1923 Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election

At the 1922 general election, the contest in the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency had attracted some wider attention as the seat was fought between two candidates both representing strands of the same Liberal Party.

Former cabinet minister Walter Runciman was the official party nominee, selected at the last minute after the sitting MP stood down, while Hilton Philipson was nominated as a 'National Liberal' supported by David Lloyd George.

[4] However, the petitioners (two Independent Liberals, Brigadier-General Widdrington and Professor Bosanquet) alleged that Philipson's election agent had agreed with a local printer to lower the printing bill by £100 below market rate so that the campaign would not exceed the legal maximum.

[9] Mrs Philipson arrived in Berwick on 9 May to meet members of the Unionist club, telling them that although not brilliant at making a speech, she could fight in a good cause.

Robson was educated at Eton and Oxford, had been called to the Bar in 1910, and had been awarded the Croix de Guerre during World War I.

[13] Oliver was originally from Wooler, in the division, and had been a member of Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council for four years; he was 56 at the time of the election and a working tailor.

[16] She concentrated on building up personal contact with electors, especially the less fortunate,[14] whom she told about the activities of Labour Members of Parliament such as Walton Newbold "shrieking about making the streets run with blood".

[18] Robson conducted day-wide motor tours of the constituency,[17] speaking on foreign affairs where he opposed the French occupation of the Ruhr and called for an independent settlement with Germany.

[16] Oliver was reckoned to be the most fluent and politically knowledgeable of the candidates, and refuted claims of far left links, declaring "I am no Bolshevist, neither am I a patriotic tub-thumper" when he opened his campaign on 18 May.

[17] When Conservative Prime Minister Bonar Law was taken ill, Oliver paid tribute to his "transparent honesty" and gave hopes for a speedy recovery.

[29] So large was the crowd welcoming the Philipson back to her hotel in Berwick after the close of poll, that she had difficulty making her way through and received a black eye from an accidental blow from a policeman's elbow while he was trying to clear a way for her.