When the House of Commons had official confirmation that Mitchell was disqualified, it voted to declare the seat vacant and call a by-election. A Unionist meeting was called for 25 July at the Orange Hall in Omagh to select a candidate; the meeting was presided over by the Duke of Abercorn and the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Viscount Brookeborough was present. Although there was strong support for the view that no Unionist candidate should stand, the meeting decided after considerable discussion to renominate Beattie.