Prestwich by-election, January 1918

The Prestwich by-election, January 1918 was a by-election held on 31 January 1918 for the British House of Commons constituency of Prestwich in Lancashire.

The election was caused by the elevation to the peerage of the sitting Liberal MP, Sir Frederick Cawley. Cawley had been Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the wartime coalition of David Lloyd George.

The Liberals selected the Honourable Oswald Cawley, the youngest son of the sitting member. Cawley was a Lieutenant in the Yeomanry serving in Palestine. Cawley’s candidacy was supported by the Unionists in Prestwich as they were part of the wartime coalition.

Cawley was opposed by Harry May for the newly formed Central Co-operative Parliamentary Representation Committee of which he was the secretary. May was also secretary of the International Cooperative Alliance. This was the first parliamentary by-election fought by the Co-operative Parliamentary Representation Committee. Although May was expected to gain the support of Labour voters, the Labour Party itself was unable to offer formal assistance because of the wartime electoral truce.

For the government the principal issue was the continuing prosecution of the war and it sought the support of the voters for that end. There was a strong danger that Cawley’s election would be seen as inevitable, given his father’s position and former majority and as he was actively serving his country in the field. So the government supporters concentrated on organisation rather than policy to try and counter voter apathy.

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