On This Day

July 1, 1912

Jack Seeley wins the Ilkeston by-election

Seeley defeated his Conservative opponent by 1,211 votes. The election was caused by Seeley’s appointment as Secretary of State for War which, under the rules of the time, required him to resign and seek re-election. He faced the same Conservative rival, W M Freeman, as he had in December 1910 when he achieved a majority of 4,044 reflecting the fading popularity of the Liberal administration which had been in office since 1905. Seeley was a former Tory, friends with Winston Churchill, and they both defected to the Liberals in 1904. He had to resign as War Secretary in 1914 over the Curragh Mutiny but saw active service throughout the Great War winning several medals and five mentions in despatches.