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University of Wales by-election 1943 |
| Yr Athro W J Gruffydd | Liberal | 3098 | 52.3% |
| Saunders Lewis | Plaid Cymru | 1330 | 22.5% |
| Alun Talfan Davies | Independent | 755 | 12.8% |
| E Davies | Independent Labour | 634 | 10.7% |
| N L Evans | Independent Labour | 101 | 1.7% |
| Majority: | 1768 | 29.8% |
| Two famous candidates stood for the University of Wales seat during the 1943 by-election. The by-election was called when the former MP, Ernest Evans, was appointed a county court judge. The two famous candidates among the five that were nominated were Prof. W. J. Gruffydd, the editor of Y Llenor, and Saunders Lewis, ex-President of Plaid Cymru. |
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They were both leading and influential figures in Wales at the time. W. J. Gruffydd had at one point been vice-president of Plaid Cymru, but by 1943 had joined the Liberal Party. The Conservative Party and the Labour Party both offered W. J. Gruffydd their support as an agreement had been made during the Second World War that the main parties would not compete against each other in a by-election. |
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Gruffydd won 3.098 votes (52.3%) against 1,330 (22.5%) for Lewis. Gruffydd held on to the seat until 1950 when University Parliamentary representation was abolished. Even though Plaid Cymru did not win this particular seat there was an obvious change in attitude and people were taking Plaid Cymru seriously as a political party for the first time. Here is a list of supporters which appeared in the press at the time. |
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| 1921 by-election in Ceredigion | ||
| University of Wales by-election 1943 | ||
| 1966 by-election in Carmarthen | ||
| 1985 by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire | ||
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