1986 Fulham by-election
# 1986 Fulham by-election

The Fulham by-election, in Fulham, on 10 April 1986 was held following the death of the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Martin Stevens on 10 January that year. In a seat that had changed hands on a few occasions, it was won by Nick Raynsford of Labour, only to be regained by the Tories in the general election 14 months later.

## Candidates

* Jane Birdwood was a veteran activist on the far right who was variously associated with the National Front and British National Party.
* James "Boyd" Black advocated the right of Northern Ireland to directly elect its own government and was a leading member of the British and Irish Communist Organisation.
* Matthew Carrington captured the seat for the Conservatives at the following election.
* John Creighton was the owner of a local wine shop.
* Liza Duke called for the abolition of Parliament.
* Roger Liddle later went on to become an adviser to Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson.
* Nick Raynsford would later return to Parliament as MP for Greenwich and Greenwich & Woolwich.
* Rev. Geoffrey Rolph represented the Fellowship Party, which supported pacifism and opposed nuclear power.
* Reginald Simmerson, a regular by-election candidate, campaigned against British membership of the European Community. Following his death in 1998 the Anti-Common Market League established a prize in his memory.
* Jon Swinden ran for the Humanist Party which advocates the humanism of Mario Rodríguez Cobos.
* David Sutch was the founder and leader of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

## Results

Fulham by-election, 1986 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Nick Raynsford | 16,451 | 43.2 | +9.17 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Carrington | 12,948 | 34.0 | -12.18 |
| | SDP | Roger Liddle | 6,953 | 18.26 | +0.01 |
| | England Demands Repatriation | Jane Birdwood | 226 | 0.59 | N/A |
| | Monster Raving Loony | David Sutch | 134 | 0.35 | N/A |
| | Connoisseur Wine Party | John Creighton | 127 | 0.33 | N/A |
| | Democratic Rights for Northern Ireland | James Black | 98 | 0.26 | N/A |
| | Fellowship | Geoffrey Rolph | 39 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Humanist | Jon Swinden | 38 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Captain Rainbows Universal Party | Liza Duke | 37 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | All Party Anti-Common Market | Reginald Simmerson | 33 | 0.09 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,503 | 9.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,084 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

General election 1983: Fulham :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Martin Stevens | 18,204 | 46.2 | -0.5 |
| | Labour | A Powell | 13,415 | 34.03 | -9.2 |
| | Liberal | David Rendel | 9,174 | 18.3 | +9.3 |
| | Ecology | J Grimes | 277 | 0.7 | N/A |
| | National Front | R Pearce | 229 | 0.6 | -0.6 |
| | Independent Liberal | J Keats | 102 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,798 | 12.15 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,421 | 76.1 | -0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
