Maldon by-election, 1942

The Maldon by-election, 1942 was a parliamentary by-election held on 25 June 1942 for the British House of Commons constituency of Maldon in Essex. It was one a series of by-elections in World War II won by radical independent candidates.

The seat had become vacant on when the constituency's Conservative Member of Parliament (MP), Sir Edward Ruggles-Brise, had died on 12 May, aged 59. He been Maldon's MP since the 1922 general election, with a brief interruption from 1923 to 1924.

During World War II, unopposed by-elections were common, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties; contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand.

The Conservative candidate in Maldon, R. J. Hunt, thus faced neither a Labour Party nor a Liberal candidate. However, the left-wing journalist Tom Driberg stood as an "Independent Labour" candidate. Driberg was well known as the Daily Express columnist "William Hickey" and had a home in Bradwell-on-Sea - the only candidate who lived in the constituency. He was a member of the "1941 Committee", a group of progressive intellectuals who met under the chairmanship of J. B. Priestley at the home of Edward G. Hulton, the owner of the Picture Post newspaper. At the start of May, the Committee had published a "Nine-Point Plan" calling for works councils and the publication of "post-war plans for the provision of full and free education, employment and a civilized standard of living for everyone." The Plan formed the basis of Driberg's campaign.

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