2024 Kingswood by-election
15 February 2024
Kingswood constituency
Boundary of the Kingswood constituency in Avon
MP before election

Chris Skidmore
Independent

 Elected MP

TBD

A by-election is expected to take place on 15 February 2024 in the UK Parliament constituency of Kingswood. This follows a decision by its MP, Chris Skidmore, to stand down from Parliament. Skidmore, who represents the Conservative Party, resigned in protest at the UK government's decision to issue more oil and gas licences, and ahead of a Parliamentary vote on the matter. Skidmore announced his resignation on 5 January and it was effected three days later.

Constituency

The Kingswood constituency in South Gloucestershire has been won by the main party of government since its creation in February 1974, except from 1992. It voted Leave in the 2016 EU referendum by a margin of 58% to 42%.[1]

In the 2023 constituency boundaries review, Kingswood is planned to be split up between three seats: North East Somerset and Hanham, Bristol North East, and Filton and Bradley Stoke.[2] The new boundaries will not impact the by-election, but the MP elected will have to move seat if they wish to stand in the next general election.

Background

The Rt Hon. Chris Skidmore MP

Chris Skidmore was first elected to the constituency of Kingswood in the 2010 general election, gaining the seat from the incumbent Labour MP Roger Berry. As Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, he signed the UK's net zero pledge into law.[3] He has stated his opposition to further oil and gas extraction in the UK, including his refusal to support the government of Liz Truss on the matter in October 2022.[4]

He announced his resignation on 5 January 2024, prior to the second reading of the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill which would guarantee annual licensing rounds, having previously announced he would be standing down at the next general election.[5] Skidmore formally resigned as a member of Parliament on 8 January.[6]

The writ of election was moved on 11 January 2024, the likely date of election is 15 February 2024, the same day as another by-election in Wellingborough.[7]

Candidates

On 6 January 2024, Reform UK announced they were not standing in the by-election, calling it a "scandalous by-election" and a "waste of taxpayers' money".[8]

The Labour Party selected Damien Egan as their candidate on 9 January.[9] Egan was elected Mayor of Lewisham in 2018, and in July 2023 was selected as parliamentary candidate for Bristol North East,[10] one of the seats that will succeed Kingswood following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.[11]

Previous result

General election 2019: Kingswood[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Skidmore 27,712 56.2 +1.3
Labour Nicola Bowden-Jones 16,492 33.4 -6.1
Liberal Democrats Dine Romero 3,421 6.9 +3.3
Green Joseph Evans 1,200 2.4 +0.4
Animal Welfare Angelika Cowell 489 1.0 New
Majority 11,220 22.8 +7.4
Turnout 49,314 71.5 +1.3
Registered electors 68,972
Conservative hold Swing +3.7

References

  1. ↑ "Seat Details – Kingswood". Electoral Calculus. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the South West region". Boundary Commission for England. p. 5. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law". gov.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Fracking: Tory MPs set to defy Liz Truss in loyalty vote". BBC News. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Chris Skidmore: Tory MP quits over oil and gas licences". BBC News. BBC. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Former net zero tsar Chris Skidmore formally quits as MP triggering by-election". The Independent. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Two by-elections officially called following scandal and resignation from Tory MPs". Sky News. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  8. ↑ @reform_partyuk (6 January 2024). "Tory scandal: MP Chris Skidmore resigns over Net Zero virtue signalling & triggers by-election in a seat being abolished in GE. Waste of circa £250,000 local taxpayers cash! Has he a cosy well paid eco job to go to? He should repay the cost. Reform UK will not stand a candidate on principle against this disgraceful abuse" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ↑ Cork, Tristan (9 January 2024). "Labour announce candidate to fight Kingswood by-election". Bristol Live. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "London candidate beats Bristol mayor for MP seat". BBC News. 30 July 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – South West". Boundary Commission for England. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "Kingswood Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
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