
* ↑ Hold not retained at the 2010 general election.
* ↑ Jim Devine was not allowed to stand at the 2010 general election due to an expenses scandal. Graeme Morrice was elected instead.

### 2001–2005 Parliament

There were six by-elections in the 2001–2005 Parliament. Each were in seats held by the governing Labour party, four of which were held and two won by the Liberal Democrats. Four by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Hartlepool | 30 September 2004 | Peter Mandelson | Labour | Iain Wright | Labour | Resignation on appointment as European Commissioner |
| Birmingham Hodge Hill | 15 July 2004 | Terry Davis | Labour | Liam Byrne | Labour | Resignation on appointment as Secretary-General of the Council of Europe |
| Leicester South | 15 July 2004 | Jim Marshall | Labour | Parmjit Singh Gill | Liberal Democrats | Death (heart attack) |
| Brent East | 18 September 2003 | Paul Daisley | Labour | Sarah Teather | Liberal Democrats | Death (cancer) |
| Ogmore | 14 February 2002 | Sir Raymond Powell | Labour | Huw Irranca-Davies | Labour | Death (unknown; probable asthma attack) |
| Ipswich | 22 November 2001 | Jamie Cann | Labour | Chris Mole | Labour | Death (liver disease) |
* 1 2 3 4 Hold retained at the 2005 general election.
* ↑ Gain not retained at the 2005 general election.
* ↑ Gain retained at the 2005 general election.

### 1997–2001 Parliament

There were 17 by-elections in the 1997–2001 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing Labour party, five by the Conservatives, one by the Liberal Democrats, one by Plaid Cymru, one by the Ulster Unionist Party and one by the speaker. 14 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. The Conservatives lost one seat to the Liberal Democrats, and the Democratic Unionist Party gained South Antrim from the Ulster Unionists. The speaker's seat was regained by Labour, the party speaker Betty Boothroyd represented before she took up the position. Ten by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP; six were Labour, three Conservative and one was the Ulster Unionist MP Clifford Forsythe.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Falkirk West | 21 December 2000 | Dennis Canavan | Labour/ Independent | Eric Joyce | Labour | Resignation in order to concentrate on his role as a Member of the Scottish Parliament |
| West Bromwich West | 23 November 2000 | Betty Boothroyd | Speaker | Adrian Bailey | Labour | Life peerage |
| Preston | 23 November 2000 | Audrey Wise | Labour | Mark Hendrick | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| Glasgow Anniesland | 23 November 2000 | Donald Dewar | Labour | John Robertson | Labour | Death (Brain haemorrhage after heart surgery) |
| South Antrim | 21 September 2000 | Clifford Forsythe | UUP | William McCrea | DUP | Death (sudden illness) |
| Tottenham | 22 June 2000 | Bernie Grant | Labour | David Lammy | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Romsey | 4 May 2000 | Michael Colvin | Conservative | Sandra Gidley | Liberal Democrats | Death (accidental fire) |
| Ceredigion | 3 February 2000 | Cynog Dafis | Plaid Cymru | Simon Thomas | Plaid Cymru | Resignation following election to the Welsh Assembly |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 25 November 1999 | Alan Clark | Conservative | Michael Portillo | Conservative | Death (cancer) |
| Wigan | 23 September 1999 | Roger Stott | Labour | Neil Turner | Labour | Death (long illness) |
| Hamilton South | 23 September 1999 | George Robertson | Labour | Bill Tynan | Labour | Life peerage upon appointment as Secretary-General of NATO |
| Eddisbury | 22 July 1999 | Alastair Goodlad | Conservative | Stephen O'Brien | Conservative | Appointment as High Commissioner to Australia |
| Leeds Central | 10 June 1999 | Derek Fatchett | Labour | Hilary Benn | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Winchester | 20 November 1997 | Mark Oaten | Liberal Democrats | Mark Oaten | Liberal Democrats | Void election |
| Beckenham | 20 November 1997 | Piers Merchant | Conservative | Jacqui Lait | Conservative | Resignation (scandal) |
| Paisley South | 6 November 1997 | Gordon McMaster | Labour | Douglas Alexander | Labour | Death (suicide) |
| Uxbridge | 31 July 1997 | Sir Michael Shersby | Conservative | John Randall | Conservative | Death (heart attack) |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Hold retained at the 2001 general election. ↑ Dennis Canavan was elected as a Labour MP from Feb 1974 onwards but in 1999 left the party when he was not selected as a Labour candidate for the Scottish Parliament and instead successfully stood as an independent. ↑ Betty Boothroyd had originally been elected as a Labour MP. ↑ Gain not retained at the 2001 general election. ↑ Gain retained at the 2001 general election. |||||||||

### 1992–1997 Parliament

There were 18 by-elections in the 1992–1997 Parliament. Eight were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, nine by Labour and one by the Ulster Popular Unionist Party. Nine by-elections were won by the incumbent party, all of which happened to be Labour. The Conservatives lost all eight seats in the by-elections - four to the Liberal Democrats, three to Labour and one to the SNP. The UK Unionist Party gained North Down from the Ulster Popular Unionists. 16 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP - eight Conservatives died, along with seven Labour MPs and the Ulster Popular Unionist MP Sir James Kilfedder.
At the dissolution of Parliament in 1997 there were two vacancies: Meriden, caused by the death of its Conservative member Iain Mills, and Don Valley, caused by the death of its Labour member Martin Redmond. With the close proximity of the 1997 general election, by-elections were not held in these seats. They were held by Caroline Spelman and Caroline Flint respectively.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Wirral South | 27 February 1997 | Barry Porter | Conservative | Ben Chapman | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| Barnsley East | 12 December 1996 | Terry Patchett | Labour | Jeff Ennis | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| South East Staffordshire | 11 April 1996 | Sir David Lightbown | Conservative | Brian Jenkins | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Hemsworth | 1 February 1996 | Derek Enright | Labour | Jon Trickett | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| Littleborough and Saddleworth | 27 July 1995 | Geoffrey Dickens | Conservative | Chris Davies | Liberal Democrats | Death (long illness) |
| North Down | 15 June 1995 | Sir James Kilfedder | UPUP | Robert McCartney | UK Unionist | Death (heart attack) |
| Perth and Kinross | 25 May 1995 | Sir Nicholas Fairbairn | Conservative | Roseanna Cunningham | SNP | Death (liver cirrhosis) |
| Islwyn | 16 February 1995 | Neil Kinnock | Labour | Don Touhig | Labour | Appointment as European Commissioner |
| Dudley West | 15 December 1994 | John Blackburn | Conservative | Ian Pearson | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Monklands East | 30 June 1994 | John Smith | Labour | Helen Liddell | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Newham North East | 9 June 1994 | Ron Leighton | Labour | Stephen Timms | Labour | Death |
| Eastleigh | 9 June 1994 | Stephen Milligan | Conservative | David Chidgey | Liberal Democrats | Death (auto-erotic asphyxiation) |
| Dagenham | 9 June 1994 | Bryan Gould | Labour | Judith Church | Labour | Appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waikato, New Zealand |
| Bradford South | 9 June 1994 | Bob Cryer | Labour | Gerry Sutcliffe | Labour | Death (road accident) |
| Barking | 9 June 1994 | Jo Richardson | Labour | Margaret Hodge | Labour | Death (long illness) |
| Rotherham | 5 May 1994 | Jimmy Boyce | Labour | Denis MacShane | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Christchurch | 29 July 1993 | Robert Adley | Conservative | Diana Maddock | Liberal Democrats | Death (heart attack) |
| Newbury | 6 May 1993 | Judith Chaplin | Conservative | David Rendel | Liberal Democrats | Death (complications following surgery) |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gain retained at the 1997 general election. ↑ Littleborough and Saddleworth was abolished in boundary changes taking effect from 1997. Davies contested the successor seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth for the Liberal Democrats but lost to Labour. ↑ Gain not retained at the 1997 general election. |||||||||

### 1987–1992 Parliament

There were 24 by-elections in the 1987–1992 Parliament. Ten were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, 13 by Labour and one by the Ulster Unionist Party. 16 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. Labour lost one seat to the SNP, and the Conservatives lost seven seats; four to Labour and three to the Liberal Democrats. 20 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP - 11 Labour MPs died, along with eight Conservatives and Ulster Unionist Harold McCusker.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Langbaurgh | 7 November 1991 | Richard Holt | Conservative | Ashok Kumar | Labour | Death |
| Kincardine and Deeside | 7 November 1991 | Alick Buchanan-Smith | Conservative | Nicol Stephen | Liberal Democrats | Death |
| Hemsworth | 7 November 1991 | George Buckley | Labour | Derek Enright | Labour | Death |
| Liverpool Walton | 4 July 1991 | Eric Heffer | Labour | Peter Kilfoyle | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| Monmouth | 16 May 1991 | Sir John Stradling Thomas | Conservative | Huw Edwards | Labour | Death |
| Neath | 4 April 1991 | Donald Coleman | Labour | Peter Hain | Labour | Death |
| Ribble Valley | 7 March 1991 | David Waddington | Conservative | Michael Carr | Liberal Democrats | Life peerage on appointment as Leader of the House of Lords |
| Paisley South | 29 November 1990 | Norman Buchan | Labour | Gordon McMaster | Labour | Death |
| Paisley North | 29 November 1990 | Allen Adams | Labour | Irene Adams | Labour | Death (brain haemorrhage) |
| Bradford North | 8 November 1990 | Pat Wall | Labour | Terry Rooney | Labour | Death (long illness) |
| Bootle | 8 November 1990 | Michael Carr | Labour | Joseph Benton | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Eastbourne | 18 October 1990 | Ian Gow | Conservative | David Bellotti | Liberal Democrats | Death (terrorism) |
| Knowsley South | 27 September 1990 | Sean Hughes | Labour | Edward O'Hara | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| Bootle | 24 May 1990 | Allan Roberts | Labour | Michael Carr | Labour | Death (cancer) |
| Upper Bann | 17 May 1990 | Harold McCusker | UUP | David Trimble | UUP | Death (cancer) |
| Mid Staffordshire | 22 March 1990 | John Heddle | Conservative | Sylvia Heal | Labour | Death (suicide) |
| Vauxhall | 15 June 1989 | Stuart Holland | Labour | Kate Hoey | Labour | Appointment to the European University Institute, Florence |
| Glasgow Central | 15 June 1989 | Bob McTaggart | Labour | Mike Watson | Labour | Death (heart attack) |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 4 May 1989 | Sir Raymond Gower | Conservative | John Smith | Labour | Death |
| Richmond | 23 February 1989 | Leon Brittan | Conservative | William Hague | Conservative | Appointment as European Commissioner |
| Pontypridd | 23 February 1989 | Brynmor John | Labour | Kim Howells | Labour | Death (chronic fatigue syndrome) |
| Epping Forest | 15 December 1988 | Sir John Biggs-Davison | Conservative | Steven Norris | Conservative | Death |
| Glasgow Govan | 10 November 1988 | Bruce Millan | Labour | Jim Sillars | SNP | Appointment as European Commissioner |
| Kensington | 14 July 1988 | Sir Brandon Rhys Williams, Bt. | Conservative | Dudley Fishburn | Conservative | Death (leukaemia) |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gain not retained at the 1992 general election. |||||||||

### 1983–1987 Parliament

There were 31 by-elections in the 1983–1987 Parliament. Nine were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, six by Labour and one by the Liberals. The remaining 15 were in Northern Ireland, involving the province's own political parties. 25 by-elections were won by the incumbent party, including all in Northern Ireland except one. The Conservatives lost five seats; one to Labour, two to the Liberals, and two to the Social Democrats. The Ulster Unionists lost one seat to the Social Democratic and Labour Party. 11 by-elections were the result of the death of the incumbent MP; seven were Conservatives, three Labour and one Liberal.
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Truro | 12 March 1987 | David Penhaligon | Liberal | Matthew Taylor | Liberal | Death (road accident) |
| Greenwich | 26 February 1987 | Guy Barnett | Labour | Rosie Barnes | SDP | Death |
| Knowsley North | 13 November 1986 | Robert Kilroy-Silk | Labour | George Howarth | Labour | New BBC TV presenter career |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 17 July 1986 | John Golding | Labour | Llin Golding | Labour | Appointment as General Secretary of the National Communications Union |
| Ryedale | 8 May 1986 | John Spence | Conservative | Elizabeth Shields | Liberal | Death |
| West Derbyshire | 8 May 1986 | Matthew Parris | Conservative | Patrick McLoughlin | Conservative | Appointment as presenter of LWT programme Weekend World |
| Fulham | 10 April 1986 | Martin Stevens | Conservative | Nick Raynsford | Labour | Death |
| Upper Bann | 23 January 1986 | Harold McCusker | UUP | Harold McCusker | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Strangford | 23 January 1986 | John Taylor | UUP | John Taylor | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Newry & Armagh | 23 January 1986 | James Nicholson | UUP | Seamus Mallon | SDLP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| North Antrim | 23 January 1986 | Ian Paisley | DUP | Ian Paisley | DUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| East Antrim | 23 January 1986 | Roy Beggs | UUP | Roy Beggs | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| South Antrim | 23 January 1986 | Clifford Forsythe | UUP | Clifford Forsythe | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Belfast North | 23 January 1986 | Cecil Walker | UUP | Cecil Walker | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Belfast East | 23 January 1986 | Peter Robinson | DUP | Peter Robinson | DUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Belfast South | 23 January 1986 | Martin Smyth | UUP | Martin Smyth | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| North Down | 23 January 1986 | James Kilfedder | UPUP | James Kilfedder | UPUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| South Down | 23 January 1986 | Enoch Powell | UUP | Enoch Powell | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Fermanagh & South Tyrone | 23 January 1986 | Ken Maginnis | UUP | Ken Maginnis | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Lagan Valley | 23 January 1986 | James Molyneaux | UUP | James Molyneaux | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| East Londonderry | 23 January 1986 | William Ross | UUP | William Ross | UUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Mid Ulster | 23 January 1986 | William McCrea | DUP | William McCrea | DUP | Sought re-election in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement |
| Tyne Bridge | 5 December 1985 | Harry Cowans | Labour | David Clelland | Labour | Death |
| Brecon and Radnor | 4 July 1985 | Tom Hooson | Conservative | Richard Livsey | Liberal | Death (heart attack) |
| Enfield Southgate | 13 December 1984 | Sir Anthony Berry | Conservative | Michael Portillo | Conservative | Death (terrorism) |
| Portsmouth South | 14 June 1984 | Bonner Pink | Conservative | Mike Hancock | SDP | Death |
| South West Surrey | 3 May 1984 | Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden | Conservative | Virginia Bottomley | Conservative | Death (heart failure) |
| Stafford | 3 May 1984 | Sir Hugh Fraser | Conservative | Bill Cash | Conservative | Death (lung cancer) |
| Cynon Valley | 3 May 1984 | Ioan Evans | Labour | Ann Clwyd | Labour | Death |
| Chesterfield | 1 March 1984 | Eric Varley | Labour | Tony Benn | Labour | Appointment as Chairman of Coalite PLC |
| Penrith and the Border | 28 July 1983 | William Whitelaw | Conservative | David Maclean | Conservative | Hereditary peerage on appointment as Leader of the House of Lords |
| 1 2 3 Gain retained at the 1987 general election. 1 2 3 Gain not retained at the 1987 general election. ↑ Enoch Powell retained the seat for the Ulster Unionists in the by-election but lost it to the Social Democratic and Labour Party at the 1987 general election. |||||||||

### 1979–1983 Parliament

There were 20 by-elections in the 1979–1983 Parliament. Seven were in seats held by the governing Conservative party, ten by Labour, one by the Ulster Unionists and two (in the same seat) by Irish republican parties, who do not take up their seats in the House of Commons. 13 by-elections were won by the incumbent party. The Conservatives lost four seats: one to Labour, one to the Liberals and two to the Social Democrats, and Labour lost two seats: one to the Liberals and one to the Conservatives. Meanwhile, the seat of Fermanagh and South Tyrone was won from the Independent Republican Party by Anti H-Block, a branch of Sinn Féin. 15 by-elections were a result of the death of the incumbent MP; six were Conservatives, six Labour, and the others were the Ulster Unionist Robert Bradford, the Independent Republican Frank Maguire and the Anti H-Block member Bobby Sands (who was in prison).
| By-election | Date | Incumbent | Party | Winner | Party | Cause |
| Darlington | 24 March 1983 | Edward Fletcher | Labour | Oswald O'Brien | Labour | Death |
| Bermondsey | 24 February 1983 | Robert Mellish | Labour/Ind Labour | Simon Hughes | Liberal | Resignation (dispute with party) |
| Glasgow Queen's Park | 2 December 1982 | Frank McElhone | Labour | Helen McElhone | Labour | Death |
| Peckham | 28 October 1982 | Harry Lamborn | Labour | Harriet Harman | Labour | Death |
| Birmingham Northfield | 28 October 1982 | Jocelyn Cadbury | Conservative | John Spellar | Labour | Death (suicide) |
| Gower | 16 September 1982 | Ifor Davies | Labour | Gareth Wardell | Labour | Death |
| Coatbridge and Airdrie | 24 June 1982 | James Dempsey | Labour | Thomas Clarke | Labour | Death |
| Mitcham and Morden | 3 June 1982 | Bruce Douglas-Mann | Labour/Ind SDP | Angela Rumbold | Conservative | Sought re-election upon change of party allegiance |
| Beaconsfield | 27 May 1982 | Sir Ronald Bell | Conservative | Tim Smith | Conservative | Death |
| Glasgow Hillhead | 25 March 1982 | Sir Thomas Galbraith | Conservative | Roy Jenkins | SDP | Death |
| Belfast South | 4 March 1982 | Robert Bradford | UUP | Martin Smyth | UUP | Death (killed by IRA) |
| Crosby | 26 November 1981 | Sir Graham Page | Conservative | Shirley Williams | SDP | Death |
| Croydon North West | 22 October 1981 | Robert Taylor | Conservative | Bill Pitt | Liberal | Death |
| Fermanagh & South Tyrone | 20 August 1981 | Bobby Sands | Anti H-Block | Owen Carron | Anti H-Block | Death (hunger strike) |
| Warrington | 16 July 1981 | Sir Thomas Williams | Labour | Douglas Hoyle | Labour | Appointment as High Court judge |
| Fermanagh & South Tyrone | 9 April 1981 | Frank Maguire | Ind. Republican | Bobby Sands | Anti H-Block | Death |
| Glasgow Central | 26 June 1980 | Thomas McMillan | Labour | Bob McTaggart | Labour | Death (fall) |
| Southend East | 13 March 1980 | Sir Stephen McAdden | Conservative | Teddy Taylor | Conservative | Death (fall) |
| South West Hertfordshire | 13 December 1979 | Geoffrey Dodsworth | Conservative | Richard Page | Conservative | Resignation on medical advice |
| Manchester Central | 27 September 1979 | Harold Lever | Labour | Robert Litherland | Labour | Life peerage |
| ↑ Oswald O'Brien retained the seat for Labour in the by-election but lost it to the Conservatives in the 1983 general election only 11 weeks later. 1 2 3 Gain retained at the 1983 general election. 1 2 3 Gain not retained at the 1983 general election. ↑ Mitcham and Morden was the last time an incumbent government gained a seat from the opposition in a by-election until the Copeland by-election on 23 February 2017. 1 2 Following Sands' death, Owen Carron retained the seat for Anti H-Block in the second by-election and defended it as Sinn Féin in the 1983 general election but lost to the Ulster Unionists. |||||||||