1989 Vale of Glamorgan by-election

A by-election was held for the British House of Commons constituency of Vale of Glamorgan on 4 May 1989 following the death of Conservative MP Sir Raymond Gower.

Eleven candidates stood, which remains the most in any Welsh by-election.

The result was a Labour gain, the party's first by-election gain of this parliamentary term, which came at a time when it was starting to match and even overtake the Conservative government in the opinion polls, just after the controversial poll tax was announced.

Vale of Glamorgan by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Smith	23,342	48.9	+14.2
	Conservative	Rod Richards	17,314	36.3	−10.5
	SLD	Frank Leavers	2,017	4.2	−12.5
	Plaid Cymru	John Dixon	1,672	3.5	+1.7
	SDP	Keith Davies	1,098	2.3
	Green	M. Wakefield	971	2.0
	Protect the Health Service	Christopher Tiarks	847	1.8
	Monster Raving Loony	David Sutch	266	0.5
	Independent Welsh Socialist	E. Roberts	148	0.3
	Corrective Party	Lindi St Claire	39	0.1
	Christian Alliance	David Black	32	0.1
Majority			6,028	12.6
Turnout				70.7
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	-12.35

See also

• List of United Kingdom by-elections
• Vale of Glamorgan (UK Parliament constituency)