List of ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Ministerial by-elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom at Westminster were held from 1801 to the 1920s when a Member of Parliament (MP) was appointed as a minister in the government. Unlike most Westminster by-elections, ministerial by-elections were often a formality, uncontested by opposition parties. Re-election was required under the Succession to the Crown Act 1707. This was in line with the principle established in 1624 that accepting an office of profit from the Crown would precipitate resignation from the House, with the option of standing for re-election. Typically a minister sought re-election in the constituency he had just vacated, but occasionally contested another seat which was also vacant. In 1910 The Times newspaper noted that the relevant Act had been passed in the reign of Queen Anne "to prevent the Court from swamping the House of Commons with placemen and pensioners", and described the process as "anomalous" and "indefensible" in the 20th century. The Re-Election of Ministers Act 1919 ended the necessity to seek re-election within nine months of a general election, and the Re-Election of Ministers Act (1919) Amendment Act 1926 ended the practice in all other cases.

Ministerial by-elections 34th Parliament (1924–1929) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionEast Renfrewshire29 January 1926Alexander Munro MacRobert Alexander Munro MacRobert Solicitor General for ScotlandBury St Edmunds1 December 1925Walter Guinness Walter Guinness Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries

31st Parliament (1919–1922) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionPontypridd25 July 1922Thomas Arthur Lewis Thomas Isaac Mardy Jones Junior Lord of the TreasuryBanbury22 June 1922UncontestedRhys Rhys-Williams Rhys Rhys-Williams Recorder of CardiffLiverpool Exchange13 March 1922Leslie Scott Leslie Scott Solicitor GeneralNorth Down23 June 1921Thomas Watters Brown Thomas Watters Brown Solicitor-General for IrelandBedford23 April 1921Frederick Kellaway Frederick Kellaway Postmaster GeneralBewdley19 April 1921Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin President of the Board of TradeEddisbury19 April 1921Harry Barnston Harry Barnston Comptroller of the HouseholdEast Dorset16 April 1921Frederick Guest Frederick Guest Secretary of State for AirGlasgow Pollok14 April 1921John Gilmour John Gilmour Junior Lord of the TreasuryBristol West9 April 1921George Gibbs George Gibbs Treasurer of the HouseholdBirmingham West31 March 1921Austen Chamberlain Austen Chamberlain Lord Privy SealDudley3 March 1921Arthur Griffith-Boscawen James Wilson Appointment as Minister of AgricultureMiddleton and Prestwich22 November 1920Sir William Adkins Sir William Adkins Recorder of BirminghamSunderland24 April 1920Hamar Greenwood Hamar Greenwood Chief Secretary for IrelandEdinburgh South9 April 1920Charles Murray Charles Murray Solicitor General for ScotlandNorthampton1 April 1920Charles McCurdy Charles McCurdy Minister of Food ControlCamberwell North West31 March 1920Thomas James McNamara Thomas James McNamara Minister of LabourArgyll10 March 1920William Sutherland William Sutherland Junior Lord of the Treasury

30th Parliament (August 1914 – 1918) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionEast Grinstead29 July 1918UncontestedHenry Cautley Henry Cautley Recorder of SunderlandManchester North East16 July 1918J. R. Clynes J. R. Clynes Food ControllerBridgwater18 June 1918Robert Sanders Robert Sanders Treasurer of the HouseholdNewcastle-upon-Tyne13 May 1918Edward Shortt Edward Shortt Chief Secretary for IrelandBirmingham West25 April 1918Austen Chamberlain Austen Chamberlain Minister without PortfolioSouthampton19 December 1917William Dudley Ward William Dudley Ward Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdDublin University5 October 1917Arthur Samuels Arthur Samuels Solicitor-General for IrelandNorwich26 August 1917George Henry Roberts George Henry Roberts Minister of LabourDundee30 July 1917Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Minister of MunitionsChesterton27 July 1917Edwin Samuel Montagu Edwin Samuel Montagu Secretary of State for IndiaFulham3 July 1917William Hayes Fisher William Hayes Fisher President of the Local Government BoardEaling30 April 1917Herbert Nield Herbert Nield Recorder of YorkBelfast South9 April 1917James Chambers James Chambers Solicitor-General for IrelandExeter7 August 1916Henry Duke Henry Duke Chief Secretary for IrelandBerwickshire18 July 1916Harold Tennant Harold Tennant Secretary for ScotlandWidnes22 May 1916William Walker William Walker Seeking re-electionWalker owned a stud of thoroughbred horses. When he was given a contract to supply horses to the Army, questions were raised as to whether this contract disqualified him from the House of Commons, so Walker sought re-election in order to remove doubts as to his position.Dublin University25 April 1916James Campbell James Campbell Attorney-General for IrelandRotherham26 January 1916Jack Pease Jack Pease Postmaster GeneralChesterton20 January 1916Edwin Samuel Montagu Edwin Samuel Montagu Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterCleveland9 December 1915Herbert Samuel Herbert Samuel Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterSt Helens24 November 1915Rigby Swift Rigby Swift Recorder of WiganKingston16 November 1915George Cave George Cave Solicitor General for England and WalesCarmarthen District17 March 1915W. Llewelyn Williams W. Llewelyn Williams Recorder of CardiffSaffron Walden13 February 1915Cecil Beck Cecil Beck Commissioner of the TreasuryChesterton13 February 1915Edwin Samuel Montagu Edwin Samuel Montagu Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterScarborough9 February 1915Walter Rea Walter Rea Commissioner of the TreasurySwansea District13 August 1914Sir David Brynmor Jones Sir David Brynmor Jones Recorder of Cardiff

30th Parliament (December 1910 – July 1914) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionEast Fife8 April 1914UncontestedH. H. Asquith H. H. Asquith Secretary of State for WarBethnal Green South West19 February 1914Charles Masterman Mathew Wilson Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterWick District8 December 1913Robert Munro Robert Munro Lord AdvocateKeighley11 November 1913Sir Stanley Buckmaster Sir Stanley Buckmaster Solicitor General for England and WalesWhitechapel30 April 1913Sir Stuart Samuel Sir Stuart Samuel Undertook a contract for the Public ServiceIlkeston1 July 1912J. E. B. Seely J. E. B. Seely Secretary of State for WarForest of Dean30 April 1912Henry Webb Henry Webb Commissioner of the TreasuryManchester South5 March 1912Sir Arthur Haworth Philip Glazebrook Commissioner of the TreasuryGlasgow St Rollox26 February 1912McKinnon Wood McKinnon Wood Secretary for ScotlandCarmarthen District29 January 1912W. Llewelyn Williams W. Llewelyn Williams Recorder of SwanseaNorth Ayrshire20 December 1911Andrew Anderson Duncan Campbell Solicitor General for ScotlandBristol East3 November 1911Charles Hobhouse Charles Hobhouse Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterMiddleton2 August 1911Sir William Adkins Sir William Adkins Recorder of NottinghamEast Dorset29 April 1911Hon Frederick Guest Hon Frederick Guest Commissioner of the TreasuryArfon11 February 1911William Jones William Jones Commissioner of the TreasurySeat vacated on appointment to the office noted.

29th Parliament (January 1910 – December 1910) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionWalthamstow1 November 1910John Simon Sir John Simon Solicitor General for England and WalesGovan28 April 1910William Hunter William Hunter Solicitor General for ScotlandReading12 March 1910UncontestedRufus Isaacs Rufus Isaacs Solicitor General for England and WalesShipley10 March 1910UncontestedPercy Illingworth Percy Illingworth Commissioner of the TreasuryBarnstaple2 March 1910Ernest Soares Ernest Soares Commissioner of the TreasuryTower Hamlets St George1 March 1910William Wedgwood Benn William Wedgwood Benn Commissioner of the TreasurySeat vacated on appointment to the office noted.Swansea District28 February 1910Sir David Brynmor Jones Sir David Brynmor Jones Recorder of Merthyr Tydvil

28th Parliament (1906 – January 1910) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionHigh Peak22 July 1909Oswald Partington Oswald Partington Junior Lord of the TreasurySeat vacated on appointment to the office noted.Dumfries Burghs20 July 1909John Gulland John Gulland Junior Lord of the TreasuryCleveland9 July 1909Herbert Samuel Herbert Samuel Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterEast Denbighshire2 April 1909Edward Hemmerde Edward Hemmerde Recorder of LiverpoolEdinburgh South4 March 1909Arthur Dewar Arthur Dewar Solicitor General for ScotlandManchester North West24 April 1908Winston Churchill William Joynson-Hicks President of the Board of TradeDewsbury23 April 1908Walter Runciman Walter Runciman President of the Board of EducationWest Carmarthenshire26 February 1908UncontestedJohn Lloyd Morgan John Lloyd Morgan Recorder of SwanseaMid Glamorganshire7 February 1908Samuel Thomas Evans Samuel Thomas Evans Solicitor General for England and WalesAnglesey21 August 1907Ellis Griffith Ellis Griffith Recorder of BirkenheadHalifax6 March 1907John Henry Whitley John Henry Whitley Junior Lord of the TreasuryNorth Monmouthshire19 February 1907Reginald McKenna Reginald McKenna President of the Board of EducationMid Glamorganshire8 October 1906Samuel Thomas Evans Samuel Thomas Evans Recorder of SwanseaWestbury26 February 1906John Fuller John Fuller Lord Commissioner of the TreasurySeat vacated on appointment to the office noted.

27th Parliament (1900–1906) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionChichester2 June 1905Lord Edmund Talbot Lord Edmund Talbot Lord Commissioner of the TreasurySeat vacated on appointment to the office noted.BrightonGain retained at the 1906 UK general election.5 April 1905Gerald Loder Ernest Villiers Lord Commissioner of the TreasuryChorley4 November 1903David Lindsay David Lindsay Lord Commissioner of the TreasuryFareham28 October 1903UncontestedArthur Lee Arthur Lee Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyWesthoughton24 October 1903Edward Stanley Edward Stanley Postmaster GeneralWarwick and Leamington23 October 1903Alfred Lyttelton Alfred Lyttelton Secretary of State for the ColoniesBelfast West23 October 1903H. O. Arnold-Forster H. O. Arnold-Forster Secretary of State for WarLondonderry8 October 1903James Hamilton James Hamilton Treasurer of the HouseholdSevenoaks21 August 1902Henry Forster Henry Forster Lord Commissioner of the TreasuryEast Worcestershire15 August 1902Austen Chamberlain Austen Chamberlain Postmaster GeneralTiverton14 August 1902William Walrond William Walrond Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterWest Derbyshire11 December 1900Victor Cavendish Victor Cavendish Treasurer of the HouseholdWoodbridge10 December 1900E. G. Pretyman E. G. Pretyman Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyWellington (Somerset)10 December 1900Alexander Acland-Hood Alexander Acland-Hood Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdGuildford10 December 1900St John Broderick St John Broderick Secretary of State for WarPreston8 December 1900Robert William Hanbury Robert William Hanbury President of the Board of AgricultureDover8 December 1900George Wyndham George Wyndham Chief Secretary for Ireland

26th Parliament (1895–1900) By-election Date Incumbent Party Winner Party PositionDublin University16 May 1900UncontestedEdward Carson Edward Carson Solicitor GeneralSeat vacated on appointment to the office noted.Oxford4 November 1898Arthur Annesley Arthur Annesley Comptroller of the HouseholdMid Armagh21 January 1898Dunbar Barton Dunbar Barton Solicitor General for IrelandWycombe21 February 1896Richard Curzon Richard Curzon Treasurer of the HouseholdHarrow30 November 1895William Ambrose William Ambrose Attorney-General of the Duchy of LancasterDublin St Stephen's Green2 September 1895William Kenny William Kenny Solicitor General for IrelandInverness Burghs31 August 1895Robert Finlay Robert Finlay Solicitor General

25th Parliament (1892–1895)