1942 Salisbury by-election
The 1942 Salisbury by-election was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Salisbury in Wiltshire on 8 July 1942. It was won by the Conservative Party candidate John Morrison, later Baron Margadale.
Vacancy
The seat had become vacant on the death of the 55-year-old sitting Conservative Member of Parliament James Despencer-Robertson. He had won the seat at a [1931 Salisbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Salisbury by-election|by-election in 1931], having previously been MP for Islington West from 1922 to 1923.Candidates
The Conservative candidate was 36-year-old John Morrison.During World War II, most by-elections were unopposed, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties; contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party was formed with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
In Salisbury, there were two independent candidates:
William Reginald Hipwell, editor of Reveille, a " barrack room newspaper for the fighting forces", stood as an Independent Progressive and J. D. Monro as an "Independent Democrat".