Election Name: | 2001 Ipswich by-election |
Country: | United Kingdom |
Type: | parliamentary |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 2001 United Kingdom general election |
Previous Year: | June 2001 |
Next Election: | 2005 United Kingdom general election |
Next Year: | 2005 |
Election Date: | 22 November 2001 |
Candidate1: | Chris Mole |
Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
Popular Vote1: | 11,881 |
Percentage1: | 43.4% |
Swing1: | 8.0pp |
Candidate2: | Paul West |
Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
Popular Vote2: | 7,794 |
Percentage2: | 28.4% |
Swing2: | 2.1pp |
Candidate3: | Tessa Munt |
Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
Popular Vote3: | 6,146 |
Percentage3: | 22.4% |
Swing3: | 7.2pp |
MP | |
Before Election: | Jamie Cann |
After Election: | Chris Mole |
Before Party: | Labour |
After Party: | Labour |
The Member of Parliament for Ipswich in Suffolk, Jamie Cann, of the Labour Party died on 15 October 2001.
The by-election was held on 22 November that year, and was the first of six by-elections which took place during the 53rd Parliament (2001–05).
With Labour still basking in the glow of their landslide general election victory just five months earlier, no opposition party was able to mount an effective challenge. The Liberal Democrats improved their position somewhat but remained in third place, and the Labour candidate Chris Mole was returned with a majority of over 4,000 votes.
The declaration broke with tradition by using live computer images, club music and lasers after the result was announced.[1] [2] [3]