List of ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain
Date Constituency c/u Former incumbent Winner Position
28 January 1734 St Germans u Dudley Ryder Dudley Ryder Solicitor General for England and Wales
28 January 1734 West Looe u John Willes John Willes Attorney General for England and Wales
26 January 1734 Downton u John Verney John Verney Chief Justice of Chester
3 August 1733 Selkirkshire u James Rutherford James Rutherford Commissary of Peebles
4 July 1733 Hampshire u Lord Harry Powlett Lord Harry Powlett Naval Lord
25 June 1733 Andover u James Brudenell James Brudenell Groom of the Bedchamber
11 June 1733 Mitchell u Thomas Farrington Thomas Farrington Auditor of the Land Revenues for Wales
29 May 1733 Northallerton u Leonard Smelt Leonard Smelt Clerk of the Ordnance
22 May 1733 Malmesbury u William Rawlinson Earle William Rawlinson Earle Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance
7 March 1733 Kingston upon Hull u George Crowle George Crowle Victualling Commissioner
1 February 1733 Bath u George Wade George Wade Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed
23 January 1733 Northampton u Edward Montagu Edward Montagu Governor of Kingston upon Hull
15 June 1732 Liskeard u Thomas Clutterbuck Thomas Clutterbuck Lord of the Admiralty
15 May 1732 New Windsor u Lord Vere Beauclerk Lord Vere Beauclerk Commissioner of the Navy
15 April 1732 Minehead u Francis Whitworth Francis Whitworth Surveyor General of Woods , Forests , Parks , and Chases
21 January 1732 Plymouth u Robert Byng Robert Byng Commissioner of the Navy
4 June 1731 Ayr Burghs u William Steuart William Steuart Paymaster of Pensions
17 May 1731 Knaresborough u Richard Arundell Richard Arundell Surveyor of the King 's Private Roads
3 May 1731 Rochester u David Polhill David Polhill Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London
9 February 1731 Yarmouth u Maurice Morgan Maurice Morgan Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Wight
Elections -- 7th Parliament ( 1727–1734 )
Ministerial by-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain at Westminster were held from 1707 to 1801, when a member of parliament (MP) was appointed as a minister in the government. Unlike most Westminster by-elections, ministerial by-elections were often a formality, uncontested by opposition parties. Re-election was required under the Succession to the Crown Act 1707. This was in line with the principle established in 1624 that accepting an office of profit from the Crown would precipitate resignation from the House, with the option of standing for re-election. Typically a minister sought re-election in the same constituency he had just vacated, but occasionally contested another seat which was also vacant. In 1910 The Times newspaper noted that the relevant Act had been passed in the reign of Queen Anne to prevent the Court from swamping the House of Commons with and pensioners, and described the process as anomalous and indefensible in the 20th century. The Re-Election of Ministers Act 1919 ended the necessity to seek re-election within nine months of a general election, and the Re-Election of Ministers Act (1919) Amendment Act 1926 ended the practice in all other cases.