[1] The constituency returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.The by-election was caused by the death of Sir James Jacoby on 23 June 1909.The Liberals easily held the seat at the last election, with an increased majority; The local Liberal Association selected 51-year-old John Hancock to defend the seat.Hancock closely associated himself with Lloyd George's People's Budget.[4] During the campaign Hancock agreed that if elected, he would sign the Labour Party constitution.