 The major parties had an agreement not to contest by-elections in seats held by any of their members, but Brown stood as an independent candidate in the Rugby by-election on 29 April, and was returned as the independent MP for Rugby.Brown was re-elected at the 1945 general election as an Independent MP against both Conservative and Labour opposition.However, at the 1950 general election, he stood again as an independent, but came third with 20% of the vote.