1925 Oldham by-election

The election was triggered by the resignation of the sitting Liberal MP, Edward Grigg, a former private secretary to David Lloyd George, on appointment to be Governor of Kenya.

[1] The response from Unionists and the Liberals was to put up only one candidate each to avoid splitting the vote against what was widely seen as a common socialist enemy.

[6] The Liberals and the Unionists insisted that no formal pact existed between them to stand only one candidate from each party in the two-member Oldham seat.

[11] Wiggins said before the election writ was issued that he wished to make finance, particularly the government's duties on silk, a central point of his campaign.

This was consistent with his declared position as a Free Trader but was also designed to help the Oldham Unionist Association with their decision on whether to run a candidate or not.

Wiggins argued that Tout believed in the nationalisation of railways, mines and land, policies which went far beyond any Liberal approach and which amounted to socialism.

[12] David Lloyd George speaking in support of Wiggins at Oldham on 20 June 1925 said that socialism was the plain issue in the election.

The issue for Oldham, said Lloyd George, was whether they were in favour of taking all private property and the means of production and distribution and running it as a great department of state.