1920 Rhondda West by-election

1920 Rhondda West by-election

← 1918 21 December 1920 1922 →
 
Candidate John Rowlands
Party Labour Unionist
Popular vote 14,035 9,959
Percentage 58.5 41.5

MP before election

Abraham
Labour

Subsequent MP

John
Labour

The 1920 Rhondda West by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 21 December 1920 for the British House of Commons constituency of Rhondda West in Wales.

The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Labour Member of Parliament (MP), William Abraham, resigned from Parliament. He had held the seat since its creation at the 1918 general election, when he was returned unopposed. He had been the MP for the previous Rhondda constituency from its creation for the 1885 general election.

The result of the contest was a victory for the Labour candidate, William John, who won with a majority of 4,076 votes over Gwilym Rowlands. Rowlands described himself as "Labour in the Conservative interest", but was an official Conservative Party candidate.

John represented the constituency until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1950 general election.

1920 Rhondda West by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William John 14,035 58.5 N/A
C Unionist Gwilym Rowlands 9,959 41.5 N/A
Majority 4,076 17.0 N/A
Turnout 23,949 70.2 N/A
Registered electors 34,203
Labour hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
  1. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1969). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (1 ed.). Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-019. Page 541