1995 Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election

A 1995 by-election was called in the constituency of Littleborough and Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, England, on 27 July 1995 following the death of Conservative Party MP Geoffrey Dickens on 17 May of that year.

1995 Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election
27 July 1995
Turnout64.5%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Candidate Chris Davies Phil Woolas John Hudson
Party Liberal Democrats Labour Conservative
Popular vote 16,231 14,238 9,934
Percentage 38.5% 33.8% 23.6%
Swing 2.7pp 14.9pp 20.7pp
MP before election

Geoffrey Dickens
Conservative

 Elected MP

Chris Davies
Liberal Democrats

The contest was a win for the Liberal Democrat candidate Chris Davies. The result was notable as the defending Conservative Party dropped from first to third place, coming behind both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats. Davies' conduct during the by-election was controversial owing to him openly campaigning while the sitting MP Geoffrey Dickens was dying from liver cancer.

The second-placed Labour candidate, Phil Woolas, defeated Davies at the 1997 general election in the successor seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth. He held the seat until 2010. Davies went on to represent the North West England region in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014.

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