Michael Russell

COMING ON 18 SEPTEMBER British By-Elections 1789-2025 - The 88 By-Election Campaigns That Shaped Our Politics Preorder a signed copy politicos.co.uk/products/by-el… Full list of by-elections and essay authors below. Parliamentary by-election happens when a seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant between general elections, whether the sitting MP dies, resigns, goes bankrupt, is convicted of a crime or is subject to a recall petition. Whatever the circumstances, by-elections have long provided some the most dramatic moments in British parliamentary history. In this latest volume of political essays, Iain Dale picks the most consequential by-elections of the modern era and presents a series of thoroughly researched, and absorbing essays by some of the finest political writers working today. Middlesex 1769 Robin Eagles Co Clare 1828 Richard Gaunt Preston 1830 Gordon Pentland Manchester Withington 1867 Peter Kellner Colchester 1870 Luke Blaxill Northampton 1884 Simon Barrow Mid Lanark 1888 Baroness Pauiine Bryan Oldham 1899 Alex Puffette Barnard Castle 1903 David Laws Norwich 1904 Duncan Brack Colne Valley 1907 Gerard Hetherington Manchester NW 1908 Pippa Caterall North East Derbyshire 1914 Gordon Marsden Merthyr Tydfil 1915 Sir Vernon Bogdanor Clare East 1917 Richard Grayson Spen Valley 1919 Roger Gough Paisley 1920 Hugh Gault Woolwich East 1921 Nan Sloane Cardiganshire 1921 Russell Deacon Newport 1922 Stephen Williams Mitcham 1923 Lewis Baston Westminster Abbey 1924 Lord Lexden Smethwick 1926 James Bird Westminster St George's 1931 Sir Robert Buckland Fulham East 1933 T G Otte Oxford 1938 Simon Heffer Kinross & West Perthshire 1938 Amy Gray Bridgwater 1938 Alun Evans Maldon 1942 Will Timmins West Derbyshire James Heale Motherwell & Wishaw 1945 Richard Finlay Bournemouth 1945 David Hencke Carmarthen 1957 Roger Awan-Scully Torrington 1958 Michael McManus Orpington 1962 Lord Norton Bristol Souh East 1963 Lee Evans Kinross & West Perthshire 1963 Andrew Holt Stratford upon Avon 1963 Scarlett Maguire Roxburgh, Selkirk & Peebles 1965 Sir Peter Riddell Leyton 1965 Richard Johnson Carmarthen 1966 Sam Blaxland Kingston upon Hull North 1966 Nick Thomas-Symonds Hamilton 1967 Mike Russell Sutton & Cheam 1972 Connor Hand Rochdale 1972 Alistair Burt Lincoln 1973 Julia Langdon Govan 1973 Gerry Hassan Woolwich West 1975 Amber Whapshott Walsall N 1976 John Barnes Workington 1976 Michael Mullaney Ashfield` 1977 Robert Waller Grimsby 1977 John Bowers Garscadden 1978 Mark Peel Liverpiool Edge Hill 1979 Lord Chris Rennard Fermanagh & South Tyrone x2 1981 Toby Harnden Crosby 1981 Matthew Cole Warrington 1981 Paul Linford Glasgow Hillhead 1982 Andrew Marr Bermondsey 1983 Sir John Curtice Darlington 1983 Francis Beckett Chesterfield 1984 Greg Rosen Greenwich 1986 Nigel Fletcher Govan 1988 Gerry Hassan Eastbourne 1990 Tim Bale Eastleigh 1993 Mark Garnett Christchurch 1993 Michael Crick Newbury 1993 Elinor Goodman Dudley W 1994 Lucia Henwood Winchester 1997 Jack Brown South Antrim 2000 Richard Bullick Brent East 2003 Joe Pike Haltemprice & Howden 2008 Robert Evans Glasgow East 2008 Lesley Orr Crewe & Nantwich 2008 Lord Stephen Parkinson Clacton 2014 Tim Shipman Richmond Park 2016 Aggie Chambre Batley & Spen 2016 Mathew Hulbert Copeland 2017 Chris Whiteside Hartlepool 2021 Alia Middleton Batley & Spen 2021 Emma Burnell Chesham & Amersham 2021 Rosie Campbell North Shropshire 2021 Corey Froggatt Southend West 2022 Iain Dale Mid Bedfordshire 2023 Henry Riley Selby & Ainsty 2023 Edward Young Rutherglen 2023 Mark McGeoghegan Rochdale 2024 Sunder Katwala Runcorn - 2025 - Harry Horton

I have always wanted to do that crossing - alas can’t be there in the 24th!

This has already been done on a number of woodland crofts projects. The interesting new dimension could be the provision of a croft house as part of the tenancy (as landlord's fixed equipment) The challenge is there is no funding yet to support the construction of such a house.

'Major breakthrough for Bays of Harris community buyout as estate owners agree in-principle sale.' More details in the link below: hebrides-news.com/major-mileston… #CommunityLandOwnership

Good to see that ⁦@ScottishLandCom⁩ has started to publish responses to the #ScotlandFutures initiative. There is still time to have your say…... Four voices, one question: Part 1 - News - News & Events - Scottish Land Commission. landcommission.gov.scot/news-events/bl…

Sorry to hear this. Jamie was a true original. Although he was my opponent in the 2011 election we had enjoyed a good relationship from the start of @ScotParl in 1999. He was very active in his own locality & on his own special interests like agriculture & fresh water fisheries

🚨 We’re hiring: Head of Practice and Advice Lead our Good Practice team and help shape how land is owned and used across Scotland. 💼 Permanent | £56,382–£69,018 📍 Inverness (hybrid) | 35hrs, flexible/part-time options 📅 Apply by 5pm, Fri 1 Aug 🗓 Interviews: 13–14 Aug, Inverness 🔗 buff.ly/hiKmIey

Sorry to hear this. A dynamic but also endlessly charming force for the language and culture who knew how to get the best from those who had the power to deliver. A great friend to @CelticMediaFest in its early days.

I shiver as I commemorate the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica. I shiver as I see that the lessons of the past are not learnt to prevent the genocide of today, nor yo heal any wounds, past and present. Honoured to be, today and tomorrow, at the @warmfestival in Sarajevo. 🇧🇦

📢 We’re hiring a Head of Practice and Advice! Shape land reform in Scotland, lead our Good Practice Programme, and support responsible land ownership. 📍 Inverness (hybrid) 💼 Permanent, 35h (flex/part-time considered) 💷 £56,382 - £69,018 Apply by 1 Aug. Interviews 13/14 Aug. 🔗 buff.ly/sWj6qcC

Crofting Act section 1 - "In exercising their functions the Commission must have regard to the desirability of supporting population retention in the crofting counties". Hard to do that if some crofters undermine local communities by declining to live locally. No longer......

Trustees say their hands have been forced to sell clan lands on Skye by a drop in funding. MSPs say it proves the need for change. holyrood.com/inside-politic…

@TriciaMarwick Determined as ever ! Take care but keep that determination ….!!!!!

On Sunday 3rd June 1973 at 9.12am the Sound of Shuna left Hunter’s Quay for McInroy’s Point on the first ever Western Ferries’ (Clyde) sailing. We’re proud to have served our #Argyll and #Inverclyde communities for 52 years.

A hugely inspiring Community Land Scotland conference at @SabhalMorOstaig in Skye. Great contributions from a wide range of speakers. Enthusiasm and drive to deliver more #LandReform in Scotland.

@TimEagleHI @Galbraith_Group @NatureScot @AgriEleanor @katharine_hay @TheScotsman @_KateForbes @scotgov Our final panel of #SLEConf25 sees SLE’s CEO @SJLaing in discussion with @GMacandrew’s Robert Scott-Dempster and @ScottishLandCom Chairman @Feorlean. A robust debate on the question: How important is it who owns land in Scotland?

I'll be joining the panel discussion at the Community Land Scotland conference in Skye this week along with Roseanna Cunningham and Peter Peacock. A great opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved through community land ownership & a look ahead to future opportunities.

Crofting is an important part of Scotland's land system, one that can deliver on many opportunities for rural Scotland. @CroftingScot are now recruiting two new board members👇

Interested? Online Q&A this Thursday at 7pm if you are. Link in application pack. Hope to see you there. crofting.scotland.gov.uk/recruitment-of…

Scotland has one of the most concentrated land ownership patterns in Europe. We also invented one of the most effective small scale regulated land tenure systems in the world. Time now to modernise and make more of that system. Can you help? crofting.scotland.gov.uk/recruitment-of…