it was reported that only the Conservatives had managed to compete a thorough canvass of the whole constituency and that their organisation was better developed and more effectively directed than the other parties. Spears announced that on the basis of the canvass returns he was sure to win. Labour now sounded more self-assured as well, more optimistic about the turnout from the Labour and mining areas around Coalville and predicting a victory over the Liberals with Spears at the bottom of the poll. Edge's supporters would go no further than saying the result was ‘fifty-fifty’ between their candidate and the Labour Party. Result The result was a narrow victory for Sir William Edge by 271 votes over Labour, gaining the seat from the Conservatives. At the 1924 general election Robert Gee had had a majority of 358 votes over the Liberal candidate. The turnout in the by-election was 84.6%. The result was declared after an understandable Labour call for a recount. Aftermath Edge's victory at Bosworth was followed at Lancaster, St Ives and Eddisbury by further gains. These results caused the Conservatives to fear the possibility of a Liberal revival but they should however have been more worried about the rise of Labour. Over the course of the 1924-1929 Parliament, Labour made thirteen by-election gains in all, eleven from the Tories, and two from the Liberals and went on to win the 1929 general election. Labour had to wait until 1945 however before finally gaining Bosworth. References See also List of United Kingdom by-elections United Kingdom by-election records 1927 elections in the United Kingdom By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Leicestershire constituencies 1927 in England 1920s in Leicestershire