Finchley by-election, 1984 (Successful Brighton Bombing)

The Finchley by-election of 1984 was a parliamentary by-election in the Finchley constituency in Greater London. Judith Warner of the Conservative Party won with a 24.5% majority.

Background
The Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had been assassinated on October 13 in a event later known as the "Brighton Hotel Bombing". After her state funeral on October 27, the writ was officially moved for a by-election on December 13, held simultaneously with a by-election in Enfield Southgate.

Candidates
The Conservatives nominated Judith Warner, a local councillor for the area. Labour and the SDP/Liberal Alliance also nominated local people, Karen Buck and Kenneth Hunter, who had stood in local elections two years earlier. Other candidates were Stanley Jones of the Ecology Party, frequent perennial candidate and Pop singer David Sutch who stood for his joke Monster Raving Loony Party, Independents James Hopkins (who had contested the neighbouring Chipping Barnet constituency) and Leonard Hall, and Christina Ott who stood for the Communists.

Results
Because the seat had been held by Margaret Thatcher, the by-election received a large amount of media coverage. It is notable in that it has the biggest recorded increase in turnout in a by-election and the sixth highest turnout overall.

Opinion Polling
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:95%;line-height:14px" !! style="width:75px;"| Date conducted!! style="width:200px;"|Polling organisation/Election!! class="unsortable"! style="background:#0087DC; width:60px;"| Con !! class="unsortable" style="background:#DC241F; width:60px;"| Lab !! class="unsortable"! style="background:#FDBB30; width:60px;"| Lib/SDP !! class="unsortable"! style="background:#DDDDDD; width:60px;"| Others !!class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| Lead
 * Dec 13 1984||Finchley by-election, 1984||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 52% ||28%||16%||4%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 24%
 * Dec 2 1984||Marplan/Sunday Mirror||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 49% ||27%||23%||1%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 22%
 * Nov 18 1984||MORI/Sunday Times||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 44% ||28%||26%||2%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 11%
 * Jun 9 1983||1983 General Election: Finchley||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 51% ||26%||20%||3%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 25%
 * Nov 18 1984||MORI/Sunday Times||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 44% ||28%||26%||2%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 11%
 * Jun 9 1983||1983 General Election: Finchley||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 51% ||26%||20%||3%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 25%
 * Jun 9 1983||1983 General Election: Finchley||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 51% ||26%||20%||3%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 25%
 * Jun 9 1983||1983 General Election: Finchley||style="background-color:#B3E0FF;"| 51% ||26%||20%||3%||style="background-color:#0087DC;"| 25%