1912 Hanley by-election

The seat had become vacant on 28 June 1912 when the sitting Labour Member of Parliament (MP), 60-year-old Enoch Edwards died.

Edwards had represented the constituency since gaining it from the Unionists at the 1906 general election as a Liberal candidate.

In 1909, Edwards crossed from Liberal to Labour in accordance with the wishes of his trade union.

The local Liberal Association therefore adopted Outhwaite as candidate to campaign on a 'Single Tax' platform.

The Liberal campaign received a boost when John Redmond, the Leader of the nationalist Irish Parliamentary Party, sent a letter of support to Outhwaite due to his support for the Liberal Government's Irish Home Rule Bill.