BRIEFING PAPER
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017
UK Election Statistics:
1918-2017
By
Lukas Audickas
Oliver Hawkins
Richard Cracknell
Inside:
1. Introduction
2. General elections since 1918
3. House of Commons byelections
4. European Parliament
elections
5. Elections to devolved
legislatures and London
elections
6. Local Elections
7. Police and Crime
Commissioner (PCC) Elections
8. Referendums
9. Appendix A: Voting systems
and electoral geographies
used in UK elections
www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | [email protected] | @commonslibrary
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017
Contents
1.
Introduction
2.
2.1
General elections since 1918
Summary of results
Conservatives
Labour
Liberals
Scottish National Party
Plaid Cymru
Other parties
Speaker
Governments formed
Turnout and electorate
Spoilt Ballots
Postal votes
Characteristics of Members of Parliament
Gender
Age of MPs
Ethnicity
Parliamentary experience
Social background of Members of Parliament
Education
Occupation
6
6
7
7
8
8
8
8
9
11
25
26
26
27
27
28
29
30
30
31
31
3.
3.1
3.2
House of Commons by-elections
Great Britain
Northern Ireland
35
35
45
4.
European Parliament elections
(UK)
49
49
5.
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
Elections to devolved legislatures and London elections
National Assembly for Wales
Scottish Parliament
Northern Ireland Assembly
London Assembly
Mayor of London
Women’s representation in devolved assemblies and the European Parliament
51
51
53
55
57
59
61
6.
6.1
6.2
Local Elections
Council Elections
Elected Mayors (outside London)
62
62
66
7.
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Elections
76
8.
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
Referendums
European Union Referendum (June 2016)
Europe (June 1975)
Scotland (1979, 1997 and 2014)
Wales (1979, 1997 and 2011)
Northern Ireland (1973 and 1998)
London (May 1998)
North East England (November 2004)
Alternative Vote (May 2011)
79
79
79
80
82
83
83
84
84
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
4
2
3
UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
9.
Appendix A: Voting systems and electoral geographies used in UK
elections
General Elections
Local government elections
England and Wales
Scotland and Northern Ireland
European Parliament Elections
Elections to devolved parliaments and assemblies
Mayoral Elections
Further information
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
Contributing Authors:
85
85
85
85
85
85
86
86
87
Lukas Audickas, Social and General Statistics
Oliver Hawkins, Social and General Statistics
Richard Cracknell, Social and General Statistics
Cover page image was compiled by Lukas Audickas using pictures by :
-
Hamish Irvine / Scottish Parliament Building (Top left corner). Licensed by CC
Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) / image cropped
-
Gary Eldridge / The Senedd (Top right corner). Licensed by CC AttributionNonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) / image cropped
-
Stacey MacNaught / Town Hall Albert Square, Manchester (Middle left side),
Licensed by CC Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) / image
cropped
-
Robert Young / Stormont (Middle right side), Licensed by CC AttributionNonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) / image cropped
-
Paul Hudson / Weekend Walk: London Assembly Building (Bottom left corner)
Licensed by CC Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) / image
cropped
-
Steven Gerner / Westminster Palace (Bottom right corner) Licensed by CC
Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) / image cropped
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017
1. Introduction
This paper provides summary results for UK elections from 1918 to 2017, focusing on
elections to the House of Commons.
1918 marked a major shift in British electoral politics. An extension of the electoral
franchise meant women aged over 30 were able to vote in general elections for the first
time. It was no longer necessary to hold property in order to be able to vote, thus bringing
many more working class people into the electorate. The Liberals’ position as one of the
two dominant parties in British politics alongside the Conservatives was threatened by
splits in the party leadership. Labour became the main opposition party at the 1918
General Election as a consequence of a Conservative-Liberal coalition, and by 1922 Labour
had supplanted the Liberals as the Conservatives’ main challenger.
Since 1918, British elections have been dominated by the Conservatives and Labour. In 16
out of 26 general elections since 1918 the Conservative Party won most seats, while
Labour won most seats on the other ten occasions. In all general elections between 1918
and 1945 the Conservatives received more votes than any other party; only in 1997 did
they get less than 35% of the vote.
Labour did not win a House of Commons majority until 1945, although it twice formed
minority governments after the 1923 and 1929 elections. Labour became the second
largest party at Westminster behind the Conservatives in 1922, when it received slightly
more votes than the Liberals but won more than twice as many seats.
Between 1945 and 1970 all but a handful of House of Commons seats were held by the
Conservatives and Labour, who together took about nine in every ten votes cast in general
elections over this period. From 1974 to 2010 an increasing share of the vote went to the
Liberal Party and its successor, the Liberal Democrats. In 2015 the Scottish National Party
became the third largest in Parliament with 56 MPs. After the last election the number of
Liberal Democrat MPs decreased from 57 in 2010 to 8 in 2015. There has also been an
increase in support for candidates other than the four largest parties (those with 8 or
more MPs). The other parties and independent candidates won nearly 20% of vote in
2015 compared to less than 1% in 1951.
The profile of Members elected at general elections has altered since 1918. Only one of
the 707 Members elected in 1918 was a woman, compared to 191 out of 650 MPs in
2015. Four Labour MPs elected in 1987 were the first black and minority ethnic (BME)
Members to sit in the House in the post-war era; today there are 41 Members from BME
backgrounds. Today more MPs have been to university than was the case sixty years ago,
while the numbers who attended private schools or went to Oxbridge has decreased.
The growth in support for smaller parties at general elections can also be observed in local
government elections and elections to the European Parliament. The Conservative, Labour
and Liberal Democrat parties won 97% of the vote in the 1979 European Parliament
elections but only 56% in 2014. The introduction of a proportional voting system for
European Parliament elections in 1999 was a factor in more MEPs being elected from
other parties. The First Past the Post electoral system used in Westminster elections and
local elections in England and Wales means that the increase in votes for other parties has
not translated to the same extent into an increase in their number of MPs or councillors.
4
5
UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
The Scottish National Party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru have generally performed better in
devolved elections than in Westminster elections. While the SNP has improved on its
performance in the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999, Plaid Cymru has been unable
to match its performance in 1999 at subsequent Assembly elections.
Parliamentary by-elections are now less common than 50 years ago and in areas that have
moved from a two-tier structure to unitary status, local elections are less frequent.
However, devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the introduction of
elected mayors and police and crime commissioners mean additional events have been
added to the electoral calendar.
Detailed results from individual elections can be found in relevant House of Commons Library
research papers, and underlying data for each chart and figure and additional statistics can be
found in the accompanying Excel file. This paper replaces Library Research Paper 12/43
Election Statistics: UK 1918-2015.
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017
6
2. General elections since 1918
2.1 Summary of results
There have been 26 UK general elections since 1918. On 16 occasions
the Conservatives won the most seats while Labour won the most seats
on ten occasions.
Detailed analysis of
General Election 2015 is
available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing Paper CBP-7186
The Conservatives held the most seats following the 1923 General
Election but resigned government to be replaced by a minority Labour
administration. Labour was the largest party in the House of Commons
after the 1929 and February 1974 general elections and on both
occasions formed a minority government. In 2010, the Conservatives
were the largest party and formed coalition government with Liberal
Democrats. In 2015, the Conservatives won the most seats and formed
a majority government.
On three occasions, the party with the most votes did not win the most
seats. In 1929 and in February 1974, Labour polled fewer votes than the
Conservatives but had more MPs. In 1951 the Conservatives won the
most seats but received fewer votes than Labour.
Most recently, in 2015 the Conservatives secured an eleven seat
majority, this was the smallest majority since the 1974 Labour victory
which had a four seat majority, and the first overall Conservative
majority since 1992.
Share of the vote by party: UK General Elections, 1918-2015
70%
60%
50%
40%
CON
30%
LAB
20%
Other
10%
LD
PC/SNP
Note: Liberal vote share includes votes for Liberal/SDP alliance (1983-87) and Liberal Democrats
from 1992. Figures for 1918 include all Ireland.
2015
2010
2005
2001
1997
1992
1987
1983
1979
Oct 1974
1970
Feb 1974
1966
1964
1959
1955
1951
1950
1945
1935
1931
1929
1924
1923
1922
1918
0%
UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Conservative vote share
1918-2015 (%)
Conservatives
The Conservatives’ best results in terms of both share of the vote and
seats won was in the 1931 General Election, which followed the
creation of a National Coalition government between Ramsay
MacDonald’s National Labour, the Conservatives and some Liberal
Members. The Conservatives received 55.5% of the vote and won 474
seats (60.8% of the vote and 522 seats if National, National Liberal and
National Labour candidates are included). The party’s best result in
terms of seats won since 1945 was at the 1983 General Election, when
397 Conservative MPs were elected. Its highest share of the vote was
49.7% in 1955. At the 1997 General Election, there were 165
Conservative MPs elected and the party received 30.7% of the vote.
This was its worst performance in terms of share of the vote and seats
won since 1918.
Seats won by party at UK General Elections: 1918-2010
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
700
700
600
600
500
Other
LAB
400
50%
SNP
400
LAB
CON
CON
2010
2015
2010
2001
2005
1997
1992
1987
1983
1979
Oct 1974
1970
Feb 1974
1966
1964
1959
1955
1950
1951
1945
0
1935
0
1931
100
1929
100
1924
200
1923
200
1922
LD
300
2015
300
100%
Other
500
LD
1918
7
Note: Liberal seats include seats won by Liberal/SDP alliance (1983-87 and Liberal Democrats from
1992. Figures for 1918 include all Ireland.
Labour
The first Labour majority government was elected in 1945, although it
has twice formed a minority government (following the 1923 and 1929
general elections). After the 1918 election, a coalition between
Conservatives and Liberals meant Labour became the largest opposition
party despite having only 59 MPs. The 1929 election was the first time
they were the largest party in terms of MPs elected, winning 287 out of
615 seats. However, only 52 Labour MPs were returned in the 1931
General Election, following the formation of the National Coalition
government.
418 Labour MPs were elected in 1997, the highest number ever. The
highest share of the vote received by Labour in a general election was
48.8% in 1951, when the Conservatives won the most seats despite
polling fewer votes.
Labour’s worst general election performance of the post-war years was
in 1983, with 27.6% of the vote and won 209 seats.
Labour vote share 19182015 (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
50%
100%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017
8
Liberals
The Liberal Party was replaced by Labour as the main challenger to the
Conservatives in the aftermath of the First World War. The Liberal Party
had won 399 seats at the 1906 General Election, a majority of 129, and
in both elections of 1910 they had been the largest party in terms of
seats won. However after the 1929 election, when 59 Liberal MPs were
elected, the party ceased to challenge on the same scale as the
Conservatives and Labour. The party split in 1931/32, with National
Liberals in government under Ramsay MacDonald. Only 117 Liberal
candidates contested the 1931 election; 36 were elected.
The Liberal Party contested the 1983 and 1987 elections in alliance with
the Social Democratic Party (SDP), before the two parties merged in
1988 to form the Liberal Democrat Party. The SDP had been established
in January 1981 and by March 1982 it had 29 MPs, most of whom had
defected from Labour. The Alliance received a quarter of votes cast in
the 1983 election, but won only 23 seats.
62 Liberal Democrat MPs were elected in 2005, the highest number for
the Party and its predecessors since 1923 (when the Liberals won 158
seats). In 2015 the number of Liberal Democrat MPs fell to 8 compared
with 57 at the 2010 General Election.
Liberal Democrats vote
share 1918-2015 (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
50%
100%
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party (SNP) won its first seat at a general
election in 1970, although it had previously won seats at by-elections in
1945 and 1967. Until the most recent 2015 general election, the
October 1974 election, when the party received over 30% of the vote in
Scotland and won eleven seats, was the SNPs greatest victory. However,
in 2015, the SNP won 56 of Scotland’s 59 seats with 50% of the
Scottish vote.
The SNP’s performance reflected those of the Conservative and Labour
parties, in that they received a larger percentage of Commons seats
(9%) than they did of the UK vote (5%).
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru won its first seats in a general election in February 1974,
having previously won a by-election in 1966. Its highest share of the
vote in Wales was 14.3% in 2001. The most seats won by Plaid Cymru
at a general election is four, in 1992, 1997 and 2001.
Other parties
In 2015 the ‘Other’ political parties received 19.6% of the UK vote, their
largest percentage of the vote since 1918. ‘Other’ parties also secured
3.2% of Commons seats, compared to 14.9% in 1918.
The UK Independence Party won its first seat in 2015 with 12.6% of
votes, a rise 9.5% compared to 2010. It also came second in 120
constituencies.
Three MPs were elected as independents or for smaller parties in the
2005 general election, (excluding MPs for Northern Ireland seats and
PC/SNP vote share 19182015 (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
5%
Note:
Horizontal axis range is 0 - 10%
10%
9
UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
SNP and Plaid Cymru). This was the highest number since 1945, when
21 MPs in Great Britain were elected as independents or for smaller
parties. The Green Party won a House of Commons seat for the first
time at a 2010 General Election, this seat (Brighton Pavilion) remained
the only Green seat after the 2015 General Election. Although the
Green Party did not increase its number of Commons seats at the 2015
General Election, their share of the UK vote increased by 2.8%.
Since Northern Ireland was established in 1922, the Ulster Unionists
dominated elections to Westminster as well as to the devolved Northern
Ireland Parliament, and the few seats that did not return Unionist
candidates were generally won by the Nationalist Party. Northern Ireland
politics altered in the early 1970s when new parties were created. On
the unionist side, there were the Democratic Unionists and the
Vanguard Unionists, while the SDLP swiftly emerged as the main
nationalist party after its formation in 1970. 1 The Ulster Unionists took
the Conservative whip at Westminster until 1972. In this paper, Ulster
Unionist general election candidates are listed as Conservatives for
elections up to 1970 but are listed separately from 1974.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has been replaced by the Democratic
Unionist Party (DUP) as the main unionist party in 2001. Having held a
majority of seats in 1997, the Ulster Unionists failed to win a seat in
2010, but secured two in 2015. The DUP currently hold eight seats.
Sinn Féin increased its share of the vote at every general election
between 1992 and 2010, when they held five seats, in 2015 it reduced
to four. The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) won three
seats at each general election since 1997 although its share of the
Northern Ireland vote declined from 24.1% in 1997 to 13.9% in 2015.
Speaker
The Speaker of the House of Commons now contests general elections
as “the Speaker seeking re-election” rather than as a party candidate.
By convention the main parties generally not stand against the Speaker
in a general election, although there have been several occasions in
which the Speaker faced opposition from candidates for the main
parties (most recently in 1987). In this paper, the Speaker is listed under
‘Other’ for elections from 1997 onwards. For elections before 1997, the
Speaker is listed under the party for which he or she was formerly a
Member.
1
Sydney Elliot, Voting systems and political parties in Northern Ireland, in Brigid
Hadfield (ed.), Northern Ireland: Politics and the Constitution, 1992, pp85-90
Other party vote share
1918-2015 (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
10%
20%
Note:
Horizontal axis range is 0 - 30%
30%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 10
Governments formed following general elections,
1918 to 2015
Date
14/12/1918
15/11/1922
06/12/1923
29/10/1924
30/05/1929
27/10/1931
14/11/1935
05/07/1945
23/02/1950
25/10/1951
26/05/1955
08/10/1959
15/10/1964
31/03/1966
18/06/1970
28/02/1974
10/10/1974
03/05/1979
09/06/1983
11/06/1987
09/04/1992
01/05/1997
07/06/2001
05/05/2005
06/05/2010
07/05/2015
2
3
4
5
6
Party forming
government
Prime Minister
Coalition
David Lloyd George
283
Conservative
Labour
Andrew Bonar Law
Ramsay MacDonald
74
None
Conservative
Labour
National
National
Stanley Baldwin
Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
Stanley Baldwin
210
None
492
242
Labour
Labour
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Labour
Labour
Conservative
Labour
Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Anthony Eden
Labour
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Harold Wilson
Margaret Thatcher
Harold Macmillan
Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
Edward Heath
Harold Wilson
Labour
Labour
Labour
Coalition
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
John Major
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
David Cameron
Conservative
David Cameron
1
Majority
147
6
16
59
99
5
97
31
None
4
44
144
101
21
178
166
65
77
11
Notes:
1. Government majority is calculated as the number of seats held by the governing parties minus the number of seats held by all
other parties or independent Members. The Speaker is excluded when calculating the majority, but MPs who did not take
their seats (for example Sinn Féin Members) are included.
2. The Conservatives and Prime Minister David Lloyd George's wing of the Liberal Party contested the 1918 General Election as a
Coalition. More than half of House of Commons seats were won by Conservative candidates, so that the subsequent
Coalition government was Conservative dominated. Majority of 283 is calculated including the 73 Sinn Fein Members who
did not take their seats.
3. Labour formed a government after the 1923 election but the Conservatives had won the most seats (although not a majority).
5. Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald led a 'National Government' into the 1931 election which consisted of the Conservative and
Liberal parties along with a few National Labour Members like MacDonald. Conservatives won over three quarters of seats so
that the National Government was Conservative dominated.
5. The Conservatives contested the 1935 election again as part of a National Government. The Prime Minister before and after
the election, Stanley Baldwin, was a Conservative. The National Government remained Conservative dominated as over half
of House of Commons seats were won by Conservative candidates.
6. The Conservatives were the largest party following the 2010 election but did not have a majority. A coalition government was
formed with the Liberal Democrats.
Sources:
1. Colin Railings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. Peter Joyce, Politico's Guide to UK General Elections 1832-2001
11 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Years spent in office by Prime Ministers 1916-2016:
Margaret Thatcher
1979-1990
Tony Blair
1997-2007
Winston Churchill
1940-1945 & 1951-1955
Harold Wilson
1964-1970 & 1974-1976
Stanley Baldwin
1923, 1924-1929 & 1935-1937
Ramsay MacDonald
1924 & 1929-1935
Harold Macmillan
1957-1963
John Major
1990-1997
Clement Attlee
1945-1951
David Cameron
2010-2016
David Lloyd George
1916-1922
Edward Heath
1970-1974
James Callaghan
1976-1979
Neville Chamberlain
1937-1940
Gordon Brown
2007-2010
Anthony Eden
1955-1957
Alec Douglas-Home
1963-1964
Andrew Bonar Law
1922-1923
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Note: Theresa May has been Prime Minister since 13 July 2016.
Source: David Butler and Gareth Butler (2011), British Political Facts
2.2 Governments formed
Since 1918 there have been eleven Conservative governments, eleven
Labour governments, two national governments and two coalition
governments.
National and Coalition Governments 1918-2015
National Governments
•
1931: Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald led a 'National Government' into the 1931 election
which consisted of the Conservative and Liberal parties along with a few National Labour
Members like MacDonald. Conservatives won more than three quarters of seats so that the
National Government was Conservative dominated.
•
1935: The Conservatives contested the 1935 election again as part of a National Government.
The Prime Minister before and after the election, Stanley Baldwin, was a Conservative. The
National Government remained Conservative dominated as over half of House of Commons
seats were won by Conservative candidates.
Coalition Governments
•
1918: The Conservatives and Prime Minister David Lloyd George's wing of the Liberal Party
contested the 1918 General Election as a Coalition. The subsequent Coalition government was
Conservative dominated, as the Conservatives won more than half of seats.
•
2010: The Conservatives were the largest party following the 2010 election but did not have a
majority. A coalition government was formed with the Liberal Democrats.
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 12
Table 1a: General Election Results, 1918-2015: United Kingdom 1
Votes (millions)
2
CON
1918 4
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
4.14
5.50
5.51
7.85
8.66
13.16
11.76
9.97
12.47
13.72
13.29
13.75
11.98
11.42
13.15
11.83
10.43
13.70
13.01
13.74
14.09
9.60
8.34
8.78
10.70
11.30
LAB
2.25
4.24
4.44
5.49
8.37
6.65
8.33
11.97
13.27
13.95
12.41
12.22
12.21
13.07
12.18
11.65
11.46
11.51
8.46
10.03
11.56
13.52
10.72
9.55
8.61
9.35
Share of vote (%)
2
LAB
CON
1918 4
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
38.4%
38.2%
37.9%
47.2%
38.2%
60.8%
53.5%
39.7%
43.3%
48.0%
49.6%
49.4%
43.3%
41.9%
46.4%
37.8%
35.7%
43.9%
42.4%
42.2%
41.9%
30.7%
31.6%
32.4%
36.1%
36.8%
20.8%
29.4%
30.5%
33.0%
37.0%
30.7%
37.9%
47.7%
46.1%
48.8%
46.4%
43.8%
44.1%
47.9%
43.0%
37.2%
39.3%
36.9%
27.6%
30.8%
34.4%
43.2%
40.7%
35.2%
29.0%
30.4%
3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
2.79
4.14
4.30
2.93
5.31
1.48
1.44
2.25
2.62
0.73
0.72
1.64
3.10
2.33
2.12
6.06
5.35
4.31
7.78
7.34
6.00
5.24
4.81
5.99
6.84
2.42
..
..
..
..
0.00
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.03
0.02
0.06
0.10
0.13
0.19
0.48
0.80
1.01
0.64
0.46
0.54
0.78
0.78
0.46
0.59
0.66
1.64
1.61
0.51
0.29
0.37
0.31
0.35
0.43
0.86
0.39
0.18
0.29
0.16
0.24
0.26
0.42
1.00
0.95
1.07
0.96
0.88
1.18
2.14
2.03
2.24
2.88
6.00
10.79
14.39
14.55
16.64
22.65
21.66
22.00
25.10
28.77
28.60
26.76
27.86
27.66
27.26
28.34
31.34
29.19
31.22
30.67
32.53
33.61
31.29
26.37
27.15
29.69
30.70
3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
25.8%
28.8%
29.6%
17.6%
23.4%
6.8%
6.6%
9.0%
9.1%
2.6%
2.7%
5.9%
11.2%
8.5%
7.5%
19.3%
18.3%
13.8%
25.4%
22.6%
17.8%
16.8%
18.3%
22.0%
23.0%
7.9%
..
..
..
..
0.0%
0.1%
0.1%
0.2%
0.1%
0.1%
0.2%
0.4%
0.5%
0.7%
1.7%
2.6%
3.4%
2.0%
1.5%
1.7%
2.3%
2.5%
1.8%
2.2%
2.2%
5.3%
14.9%
3.6%
2.0%
2.2%
1.4%
1.6%
2.0%
3.4%
1.4%
0.6%
1.1%
0.6%
0.9%
1.0%
1.5%
3.2%
3.3%
3.4%
3.1%
2.7%
3.5%
6.8%
7.7%
8.2%
9.7%
19.6%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
LD
Number of votes
(millions)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
LD
LAB
CON
0
LD
5
10
15
Share of votes (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
25%
50%
75%
13 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 1b: General Election Results, 1918-2015: United Kingdom1
Candidates
2
LAB
LD
3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
445
482
536
534
590
583
515
618
618
617
623
625
629
629
629
623
621
622
633
632
645
648
643
630
631
647
361
414
427
514
569
516
552
603
617
590
620
621
628
621
624
623
623
622
633
633
634
639
640
627
631
631
421
485
457
339
513
117
161
306
475
104
110
216
365
311
332
517
619
577
633
633
632
639
639
626
631
631
..
..
..
..
3
7
9
15
10
9
13
25
28
43
101
106
107
107
110
109
107
112
112
99
99
99
396
60
26
41
55
69
111
141
148
56
43
49
97
103
151
266
282
648
569
318
931
1,686
1,285
1,572
2,158
1,963
1,623
1,441
1,446
1,428
1,730
1,292
1,348
1,683
1,868
1,376
1,409
1,536
1,747
1,707
1,837
2,135
2,252
2,576
2,578
2,325
2,949
3,724
3,319
3,554
4,150
3,971
Seats won
2
CON
LAB
LD
3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
382
344
258
412
260
522
429
210
298
321
345
365
304
253
330
297
277
339
397
376
336
165
166
198
306
330
57
142
191
151
287
52
154
393
315
295
277
258
317
364
288
301
319
269
209
229
271
418
412
355
258
232
163
115
158
40
59
36
21
12
9
6
6
6
9
12
6
14
13
11
23
22
20
46
52
62
57
8
..
..
..
..
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
14
4
4
6
7
10
9
9
9
59
105
14
8
12
9
5
11
25
3
3
2
1
0
1
5
14
12
12
17
17
17
20
20
22
20
21
707
615
615
615
615
615
615
640
625
625
630
630
630
630
630
635
635
635
650
650
651
659
659
646
650
650
CON
4
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
4
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
Number of candidates
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
250
500
750
Number of seats won
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
200
400
600
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 14
Table 1c: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Great Britain
Votes (millions)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
CON2
LAB
LD3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
3.85
5.39
5.40
7.40
8.30
13.01
11.76
9.58
12.12
13.44
12.84
13.31
11.58
11.05
12.72
11.83
10.43
13.70
13.01
13.74
14.05
9.59
8.34
8.78
10.70
11.29
2.25
4.24
4.44
5.49
8.37
6.64
8.33
11.90
13.20
13.89
12.37
12.17
12.10
12.99
12.08
11.65
11.46
11.51
8.46
10.03
11.56
13.52
10.72
9.55
8.61
9.35
2.79
4.14
4.30
2.93
5.21
1.48
1.44
2.25
2.62
0.73
0.72
1.64
3.08
2.30
2.11
6.06
5.35
4.31
7.78
7.34
6.00
5.24
4.81
5.99
6.84
2.42
..
..
..
..
0.00
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.03
0.02
0.06
0.10
0.13
0.19
0.48
0.80
1.01
0.64
0.46
0.54
0.78
0.78
0.66
0.59
0.66
1.64
0.86
0.41
0.17
0.30
0.25
0.23
0.44
0.59
0.25
0.05
0.12
0.07
0.12
0.14
0.17
0.28
0.25
0.37
0.20
0.15
0.44
1.36
1.02
1.52
2.21
5.29
9.75
14.18
14.31
16.12
22.14
21.37
22.00
24.38
28.21
28.13
26.11
27.29
27.02
26.67
27.57
30.62
28.49
30.53
29.91
31.80
32.83
30.50
25.56
26.43
29.01
29.98
LAB
LD3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
23.0%
29.9%
31.0%
34.0%
37.8%
31.1%
37.8%
48.8%
46.8%
49.4%
47.4%
44.6%
44.8%
48.7%
43.8%
38.0%
40.2%
37.7%
28.3%
31.5%
35.2%
44.3%
42.0%
36.1%
29.7%
31.2%
28.6%
29.2%
30.1%
18.2%
23.5%
6.9%
6.6%
9.2%
9.3%
2.6%
2.8%
6.0%
11.4%
8.6%
7.6%
19.8%
18.8%
14.1%
26.0%
23.1%
18.3%
17.2%
18.8%
22.6%
23.6%
8.1%
..
..
..
..
0.0%
0.1%
0.1%
0.2%
0.1%
0.1%
0.2%
0.4%
0.5%
0.7%
1.7%
2.6%
3.5%
2.1%
1.5%
1.7%
2.4%
2.6%
2.6%
2.2%
2.3%
5.5%
8.8%
2.9%
1.2%
1.9%
1.1%
1.1%
2.0%
2.4%
0.9%
0.2%
0.5%
0.3%
0.4%
0.5%
0.6%
0.9%
0.9%
1.2%
0.7%
0.5%
1.3%
4.5%
4.0%
5.8%
7.6%
17.7%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Share of vote (%)
CON2
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
39.5%
38.0%
37.7%
45.9%
37.5%
60.9%
53.4%
39.3%
42.9%
47.8%
49.2%
48.8%
42.9%
41.4%
46.2%
38.6%
36.6%
44.9%
43.5%
43.2%
42.8%
31.5%
32.6%
33.2%
36.9%
37.7%
15 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 1d: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Great Britain1
Number of candidates
Candidates
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
CON2
LAB
LD3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
409
470
524
522
580
571
571
606
606
608
611
613
617
617
617
623
621
622
633
632
634
640
640
627
631
631
361
414
427
514
569
515
552
598
612
586
617
618
618
617
617
623
623
622
633
633
634
639
640
627
631
631
421
485
457
339
507
117
161
306
475
104
110
215
361
308
328
517
619
577
633
633
632
639
639
626
631
631
..
..
..
..
3
7
9
15
10
9
13
25
28
43
101
106
107
107
110
109
107
112
112
99
99
99
228
57
22
31
49
66
38
134
142
49
30
36
94
95
134
218
239
584
474
241
842
1,569
1,188
1,470
2,050
1,841
1,419
1,426
1,430
1,406
1,708
1,276
1,331
1,659
1,845
1,356
1,381
1,507
1,718
1,680
1,797
2,087
2,209
2,512
2,483
2,248
2,849
3,599
3,219
3,449
4,042
3,833
Seats won
CON2
LAB
LD3
PC/SNP
Other
Total
359
334
248
400
250
512
419
202
287
312
334
353
291
242
322
297
276
339
397
375
336
165
166
198
306
330
57
142
191
40
287
52
154
393
315
295
277
258
317
363
287
301
319
268
209
229
271
418
412
355
258
232
163
115
158
151
59
36
21
12
9
6
6
6
9
12
6
14
13
11
23
22
20
46
52
62
57
8
..
..
..
..
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
14
4
4
6
7
10
9
9
9
56
27
12
6
12
7
3
9
21
2
0
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
0
1
0
2
2
4
2
6
606
603
603
603
603
603
603
628
613
613
618
618
618
618
618
623
623
623
633
633
634
641
641
628
632
632
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
250
500
750
Number of seats won
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
200
400
600
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 16
Table 1e: General Election Results, 1918-2015: England1
Votes (millions)
CON2
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
LAB
LD3
Other
Total
1.81
3.37
3.55
4.47
6.85
5.46
7.05
9.97
11.05
11.63
10.36
10.09
9.98
10.86
10.10
9.84
9.70
9.53
6.86
8.01
9.55
11.35
9.06
8.05
7.04
8.09
2.14
3.21
3.57
2.39
4.34
1.01
1.11
1.91
2.25
0.54
0.57
1.45
2.78
2.04
1.85
5.57
4.88
3.88
6.71
6.47
5.40
4.68
4.25
5.20
6.08
2.10
0.69
0.31
0.07
0.25
0.13
0.13
0.12
0.38
0.16
0.04
0.07
0.03
0.09
0.11
0.12
0.25
0.24
0.31
0.18
0.14
0.40
1.25
0.86
1.34
2.06
4.94
8.05
11.70
11.93
13.56
18.50
18.08
18.27
20.54
23.95
23.82
22.14
23.13
22.94
22.69
23.36
26.14
24.19
25.97
25.47
27.13
28.15
26.06
21.87
22.70
25.08
25.57
Share of vote (%)
CON2
LAB
3
3.41
4.81
4.73
6.46
7.18
11.48
9.99
8.27
10.50
11.62
11.14
11.56
10.08
9.69
11.28
10.47
9.38
12.26
11.71
12.52
12.80
8.78
7.71
8.11
9.91
10.45
42.4%
41.1%
39.7%
47.6%
38.8%
63.5%
54.7%
40.3%
43.8%
48.8%
50.3%
50.0%
44.0%
42.7%
48.3%
40.1%
38.8%
47.2%
46.0%
46.1%
45.5%
33.7%
35.2%
35.7%
39.5%
40.9%
22.5%
28.8%
29.8%
32.9%
37.0%
30.2%
38.6%
48.6%
46.1%
48.8%
46.8%
43.6%
43.5%
47.8%
43.2%
37.7%
40.1%
36.7%
26.9%
29.5%
33.9%
43.5%
41.4%
35.5%
28.1%
31.6%
Number of votes
(millions)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
LIB
LAB
CON
0
LD
26.5%
27.5%
30.0%
17.6%
23.5%
5.6%
6.1%
9.3%
9.4%
2.3%
2.6%
6.3%
12.1%
9.0%
7.9%
21.3%
20.2%
14.9%
26.4%
23.8%
19.2%
18.0%
19.4%
22.9%
24.2%
8.2%
Other
8.6%
2.6%
0.6%
1.8%
0.7%
0.7%
0.7%
1.9%
0.6%
0.1%
0.3%
0.1%
0.4%
0.5%
0.5%
1.0%
1.0%
1.2%
0.7%
0.5%
1.4%
4.8%
3.9%
5.9%
8.2%
19.3%
10
15
Share of votes (%)
Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
5
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
25%
50%
75%
17 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 1f: General Election Results, 1918-2015: England1
Candidates
2
LAB
LD
3
Other
Total
352
406
444
440
469
476
473
507
504
502
508
509
510
510
510
516
514
516
523
522
524
528
529
529
532
532
291
340
350
414
467
428
452
494
505
506
510
511
511
510
510
516
516
516
523
523
524
527
529
529
532
532
327
368
362
280
422
87
132
265
413
91
95
191
323
273
282
452
515
506
523
523
522
527
528
528
532
532
181
42
285
25
30
41
21
97
106
13
21
23
65
70
101
190
221
536
431
214
758
1,363
1,002
1,231
1,829
1,613
1,151
1,156
1,441
1,159
1,388
1,032
1,078
1,363
1,528
1,112
1,134
1,234
1,409
1,363
1,403
1,674
1,766
2,074
2,000
1,782
2,328
2,945
2,588
2,817
3,425
3,209
LAB
3
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
Seats won
2
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
315
307
221
347
221
436
357
167
253
271
292
315
261
219
292
268
252
306
362
357
319
165
165
194
297
318
Number of candidates
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
42
95
138
109
226
29
116
331
251
233
216
193
246
285
216
237
255
203
148
155
195
328
323
286
191
206
LD
107
75
123
19
35
19
11
5
2
2
2
3
3
6
2
9
8
7
13
10
10
34
40
47
43
6
Other
21
8
3
10
3
1
1
7
0
0
1
0
1
1
1
2
1
0
0
1
0
2
1
2
2
3
Total
485
485
485
485
485
485
485
510
506
506
511
511
511
511
511
516
516
516
523
523
524
529
529
529
533
533
250
500
750
Number of seats won
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
200
400
600
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 18
Table 1g: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Wales1
Votes (thousands)
2
LAB
59.6
190.9
178.1
224.0
289.7
340.7
292.5
316.7
418.7
471.3
428.9
486.3
425.0
396.8
419.9
412.5
367.2
526.3
499.3
501.3
499.7
317.1
268.7
297.8
382.7
407.8
163.1
363.6
355.2
320.4
577.6
479.5
395.8
779.2
888.0
925.8
825.7
841.5
837.0
863.7
781.9
745.5
761.4
768.5
603.9
765.2
865.7
886.9
667.0
594.8
531.6
552.5
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
Share of vote (%)
2
CON
LAB
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
11.3%
21.4%
21.1%
28.4%
22.0%
31.3%
33.6%
23.8%
27.4%
30.8%
29.9%
32.6%
29.4%
27.9%
27.7%
25.9%
23.9%
32.2%
31.0%
29.5%
28.6%
19.6%
19.6%
21.4%
26.1%
27.2%
30.8%
40.7%
42.0%
40.6%
43.9%
44.1%
45.4%
58.6%
58.1%
60.5%
57.6%
56.4%
57.8%
60.7%
51.6%
46.8%
49.5%
47.0%
37.5%
45.1%
49.5%
54.7%
48.6%
42.7%
36.2%
36.9%
3
PC
Other
Total
258.8
306.0
299.3
244.8
440.9
229.0
157.1
198.6
193.1
116.8
104.1
79.0
106.1
89.1
103.7
255.4
239.1
173.5
373.4
304.2
217.5
200.0
189.4
256.2
295.2
97.8
..
..
..
..
0.6
1.1
2.5
14.3
17.6
10.9
45.1
77.6
69.5
61.1
175.0
171.4
166.3
132.5
125.3
123.6
154.9
161.0
195.9
174.8
165.4
181.7
47.6
32.3
12.5
0.0
8.1
38.2
23.3
21.9
11.2
4.6
30.0
7.0
9.4
12.8
36.0
9.0
3.8
35.8
7.2
3.7
11.0
54.9
51.6
69.0
91.8
258.3
529.0
892.7
845.1
789.2
1316.9
1088.5
871.3
1,330.7
1,528.6
1,529.4
1,433.7
1,491.3
1,447.0
1,423.4
1,516.6
1,593.8
1,537.8
1,636.6
1,609.0
1,698.1
1,748.8
1,620.1
1,372.5
1,392.7
1,466.7
1,498.1
3
PC
Other
Total
0.0%
0.1%
0.3%
1.1%
1.2%
0.7%
3.1%
5.2%
4.8%
4.3%
11.5%
10.8%
10.8%
8.1%
7.8%
7.3%
8.9%
9.9%
14.3%
12.6%
11.3%
12.1%
9.0%
3.6%
1.5%
0.0%
0.6%
3.5%
2.7%
1.6%
0.7%
0.3%
2.1%
0.5%
0.6%
0.9%
2.4%
0.6%
0.2%
2.2%
0.4%
0.2%
0.6%
3.4%
3.8%
5.0%
6.3%
17.2%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
LD
Number of votes
(thousands)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
LD
LAB
CON
0
LD
48.9%
34.3%
35.4%
31.0%
33.5%
21.0%
18.0%
14.9%
12.6%
7.6%
7.3%
5.3%
7.3%
6.3%
6.8%
16.0%
15.5%
10.6%
23.2%
17.9%
12.4%
12.3%
13.8%
18.4%
20.1%
6.5%
500
1,000
Share of votes (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
25%
50%
75%
19 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 1h: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Wales1
Candidates
2
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
8
19
19
17
35
20
20
27
35
33
32
34
36
36
36
36
36
35
38
38
38
40
40
40
40
40
Seats won
2
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
4
6
4
9
1
11
11
4
4
6
6
7
6
3
7
8
8
11
14
8
6
0
0
3
8
11
3
LAB
LD
PC
Other
Total
25
28
27
33
33
30
12
34
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
35
38
38
38
40
40
40
40
40
29
30
31
21
34
14
33
17
21
9
10
8
12
11
19
31
36
28
38
38
38
40
40
40
40
40
..
..
..
..
1
1
1
7
7
4
11
20
23
20
36
36
36
36
38
38
35
40
40
40
40
40
9
3
1
0
3
7
2
2
6
2
2
3
5
8
11
9
6
20
17
6
31
63
64
90
108
118
71
80
78
71
106
72
68
87
105
84
91
101
112
111
138
148
150
154
169
158
180
223
224
250
268
278
Number of candidates
1918
1918
1922
1922
1923
1923
1924
1924
1929
1929
1931
1931
1935
1935
1945
1945
1950
1950
1951
1951
1955
1955
1959
1959
1964
1964
1966
1966
1970
1970
1974
1974
1974
1974
1979
1979
1983
1983
1987
1987
1992
1992
1997
1997
2001
2001
2005
2005
2010
2010
2015
2015
10 20
20 30
30 40
40 50
50
00 10
LAB
9
18
19
16
25
16
18
25
27
27
27
27
28
32
27
24
23
21
20
24
27
34
34
29
26
25
3
LD
20
10
11
10
9
8
6
6
5
3
3
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
2
3
1
2
2
4
3
1
PC
..
..
..
..
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
2
2
3
4
4
4
3
3
3
Other
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Total
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
38
38
38
40
40
40
40
40
Number of
of seats
seats won
won
Number
1918
1918
1922
1922
1923
1923
1924
1924
1929
1929
1931
1931
1935
1935
1945
1945
1950
1950
1951
1951
1955
1955
1959
1959
1964
1964
1966
1966
1970
1970
1974
1974
1974
1974
1979
1979
1983
1983
1987
1987
1992
1992
1997
1997
2001
2001
2005
2005
2010
2010
2015
2015
0
0
10
10
20
20
30
30
40
40
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 20
Table 1i: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Scotland1
Votes (thousands)
2
LAB
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
3
SNP
Other
Total
265.7
501.3
532.5
697.1
937.3
696.2
863.8
1,144.3
1,259.4
1,330.2
1,188.1
1,245.3
1,283.7
1,273.9
1,197.1
1,057.6
1,000.6
1,211.4
990.7
1,258.1
1,142.9
1,283.4
1,001.2
907.2
1,035.5
707.1
385.1
617.2
423.0
286.5
407.1
205.4
174.2
132.8
180.3
76.3
47.3
109.0
200.1
172.4
147.7
229.2
228.9
262.2
692.6
570.1
383.9
365.4
378.0
528.1
465.5
219.7
..
..
..
..
3.3
21.0
25.7
30.6
9.7
7.3
12.1
21.7
64.0
128.5
306.8
633.2
839.6
504.3
332.0
416.5
629.6
621.6
464.3
412.3
491.4
1,454.4
117.4
71.5
77.6
45.1
103.2
71.7
124.7
118.0
55.3
14.7
21.9
31.3
17.1
16.9
16.0
16.5
7.7
22.6
7.8
10.1
23.4
53.4
109.5
116.9
60.5
95.2
1126.7
1569.4
1501.3
1717.1
2242.9
2174.3
2323.8
2,389.9
2,726.7
2,777.8
2,543.3
2,667.5
2,634.5
2,552.4
2,688.2
2,887.1
2,758.1
2,916.6
2,824.6
2,967.8
2,931.7
2,816.7
2,313.7
2,333.9
2,465.8
2,910.5
Share of vote (%)
CON2
LAB
3
SNP
Other
Total
34.2%
39.3%
28.2%
16.7%
18.1%
9.4%
7.5%
5.6%
6.6%
2.7%
1.9%
4.1%
7.6%
6.8%
5.5%
7.9%
8.3%
9.0%
24.5%
19.2%
13.1%
13.0%
16.3%
22.6%
18.9%
7.5%
..
..
..
..
0.1%
1.0%
1.1%
1.3%
0.4%
0.3%
0.5%
0.8%
2.4%
5.0%
11.4%
21.9%
30.4%
17.3%
11.8%
14.0%
21.5%
22.1%
20.1%
17.7%
19.9%
50.0%
10.4%
4.6%
5.2%
2.6%
4.6%
3.3%
5.4%
4.9%
2.0%
0.5%
0.9%
1.2%
0.6%
0.7%
0.6%
0.6%
0.3%
0.8%
0.3%
0.3%
0.8%
1.9%
4.7%
5.0%
2.5%
3.3%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
358.5
379.4
468.3
688.3
792.1
1180.0
1135.4
964.1
1,222.0
1,349.3
1,273.9
1,260.3
1,069.7
960.7
1,020.7
950.7
681.3
916.2
801.5
713.1
752.0
493.1
360.7
369.4
412.9
434.1
31.8%
24.2%
31.2%
40.1%
35.3%
54.3%
48.9%
40.3%
44.8%
48.6%
50.1%
47.2%
40.6%
37.6%
38.0%
32.9%
24.7%
31.4%
28.4%
24.0%
25.6%
17.5%
15.6%
15.8%
16.7%
14.9%
23.6%
31.9%
35.5%
40.6%
41.8%
32.0%
37.2%
47.9%
46.2%
47.9%
46.7%
46.7%
48.7%
49.9%
44.5%
36.6%
36.3%
41.5%
35.1%
42.4%
39.0%
45.6%
43.3%
38.9%
42.0%
24.3%
LD
Number of votes
(thousands)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
CON
LD
LAB
SNP
0
LD
2,000
4,000
Share of votes (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
50%
100%
21 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 1j: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Scotland1
Candidates
CON2
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
37
36
52
56
65
65
69
68
68
70
71
70
71
71
71
71
71
71
72
72
72
72
71
58
59
59
LAB
LD3
SNP
..
..
..
..
2
5
7
8
3
2
2
5
15
23
65
70
71
71
72
71
72
72
72
59
59
59
Other
28
8
8
3
14
14
12
18
29
8
7
10
14
17
22
19
12
28
26
21
53
143
122
149
113
110
Total
39
43
48
63
66
57
63
68
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
72
72
72
72
71
58
59
59
61
81
59
34
45
14
16
22
41
9
5
16
26
24
27
34
68
43
72
72
72
72
71
58
59
59
165
168
167
156
192
155
167
184
212
160
156
172
197
206
256
265
293
284
314
308
341
431
407
382
349
346
Seats won
CON2
LAB
3
LD
SNP
Other
Total
30
13
14
36
20
57
43
27
31
35
36
31
24
20
23
21
16
22
21
10
11
0
1
1
1
1
6
29
34
26
36
7
20
37
37
35
34
38
43
46
44
40
41
44
41
50
49
56
55
40
41
1
33
27
22
8
13
7
3
0
2
1
1
1
4
5
3
3
3
3
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
1
..
..
..
..
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
11
2
2
3
3
6
5
6
6
56
2
2
1
1
2
0
5
7
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
71
72
72
72
72
72
59
59
59
Number of candidates
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
25
50
75 100
Number of seats won
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 22
Table 1k: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Northern Ireland5
Votes (thousands)
NAT6
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
7
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
7
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
LAB
LD
Other
Total
..
..
..
..
..
9.4
..
65.5
67.8
62.3
35.6
44.4
102.8
72.6
98.2
..
..
..
..
100.1
..
..
..
..
..
..
3.3
17.4
29.1
12.0
521.1
9.9
37.4
68.1
31.1
..
56.8
113.8
76.1
33.2
168.4
83.5
116.3
103.7
246.9
1039.2
207.9
242.3
519.4
510.1
282.0
451.2
719.8
561.4
463.2
646.6
576.1
638.3
596.2
779.1
289.2
108.0
117.2
451.3
354.7
149.6
292.8
392.5
352.3
274.9
442.6
445.0
401.9
368.6
422.0
228.9
90.1
87.7
..
24.2
123.1
101.5
148.1
65.2
92.8
..
..
..
22.2
..
UUP
SDLP
DUP
SF
Other
Total
326.4
160.4
256.1
154.2
254.6
126.3
260.0
137.0
276.2
154.1
271.0
154.4
258.3
190.8
216.8
169.9
127.4
125.6
102.4
111.0
114.9
99.8
Share of vote (%)
CON
NAT6
58.7
59.5
71.0
152.7
85.6
103.0
107.3
182.0
241.9
168.2
184.3
..
..
..
102.7
83.4
78.3
126.9
175.9
174.5
171.9
176.2
172.1
232.4
244.0
112.5
130.8
178.3
107.3
65.7
48.2
120.4
142.9
717.6
702.1
695.9
764.9
730.1
785.1
790.8
810.4
717.6
673.9
718.1
LAB
LD
Other
Total
27.8%
51.9%
48.4%
86.9%
69.5%
53.0%
64.9%
54.5%
62.8%
59.4%
68.5%
77.2%
63.0%
61.8%
54.2%
22.0%
43.3%
36.2%
..
4.7%
43.6%
22.5%
20.6%
11.6%
20.0%
..
..
..
3.7%
..
..
..
..
..
..
3.3%
..
9.1%
12.1%
13.5%
5.5%
7.7%
16.1%
12.2%
12.6%
..
..
..
..
19.6%
..
..
..
..
..
..
0.6%
2.7%
4.9%
1.5%
50.1%
4.7%
15.4%
13.1%
6.1%
..
12.6%
15.8%
13.6%
7.2%
26.0%
14.5%
18.2%
17.4%
31.7%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
UUP
SDLP
DUP
SF
Other
Total
45.5%
36.5%
36.6%
34.0%
37.8%
34.5%
32.7%
26.8%
17.8%
15.2%
16.0%
22.4%
22.0%
18.2%
17.9%
21.1%
19.7%
24.1%
21.0%
17.5%
16.5%
39.0%
8.2%
8.5%
10.2%
20.0%
11.7%
13.1%
13.6%
22.5%
33.7%
25.0%
25.7%
..
..
..
13.4%
11.4%
10.0%
16.1%
21.7%
24.3%
25.5%
24.5%
24.0%
33.1%
35.1%
14.7%
17.9%
22.7%
13.6%
8.1%
6.7%
17.9%
19.9%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
Number of votes
(thousands)
DUP
SDLP
UUP
CON
NAT
LAB
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
250
500
0%
50%
100%
Share of votes (%)
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
23 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 1l: General Election Results, 1918-2015: Northern Ireland5
Candidates
CON
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
7
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
7
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
6
NAT
LAB
LD
Other
Total
36
12
12
12
10
12
12
11
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
56
2
2
..
3
3
2
3
2
3
..
..
..
1
..
..
..
..
..
..
1
..
6
5
4
3
3
10
4
8
.
..
..
..
6
..
..
..
..
..
..
1
4
3
3
112
1
2
10
3
..
3
4
4
1
13
13
13
7
17
204
15
16
22
22
16
17
24
23
20
28
29
39
27
40
UUP
SDLP
DUP
SF
Other
Total
14
7
11
16
12
13
16
17
18
17
15
Seats won
12
9
9
17
13
13
18
18
18
18
18
2
2
5
14
4
7
9
14
18
16
16
..
..
..
14
14
14
17
18
18
17
18
20
25
39
34
34
53
65
33
33
40
71
48
43
64
95
77
100
125
100
105
108
138
CON
NAT6
LAB
LD
Other
Total
23
10
10
12
10
10
10
8
10
9
10
12
12
11
8
6
2
2
..
2
2
2
2
2
2
..
..
..
0
..
..
..
..
..
..
0
..
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
..
..
..
..
0
..
..
..
..
..
..
0
0
0
0
72
0
0
0
0
..
0
2
0
1
2
0
0
1
4
101
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
UUP
SDLP
DUP
SF
Other
Total
7
6
5
11
9
9
10
6
1
0
2
1
1
1
1
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
3
3
3
3
2
5
9
8
8
..
..
..
1
1
0
2
4
5
5
4
3
4
3
1
1
1
1
0
0
2
1
12
12
12
17
17
17
18
18
18
18
18
1918
1922
1922
1923
1923
1924
1924
1929
1929
1931
1931
1935
1935
1945
1945
1950
1950
1951
1951
1955
1955
1959
1959
1964
1964
1966
1966
1970
1970
Number of candidates
Number of candidates
DUP
DUP
SDLP
SDLP
UUP
UUP
CON
CON
NAT
NAT
LAB
LAB
1974
1974
1974
1974
1979
1979
1983
1983
1987
1987
1992
1992
1997
1997
2001
2001
2005
2005
2010
2010
2015
2015
0 10 10
20 30 20
40 50 30
60
Number of seats won
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
5
10
15
20
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 24
Notes for tables 1a -1l:
1. For elections up to 1992, the Speaker of the House of Commons is listed under the party he represented before his
appointment. From 1997 the Speaker is listed under 'Other'.
2. Includes Coalition Conservative for 1918; National, National Liberal and National Labour candidates for 1931-1935; National
and National Liberal candidates for 1945; National Liberal & Conservative candidates 1945-1970.
3. Includes Coalition Liberal Party for 1918; National Liberal for 1922; and Independent Liberal for 1931. Figures show Liberal/SDP
Alliance vote for 1983-1987 and Liberal Democrat vote from 1992 onwards.
4. 1918 figures include all of Ireland.
5. The formation of new parties in the early 1970s altered the pattern of party competition at Westminster elections. The SDLP
(formed 1970) and the DUP (formed 1971) are included in the table from 1974 onwards. Ulster Unionists took the
Conservative whip at Westminster until 1972 and are listed as Conservatives for general elections up to 1970; from 1974
they are listed as UUP.
6. Irish Nationalist/Anti-Partitionist
7. 1918 figures include all of Ireland. After the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 Northern Ireland remained part of the
United Kingdom.
Sources for tables 1a – 1l:
Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
House of Commons Library, CBP7186 General Election 2015
25 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
2.3 Turnout and electorate
Between 1922 and 1997, turnout at UK general elections remained
above 71%, rising to over 80% in the general elections of 1950 and
1951. Turnout was only 57% in the 1918 General Election, although
this was partly due to a low service vote and a large number of
uncontested seats (107 out of a total of 707 seats).
In 2001, turnout fell to 59%, its lowest level since 1918 and down 12%
points compared with 1997. Although turnout rose again in 2005 2010, it was still below its 1997 level. In 2015 UK turnout was 66%,
and turnout in each of the countries of the UK was below the 19182015 average for the UK, which was 73%.
Table 2: Turnout at UK General Elections, 1918-2015
Turnout at UK General
Elections: 1918-2015
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern
Ireland
United
Kingdom
55.7%
72.8%
71.1%
77.4%
76.6%
65.9%
79.4%
77.3%
80.0%
82.4%
55.1%
70.4%
67.9%
75.1%
73.5%
69.5%
77.2%
76.5%
66.7%
63.8%
57.2%
73.0%
71.1%
77.0%
76.3%
1918
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
76.1%
70.7%
73.4%
84.4%
82.7%
79.3%
76.4%
75.7%
84.8%
84.4%
77.4%
72.6%
69.0%
80.9%
81.2%
74.5%
72.0%
67.4%
77.4%
79.9%
76.4%
71.1%
72.8%
83.9%
82.6%
1931
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
76.9%
78.9%
77.0%
75.9%
71.4%
79.6%
82.6%
80.1%
79.0%
77.4%
75.1%
78.1%
77.6%
76.0%
74.1%
74.1%
65.9%
71.7%
66.1%
76.6%
76.8%
78.7%
77.1%
75.8%
72.0%
1955
79.0%
72.6%
75.9%
72.5%
75.4%
80.0%
76.6%
79.4%
76.1%
78.9%
79.0%
74.8%
76.8%
72.7%
75.1%
69.9%
67.7%
67.7%
72.9%
67.0%
78.8%
72.8%
76.0%
72.7%
75.3%
Feb-1974
78.0%
71.4%
59.2%
61.3%
65.5%
66.0%
79.7%
73.5%
61.6%
62.6%
64.8%
65.7%
75.5%
71.3%
58.2%
60.8%
63.8%
71.0%
69.8%
67.1%
68.0%
62.9%
57.6%
58.1%
77.7%
71.4%
59.4%
61.4%
65.1%
66.2%
1918
1922
1923
1924
1929
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1
Feb
Oct
Note: 1918 figures include Ireland.
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. House of Commons Library, CBP7186 General Election 2015
The franchise for voting in Parliamentary elections has expanded since
the start of the twentieth century. Prior to 1918, only male
householders aged over 21 who paid taxes had the vote. The
Representation of the People Act 1918 extended the franchise to
women aged 30 and over and removed the property requirement.
Women aged 21 and over were given the vote in 1928. The voting age
for both men and women was lowered on equal basis to 18 in 1969.
The 1918 Act permitted an extra vote to people who occupied business
premises worth more than £10 per year, and to their spouse, provided
1922
1923
1924
1929
1935
1945
1950
1951
1959
1964
1966
1970
Oct-1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
50%
100%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 26
the premises were in a different constituency to their residence. This
extra business vote was abolished in 1949. 2
2.4 Spoilt Ballots
Statistics relating to spoilt ballots (votes cast but which cannot be
included in the count of votes) have been routinely collated for general
elections since 1964. The number of spoilt ballots was highest in 1979,
when the general election coincided with local elections and many
voters received two ballot papers. There have also been relatively large
numbers of spoilt ballots in general elections since 1997, which have all
coincided with local elections. The lowest number of spoilt ballots per
constituency was 57 or 0.11% of all ballots, which was recorded in
1987. In 2015 there were an average of 158 or (0.33%) spoilt ballots
per constituency in the UK.
Table 3: Spoilt Ballot Papers in UK General Elections, 1964-2015
Number of ballots rejected at the count
Writing or
Voting for mark by which
Unmarked or
Want of more than one voter could be
void for
identified
uncertainty
Official Mark
candidate
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
2,826
2,061
2,118
3,176
2,938
3,282
2,819
2,408
2,593
2,169
2,548
2,971
640
1,355
15,486
11,519
14,144
12,214
13,492
72,515
27,938
14,216
14,538
25,234
22,590
20,595
21,996
26,406
6,787
8,525
7,541
7,320
6,009
5,801
4,693
4,976
5,008
4,421
3,760
4,439
2,522
2,453
15,974
27,794
17,544
19,542
15,267
36,250
15,654
15,345
17,587
61,415
69,910
54,377
50,964
69,462
Total
Average
number per
constituency
% of all ballots
1%
41,073
49,899
41,347
42,252
37,706
117,848
51,104
36,945
39,726
93,408
100,005
85,038
81,879
102,639
65
79
66
67
59
186
79
57
61
142
152
132
117
158
0.15%
0.18%
0.15%
0.13%
0.13%
0.38%
0.17%
0.11%
0.12%
0.30%
0.38%
0.31%
0.28%
0.33%
Note: Rows may not sum to the total. For some constituencies in some years the number of spoilt
ballots by reason is not available. The total column also includes spoilt ballots classified as 'rejected
in part'.
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006 and later edition
2. Electoral Commission
2.5 Postal votes
Figures on postal voting have been compiled since the 1945 General
Election, when temporary provision was made for postal voting by
service voters. The Representation of the People Act 1948 introduced
postal voting for both service personnel and certain groups of civilians.
Since February 2001 it is possible to get a postal vote on demand;
electors no longer have to state a reason for applying for an absent vote
2
Women who occupied business premises in their own right had an extra vote if the
property was worth more than £5 a year. From 1928, their husbands were also
granted an extra vote. For more information see Robert Blackburn, The Electoral
System in Britain, 1995, pp66-75
27 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
or to obtain attestation of illness (etc.) from a medical practitioner or
employer. As a result, the number of postal votes at general elections
rose from 800,000 before the change to about 6.5 million in 2015.
Table 4: Postal Ballot Papers in UK Elections, 1945-2015
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
Covering
Number of
envelopes
postal ballot returned before
close of poll
papers issued
Number of
postal votes
included in
count
% of all postal
ballot papers
issued
Postal votes as
% of total valid
votes
1,032,688
478,038
756,967
526,904
612,231
723,927
528,006
639,674
645,080
875,324
714,892
643,634
818,349
714,895
764,366
1,402,073
4,110,039
5,818,853
6,516,228
1,018,329
466,347
742,574
515,593
598,559
707,636
513,041
625,355
628,907
850,105
691,969
623,554
793,062
692,139
738,614
1,370,884
3,963,792
5,596,865
6,302,073
83.5%
91.9%
89.3%
86.7%
86.4%
86.4%
83.1%
85.5%
84.6%
79.1%
81.7%
82.3%
83.7%
82.9%
78.8%
78.0%
73.9%
80.0%
83.0%
3.9%
1.6%
2.5%
1.9%
2.1%
2.5%
1.8%
2.2%
2.0%
2.8%
2.2%
2.0%
2.4%
2.0%
2.3%
4.9%
12.7%
18.8%
20.5%
1,219,519
507,717
831,877
595,000
692,827
818,901
617,481
731,249
743,441
1,075,131
847,335
757,604
947,948
835,074
937,205
1,758,055
5,362,501
6,996,006
7,592,735
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. Electoral Commission
Postal votes at UK General
Elections: 1918-2015
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0%
10%
20%
30%
2.6 Characteristics of Members of Parliament
Gender
191 female MPs were elected at the 2015 General Election (29% of all
MPs), more than at any previous election.
Women were first able to stand for Parliament in 1918 from the age of
21 years. 3 Constance Markievicz became the first woman elected MP
following the 1918 General Election, but she did not take her seat along
with other Sinn Féin MPs. Nancy Astor, elected in a 1919 by-election,
became the first woman to sit in the House of Commons. Until 1997,
women had never held more than 10% of seats. The proportion of
seats held by women doubled in 1992, when 120 MPs were elected
(18% of all MPs).
In total, 452 women have been elected to the House of Commons since
1918.
3
The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 allowed women aged 21 and
over to stand for Parliament. Women aged 30 and over were given the vote in 1918.
In 1928 the voting age for women was lowered to 21.
Detailed analysis of Social
background of Members
of Parliament 1979-2015
is available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing Paper CBP-7483
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 28
Table 5: Women MPs elected at General Elections by party 19182015
1918 3
1922
1923
1924
1929
1931
1935
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 Feb
1974 Oct
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
CON1
LAB
LD
2
Other
Total
% MPs
0
1
3
3
3
13
6
1
6
6
10
12
11
7
15
9
7
8
13
17
20
13
14
17
49
0
0
3
1
9
0
1
21
14
11
14
13
18
19
10
13
18
11
10
21
37
101
95
98
81
0
1
2
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
3
5
10
7
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
0
0
1
1
3
4
3
6
1
2
8
4
14
15
9
24
21
17
24
25
29
26
26
23
27
19
23
41
60
120
118
128
143
0.1%
0.3%
1.3%
0.7%
2.3%
2.4%
1.5%
3.8%
3.4%
2.7%
3.8%
4.0%
4.6%
4.1%
4.1%
3.6%
4.3%
3.0%
3.5%
6.3%
9.2%
18.2%
17.9%
19.8%
22.0%
68
99
0
24
191
29.4%
Proportion of Women
MPs by party 1918-2015
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
(Conservative)
1918 1931 1955 1974 1992 2015
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
(Labour)
1918 1931 1955 1974 1992 2015
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
(Liberal Democrats)
1918 1931 1955 1974 1992 2015
Notes:
1. Includes Coalition Conservative for 1918; National, National Liberal and National Labour for
1931-35; National and National Liberal for 1945; National Liberal & Conservative for 1945
2. Includes Coalition Liberal Party for 1918; National Liberal for 1922; Independent Liberal for
1931; Liberal/SDP Alliance for 1983-87; Liberal Democrats from 1922.
3. Figures for all Ireland, not just Northern Ireland.
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. House of Commons Library, CBP7186 General Election 2015
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
(Other)
1918 1931 1955 1974 1992 2015
Age of MPs
Among MPs elected in 2015 the average age was 51, an increase in one
year from 2010. In 2015 Mhairi Black, the youngest MP since the
minimum age for standing for election was reduced in 2007, was
elected as SNP Member for the Paisley and Renfrewshire constituency..
The oldest MP was Labour MP for Manchester Gorton Sir Gerald
Kaufman.
Table 6: Age of MPs elected at the 2015 General Election
Age
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Total
Conservative
0
5
12
30
57
64
62
52
25
15
5
3
0
0
330
Labour Lib Dem
0
2
10
26
23
36
26
42
30
22
8
3
3
1
232
0
0
0
0
0
4
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
8
SNP/PC
1
5
3
6
9
9
11
6
4
3
0
0
0
0
57
Other
0
0
2
0
1
2
4
6
4
3
1
0
0
0
23
Total % Share
1
12
27
62
90
115
105
107
63
44
14
6
3
1
650
0.2%
1.8%
4.2%
9.5%
13.8%
17.7%
16.2%
16.5%
9.7%
6.8%
2.2%
0.9%
0.5%
0.2%
100%
MPs by age groups
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
0
50
100
150
29 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Conservative MPs elected at general elections over the past sixty years
have tended to be younger than their Labour counterparts. Between
1978 and 2015 the average age of MPs elected has remained around
50 years. 4
Table 7: Median age of Members of Parliament at General
Elections, 1951-2015 (3 parties)
60
55
LAB
50
CON
45
40
LD
35
1951 1955 1959 1964 1966 1970 1974 1974 1979 1983 1987 1992 1997 1901 2005 2010 2015
Note: the vertical axis does not start at zero.
Feb Oct
1951 1955 1959 1964 1966 1970 1974 1974 1979 1983 1987 1992 1997 1901 2005 2010 2015
Conservative
47 49 48 45 48 49 48 47 47 47 48 48 50 48 48 47 49
Labour
52 54 55 52 50 50 50 49 51 51 47 51 48 50 53 52 54
Liberal
42 46 46 43 39 39 39 45 47 43 45 45 46 47 46 50 50
Notes: Data for 1983 and 1987 are for Liberals only (not SDP)
Source: David Butler, Denis Kavanagh and others, The British General Election of ... (1951-2015)
Ethnicity
As individual’s ethnicity is self-defined, it is hard to obtain historical
records of MPs’ ethnicity. It is generally said that the first black and
minority ethnic (BME) MPs since World War II were elected in 1987,
when four Labour MPs were from BME backgrounds.
The first BME MP elected at the post war General Election for a party
other than Labour and the Conservatives was Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh,
who was elected for the SNP in Ochil and South Perthshire in 2015.
Following the 2015 General Election 6.3% of MPs (41) were BME.
There have been no BME Liberal Democrat MPs elected at general
elections. Parmjit Singh Gill was elected for the Liberal Democrats at a byelection in 2004 in Leicester South, but he did not retain the seat at the
2005 General Election.
Table 8: Black and Minority Ethnic MPs elected at General
Elections, 1987-2015
Number
CON
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
1
0
0
2
11
17
LAB
4
5
9
12
13
16
23
% of all MPs
LD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
SNP Other Total
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
6
9
12
15
27
41
CON
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
4%
5%
LAB
LD
2%
2%
2%
3%
4%
6%
10%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Sources: Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
House of Commons Library, CBP7186 General Election 2015
Operation Black Vote, OBV online data, 2016
4
J.F.S. Ross, Elections and Electors, 1955, p398
SNP Other Total
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
2%
2%
2%
3%
4%
6%
Number of BME MPs
1987-2015
1987
1992
1997
CON
LAB
LD
SNP
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
10
20
30
40
50
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 30
Parliamentary experience
A record number of first time MPs were returned in the 1945 General
Election. 324 out of 640 MPs (51%) had no prior experience of the
House of Commons. 5 The election resulted in a landslide Labour victory
and a change of government. The previous general election had been
held ten years earlier in 1935.
Table 9 shows the number of MPs new to the House of Commons at
general elections since 1979. At the 1997 and 2010 elections, over a
third of MPs elected were new to the House. The high turnover of MPs
on these occasions is attributable not only to the change of government
but also the large numbers of incumbent MPs who did not seek reelection. 117 MPs stood down in 1997 and in 2010 there were 149 MPs
who chose not to stand again. 6
Number of new MPs
1979
CON
1983
LAB
1987
LD
1992
Other
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
0
At three general elections since 1979 ‘Other’ parties have had the
largest proportion of new Members of Parliament. Most recently in
2015, 68% of MPs belonging to ‘Other’ parties were new to
Parliament. Most of these (49 out of 54) were SNP MPs.
100
200
Table 9: MPs entering the House of Commons for the first time,
General Elections, 1979-2015
CON
New MPs1
LAB
LD2 Other
Total
CON
% of MPs who are new1
LAB
LD2 Other Total
CON
Total MPs elected
LAB
LD2 Other
Total
1979
1983
1987
1992
77
100
53
54
37
34
62
66
0
7
3
4
2
9
3
3
116
150
121
127
23%
25%
14%
16%
14%
16%
27%
24%
0%
30%
14%
20%
12%
43%
13%
13%
18%
23%
19%
20%
339
397
375
336
268
209
229
271
11
23
22
20
17
21
24
24
635
650
650
651
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
33
26
51
147
73
178
38
41
63
50
26
14
20
10
0
6
14
7
7
54
243
92
119
227
177
20%
16%
26%
48%
22%
43%
9%
12%
24%
22%
57%
27%
32%
18%
0%
20%
48%
23%
24%
68%
37%
14%
18%
35%
27%
165
166
198
306
330
418
412
355
258
232
46
52
62
57
8
30
29
31
29
80
659
659
646
650
650
Notes:
1. Excludes former MPs returning to the House of Commons after time away from Parliament.
2. Liberal Democrat includes predecessor parties.
Source: House of Commons Library MP database
2.7 Social background of Members of
Parliament
In the period from 1951 to 2010, 97% of elected MPs represented the
Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat 7 parties. In 2015, the share
of seats held by these parties fell to 88%, after 56 MPs were elected for
the SNP.
5
6
7
J.F.S. Ross, Elections and Electors, 1955, p387
David Butler and Dennis Kavanagh, The British General Election of 1997; House of
Commons Library Research Paper RP10/36, General Election 2010
Liberal Democrat party data includes predecessors
300
31 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Education
About three-quarters of MPs elected in 2015 were university graduates.
Over one-third of MPs went to fee-paying schools.
The proportion of MPs from Oxbridge and private (fee-paying) schools
has fallen over the last 60 years.
338 of Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs elected in 1951
went to university, including 229 who went to Oxford or Cambridge. By
comparison 494 MPs from the four largest parties in the current
Parliament had been to university, of whom 150 went to Oxbridge.
210 (65%) of Conservative MPs elected in 1951 had been to university,
including 168 (52%) who went to Oxford or Cambridge. By comparison
266 (81%) of Conservative MPs elected in 2015 had been to university,
of whom 100 (30%) went to Oxbridge. In 1951, 57 (19%) of Labour
MPs went to Oxbridge of total 122 (41%) who attended university.
Whereas, only 49 (21%) of 178 (77%) Labour MPs who went to
university had graduated from Oxford or Cambridge. The percentage of
Liberal Democrats that are Oxbridge graduates has fallen, from 83% in
1959 to 13% in 2015.
Table 10: Education of Members of Parliament 1951-2015
Percentage of parties' MPs
Feb Oct
74 74
51
55
59
64
66
70
Conservative
Private School
University
Oxbridge
75
65
52
76
63
53
72
60
50
75
63
52
81
67
57
74
63
52
74
67
54
Labour
Private School
University
Oxbridge
20
41
19
22
40
17
18
39
18
18
42
19
18
51
23
17
54
25
50 50 67
100 100 100
67 67 83
33
78
44
58 50
83 100
50 50
Liberal
Private School
University
Oxbridge
79
83
87
92
97
01
05
10
15
75
69
56
73
68
49
70
71
48
68
70
44
62
73
45
66
81
51
64
83
48
60
81
43
54
80
34
50
81
30
16
53
20
18
57
25
18
59
21
14
53
15
14
56
15
15
61
16
16
66
15
17
67
16
18
64
16
12
61
15
16
77
21
71
71
43
69
62
38
55
45
27
52
65
30
45
73
27
50
75
30
41
70
33
35
69
27
39
79
31
39 13
81 100
28 13
Scottish National
Private School
University
Oxbridge
Source: David Butler, Dennis Kavanagh and others, The British General Election of... (1951-2015)
Occupation 8
The occupational backgrounds of Members have changed over the past
sixty years. In 1951, 18% of MPs from the three historically dominant
parties were former manual workers, compared to only 3% among the
four largest parties in 2015. The proportion of MPs who are barristers
has also declined, from 16% in 1959 to 6% in 2015. Meanwhile, there
has been an increase in the number of MPs entering the House of
8
Members may have had multiple occupations before entering the House of
Commons. Therefore Members are classified to different occupational groups based
on what is judged to have been their main former occupation. Source: Information
contributed by Byron Criddle and others to: David Butler, Dennis Kavanagh and
others, The British General Election of ... (1951-2010)
7
75
0
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 32
Commons with a background in politics: 3% of MPs elected for the
three historically dominant parties in 1983 were previously politicians or
political organisers, compared with 17% of MPs elected for the four
largest parties in 2015.
The proportion of MPs who were previously teachers (in schools or in
further/higher education) peaked at around one-fifth in 1997, but
decreased to 5% in 2015. MPs with a teaching background have
tended to be Labour. Members with a background in business were
around one-third of the MPs from four largest parties in 2015 and are
most often Conservatives.
Table 11a: Main former occupations of Members of Parliament
1951-2015
1
Summary (Conservative, Labour, Scottish national and Liberal Democrat)
Feb Oct
74
74
66
70
59
64
55
51
79
83
87
92
97
01
05
10 15 1
Professions
Barrister
Solicitor
Civil service/local government
Teachers
Armed services
Other Professions
93
24
18
47
34
24
97
21
21
43
50
32
103
25
22
41
40
39
100
29
25
57
30
39
94
33
22
77
22
31
97
28
15
66
24
61
93
23
13
77
9
66
90
22
14
92
8
66
67
29
30
77
20
55
69
35
27
75
19
53
57
31
22
84
16
52
53
30
19
102
15
39
36
28
37
126
10
35
33
35
35
117
12
38
34
38
28
91
14
37
38
48
18
49
16
49
38
51
15
32
13
45
Business
Company Executive/Director
Other business
80
66
64
73
94
46
66
50
69
41
108
21
82
44
79
41
71
67
105
57
123
38
123
29
78
35
77
30
87
31
115
41
135
57
White collar
Politician/political organiser
Publisher/journalist
Miscellaneous white collar
18
46
16
24
46
9
18
51
10
18
47
17
12
46
29
21
58
4
13
56
7
12
50
10
21
46
9
20
45
21
34
43
28
46
44
46
60
47
72
66
50
76
87
43
80
90
38
94
107
34
23
Manual Workers
Miner
Other Manual
35
74
33
65
34
57
31
74
32
79
22
56
19
71
19
72
21
65
20
54
17
52
13
50
13
43
12
41
11
27
7
24
72
19
47
50
49
47
41
42
39
34
30
29
30
18
9
8
7
0
57
Miscellaneous
Other
622 628 629 630 628 623 612 609 608 629 627 627 629 630 615 621 626
Total
Conservative
51
55
59
64
66
70
Feb
74
Oct
74
79
83
87
92
97
01
05
10
15
Professions
Barrister
Solicitor
Civil service/local government
Teachers
Armed services
Other Professions
61
11
9
5
32
14
66
11
12
4
47
19
72
14
14
5
37
25
65
14
18
5
28
17
55
15
13
4
19
11
60
14
12
9
24
30
59
13
8
10
9
34
55
12
7
12
8
33
51
19
14
18
20
32
56
26
16
20
18
41
43
21
13
25
15
39
39
21
3
22
14
32
20
9
5
8
9
10
18
13
2
7
11
13
22
18
3
6
13
14
27
29
2
4
15
30
28
28
2
6
12
31
Business
Company Executive/Director
Other business
76
41
62
39
88
25
58
22
52
23
94
7
62
33
61
30
59
56
100
42
114
25
112
16
53
12
49
11
64
11
100
25
111
34
White collar
Politician/political organiser
Publisher/journalist
Miscellaneous white collar
12
13
4
17
19
4
11
26
4
11
20
5
2
17
7
10
30
1
5
32
0
4
27
0
8
31
4
12
31
6
21
26
8
20
28
9
15
14
2
18
14
2
20
14
4
31
18
23
40
16
4
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
1
2
1
3
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
12
3
42
43
43
39
33
37
31
26
24
25
23
16
7
7
7
0
15
Manual Workers
Miner
Other Manual
Miscellaneous
Other
Total
Notes:
321 344 365 304 253 330 297 277 339 397 376 336 165 166 198 306 330
1. The Scottish National Party data is only included from 2015
2. The number of former miners is not recorded in the British General Election of 2015. The figure is the House of
Commons Library calculation.
33 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 11b: Main former occupations of MPs 1951-2015
Labour
51
55
59
64
66
70
Feb
74
Oct
74
79
83
87
92
97
1
5
10
15
Professions
Barrister
Solicitor
Civil service/local government
Teachers
Armed services
Other Professions
28
12
9
42
2
10
27
9
9
39
3
13
27
10
8
36
3
14
31
15
7
51
2
22
36
18
9
72
3
18
34
13
3
56
0
31
31
9
5
65
0
28
32
9
7
78
0
30
15
10
16
56
0
20
9
8
10
52
0
8
9
9
8
55
0
12
9
8
16
76
0
6
12
17
30
111
0
18
13
18
30
98
1
19
10
18
22
73
1
17
9
17
13
35
1
14
9
17
10
19
1
8
Business
Company Executive/Director
Other business
4
24
2
33
6
20
6
28
14
18
14
14
19
10
17
10
12
10
5
14
9
11
9
13
16
21
15
18
10
15
8
12
14
12
White collar
Politician/political organiser
Publisher/journalist
Miscellaneous white collar
6
33
12
7
27
5
7
25
6
7
27
11
9
29
22
11
27
3
8
23
7
8
22
10
13
13
5
7
9
14
12
14
18
24
13
36
40
29
69
44
32
73
60
24
70
52
15
60
59
14
18
Manual Workers
Miner
Other Manual
35
73
33
64
34
56
31
72
32
77
22
54
19
70
19
70
21
62
20
50
16
50
12
47
12
42
11
40
10
25
6
22
62
16
5
7
6
7
6
5
7
7
5
3
6
2
1
0
0
0
35
Miscellaneous
Other
Total
295 278 258 317 363 287 301 319 258 209 229 271 418 412 355 258 232
Liberal Democrat & predecessors
51
55
59
64
66
70
Feb
74
Oct
74
79
83
87
92
97
1
5
10
15
Professions
Barrister
Solicitor
Civil service/local government
Teachers
Armed services
Other Professions
4
1
0
0
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
2
3
1
0
1
0
0
3
1
0
2
0
4
3
1
0
2
0
3
1
0
0
3
0
3
4
1
1
3
1
4
5
1
1
4
1
1
5
1
0
4
1
1
4
2
2
7
1
7
2
4
3
12
0
6
2
2
3
12
0
6
2
2
3
10
0
5
0
2
2
2
0
0
Business
Company Executive/Director
Other business
0
1
0
1
0
1
2
0
3
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
2
2
0
9
2
13
1
13
5
7
4
2
0
White collar
Politician/political organiser
Publisher/journalist
Miscellaneous white collar
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
5
1
1
3
2
2
3
1
5
4
1
4
4
1
7
5
6
7
5
11
0
0
0
Manual Workers
Miner
Other Manual
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
Miscellaneous
Other
0
0
0
1
2
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
Total
6
6
6
9
12
6
14
13
11
23
22
20
46
52
62
57
8
Occupations of Scottish National Party MPs, 2015
Professions
Business
Barrister
1 Company Executive/Director
Solicitor
4 Other business
Civil service/local government
1 White collar
Teachers
5 Politician/political organiser
Armed services
0 Publisher/journalist
Other Professions
6 Miscellaneous white collar
8
11
8
4
1
Manual Workers
Miner
Other Manual
Miscellaneous
Other
Total
…
0
7
56
Sources for tables 11(a) and 11(b):
1. The British General Election of …(1951-2005), David Butler and Denis Kavanagh
2. The British General Election of 2015 and previous editions, David Butler and Philip Cowley
Note:
2. 2. The number of former miners is not recorded in the British General Election of 2015. The figure is the House of Commons
Library calculation
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
(e) Miner
(g) Civil service/local gov.
(j) Company Executive/Director
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
(c) Politician/political organiser
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
(a) Barrister
120
140
120
100
100
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
0
0
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
140
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010
2015
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 34
Main former occupations of Members of Parliament, 1951-2015
(b) Teacher
CON
LAB
LD
(d) Armed services
(f) All manual workers
(h) Miscellaneous white collar
(k) Publisher/journalist
35 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
3. House of Commons byelections
3.1 Great Britain
By-elections have been less frequent in recent Parliaments than in the
immediate post-war years. There has been only one Parliament since
1979 when there were more than twenty by-elections (1987-92) and
between 2001 and 2005 there were just six. By contrast, during the
1959-64 Parliament there were 61 by-elections. As is the case with
general and local elections, average turnout at by-elections has fallen in
recent years.
Generally parties in government perform poorly at by-elections while
opposition parties have the chance to make gains. In the 2010-15
Parliament the Conservative party lost three of the four by-elections in
seats it previously held. Historically, the Liberal Democrats (and their
predecessor parties) have performed well; in every Parliament between
1959 and 2010, with the exception of the eight-month Parliament of
1974, they gained seats. In 2010-2015 Parliament, in which the Liberal
Democrat and Conservative parties were in coalition. The Liberal
Democrats failed to gain any seats at by-elections, but held their existing
seat. The 1997-2001 Parliament was the only one since 1951-1955
where governing party (ies) did not lose a single seat at a by-election.
Table 12: Summary of parliamentary by-elections in Great Britain
Number of
by-elections
1945-50
50
1950-51
14
1951-55
44
1955-59
49
1959-64
61
1964-66
13
1966-70
37
1970-74
30
1974
1
1974-79
30
1979-83
17
1983-87
16
1987-92
23
1992-97
17
1997-2001
15
2001-05
6
2005-10
14
2010-15
19
2015-17
10
CON
+4
…
+1
-2
-5
…
+11
-5
…
+6
-3
-4
-7
-8
-2
…
…
-3
…
Net Seat Gains and Losses
LAB
LD SNP/PC Other No change
-1
…
…
-3
45
…
…
…
…
14
-1
…
…
…
43
+4
…
…
-2
34
+4
+1
…
…
54
-1
+1
…
…
11
-15
+1
+2
+1
22
…
+5
+1
-1
20
…
…
…
…
1
-6
+1
…
-1
23
+1
+4
…
-2
11
…
+4
…
…
11
+3
+3
+1
…
15
+3
+4
+1
…
9
+1
+2
…
-1
14
-2
+2
…
…
4
-1
+1
…
…
9
…
…
…
+3
13
-1
+1
…
…
8
Average change in share of
vote since previous by-election
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
1945-50
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
1945-50
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
1945-50
Conservative
1974-79
2015-17
Labour
1974-79
2015-17
Liberal Democrats
1974-79
Average change in share of vote since
previous election
CON
LAB
LD SNP/PC
Other
3.7% -2.3% -1.1%
1.4% -1.0%
+6.8% -2.0% -4.6%
-0.2%
-0.6% +0.3% -0.6% +0.6% +0.3%
-8.7% +1.3% +6.2% +0.3% +0.9%
-14.1% -2.1% +13.7% +1.2% +1.5%
+1.3% -1.8% +0.5% +0.3% +0.4%
+6.8% -17.3% +3.3% +5.5% +1.7%
-10.7% -4.2% +9.0% +4.0% +1.9%
-1.1% -3.4% -2.3%
... +6.8%
+9.9% -9.3% -4.9% -0.3% +4.6%
-11.4% -10.2% +18.6% +1.6% +1.4%
-14.0% +0.4% +12.3% +0.1% +1.2%
-11.0% -0.8% -0.6% +5.7% +6.6%
-19.9% +7.4% +5.2% +2.4% +4.9%
-0.6% -11.1% +5.0% +3.1% +3.6%
-4.2% -19.8% +15.8% +1.1% +7.0%
+2.6% -10.4% +2.0% +4.3% +5.3%
-6.4% +5.4% -7.6% +1.1% +17.9%
-4.7% +3.9% +7.7% +5.7% -6.6%
2015-17
Average
turnout
67.3%
68.8%
58.6%
63.5%
62.9%
58.2%
62.1%
56.5%
25.9%
57.5%
56.7%
63.5%
57.4%
52.7%
42.4%
39.3%
48.8%
39.6%
44.1%
Sources:
1. F.W.S. Craig, Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833-1987
2. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
3. House of Commons Library, RP10/50 By-election results 2005-10; SN05833 By-elections
since 2010 General Election; CBP 7417 By-elections since the 2015 General Election
The largest swing at a by-election since 1945 was in Southwark,
Bermondsey in February 1982. Liberal candidate Simon Hughes won the
seat on a 44.2% point swing from Labour. Hughes retained until 2015
Detailed statistics on Byelections since the 2015
General Election is
available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing Paper CBP-7417
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 36
General Election. Respect candidate George Galloway won Bradford
West from Labour on a 36.5% point swing in March 2012.
In the early 1990s, Liberal Democrats secured a number of by-election
wins in what were previously safe Conservative seats. For example, in
Christchurch in July 1993 a Conservative majority of 23,000 at the
previous general election became a Liberal Democrat majority of over
16,000. Other gains included Eastbourne (October 1990), Ribble Valley
(March 1991), Newbury (May 1993) and Eastleigh (June 1994).
Notable retentions of seats at by-elections include Hull North (January
1966), when a swing to Labour influenced Prime Minister Harold Wilson
to call a general election. Labour holds in by-elections in Darlington
(March 1983) and Glenrothes (November 2008) were significant in
relieving pressure on the party leadership at the time. 9
Gains and loses in Parliamentary by-elections, Great Britain,
1945-50 to 2015-16
Loses
1945-50
1950-51
1951-55
1955-59
1959-64
1964-66
1966-70
1970-74
1974
1974-79
1979-83
1983-87
1987-92
1992-97
1997-2001
2001-05
2005-10
2010-15
2015-15 -10 -5 0
Gains
Average change in share of
vote since previous election
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
1945-50
PC/SNP
1974-79
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
1945-50
No change
CON
LAB
LD
SNP/PC
Other
5 10 15 20
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Number of Parliamentary by-elections, Great Britain,
1945-50 to 2015-17
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Sources:
1. F.W.S. Craig, Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833-1987
2. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
3. House of Commons Library, RP10/50 By-election results 2005-10; SN05833 By-elections since 2010 General Election; CBP7417 Byelections since 2015 General Election
9
David Butler and Gareth Butler (2011), British Political Facts, p288
2015-17
Other
1974-79
2015-17
37 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 13: Parliamentary by-elections in Great Britain since 1945
Date
Date
Constituency
Constituency
Result
Result
Change in
inshare
shareofofthe
the
vote
since
previous
election:
Change
vote
since
previous
election:
SNP/PC
LD
Other
LAB
CON
Con
Lab
LD SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Turnout
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con gain
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab gain
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con gain from Ind
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
ILP hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con gain from Ind
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con gain from ILP
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
-2.9%
+2.9%
…
…
…
-8.6%
-2.3% +10.9%
…
…
+1.1%
+5.2%
…
-6.3%
…
+0.8%
-0.8%
…
…
…
-3.8%
...
14.0%
... -10.2%
+4.6%
+5.0%
-9.6%
…
…
-8.7% +12.0%
-3.3%
…
…
+11.9%
+7.0% +18.9%
…
…
+8.2%
-8.2%
…
…
…
2.6%
...
-6.1%
...
-3.8%
-2.3%
+2.3%
…
…
…
-6.3%
-4.1%
… +10.4%
…
+0.5%
-0.5%
…
…
…
By-election uncontested
Not Comparable
-18.0%
-5.8%
… +23.8%
…
+17.7%
-4.4% -13.3%
…
…
+4.1%
-4.1%
…
…
…
+3.5%
-5.0%
…
…
+1.5%
-12.0% +28.0%
…
… -16.0%
-11.2% -14.1% +25.3%
…
…
+6.1%
-5.6%
…
…
-0.5%
Not Comparable
+8.0%
+2.9% -10.9%
…
…
-4.0% -16.0%
… +20.0%
…
-8.1%
+0.3%
…
+7.8%
…
+2.1%
-4.5%
…
…
+2.4%
+3.5%
-6.7%
…
…
+3.2%
+7.5% -12.8%
+4.4%
…
+0.9%
+0.4% -16.6% +16.0%
…
+0.2%
+12.9%
-0.7% -12.2%
…
…
+8.0%
-3.7%
-4.3%
…
…
-3.0%
-5.8% +10.1%
-1.3%
…
+11.0%
-6.3%
-4.7%
…
…
+1.4% +42.1%
+1.2%
… -44.7%
+10.5%
+1.2% -10.0%
…
-1.7%
+3.9%
-9.2%
…
…
+1.9%
+12.9%
-3.5%
-9.4%
…
…
+4.3%
-4.3%
…
…
…
+6.5%
-6.5%
…
…
…
+8.6% -25.5%
…
… +16.9%
-1.1%
-7.1%
…
+8.2%
…
+17.6% -14.8%
…
…
-2.8%
+9.9%
-2.0%
-7.9%
…
…
+12.3%
+1.2% -13.5%
…
…
+5.2%
-5.2%
…
…
…
+4.8%
-6.3%
…
…
+1.5%
+16.0%
+2.3% -18.3%
…
…
+17.2%
-3.9% -13.3%
…
…
+9.3%
-1.2% -14.4%
…
+6.3%
GENERAL ELECTION 1945
01/10/1945
02/10/1945
03/10/1945
30/10/1945
31/10/1945
14/11/1945
15/11/1945
20/11/1945
13/12/1945
31/01/1946
07/02/1946
12/02/1946
21/01/1946
22/02/1946
13/03/1946
04/06/1946
22/07/1946
23/07/1946
25/07/1946
29/08/1946
19/11/1946
20/11/1946
22/11/1946
26/11/1946
05/12/1946
05/12/1946
11/02/1947
07/05/1947
11/09/1947
25/09/1947
26/11/1947
27/11/1947
27/11/1947
04/12/1947
28/01/1948
18/02/1948
04/03/1948
11/03/1948
24/03/1948
29/04/1948
30/09/1948
07/10/1948
13/11/1948
25/11/1948
17/02/1949
24/02/1949
10/03/1949
16/03/1949
21/07/1949
08/12/1949
Smethwick
Ashton-under-Lyme
Edinburgh E
Monmouth
City of London1,2
Bromley
Bournemouth
Kensington South
Tottenham North
Preston1
Ayrshire South
Glasgow, Cathcart
Heywood and Radcliffe
Hemsworth
Combined English Universities3
Ogmore
Bexley
Pontypool
Battersea North
Glasgow, Bridegton
Bermondsey, Rotherhithe
Paddington North
Combined Scottish Universities3
Aberdeen South
Aberdare
Kilmarnock
Normanton
Jarrow
Liverpool, Edge Hill
Islington West
Gravesend
Howdenshire
Edinburh East
Epsom
Glasgow, Camlachie
Paisley
Wigan
Croydon North
Brigg
Southwark Central
Glasgow, Gorbals
Stirling and Falkirk
Edmonton
Glasgow, Hillhead
Batley and Morley
Hammersmith South
St.Pancras North
Sowerby
Leeds West
Bradford South
65.4%
70.5%
51.0%
66.7%
51.6%
56.5%
56.5%
36.8%
39.5%
64.9%
69.0%
55.6%
75.6%
42.1%
33.1%
61.2%
64.8%
55.4%
53.3%
50.9%
53.9%
50.7%
65.6%
65.7%
68.4%
54.6%
73.4%
62.7%
51.4%
77.3%
67.0%
63.0%
70.5%
56.8%
76.0%
81.4%
74.8%
77.1%
48.7%
50.0%
72.9%
62.7%
56.7%
81.3%
60.6%
65.1%
80.7%
65.1%
75.4%
GENERAL ELECTION 1950
05/04/1950
25/04/1950
04/05/1950
28/09/1950
25/10/1950
02/11/1950
16/11/1950
30/11/1950
30/11/1950
15/02/1951
08/04/1951
21/04/1951
14/06/1951
21/06/1951
Sheffield, Neepsend
Dunbartonshire West
Brighouse and Spenborough
Leicester NE
Glasgow, Scotstoun
Oxford
Bimingham, Handsworth
Bristol SE
Abertillery
Bristol West
Ormskirk
Harrow West
Woolwich East
Westhoughton
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
-0.4%
+1.8%
+1.7%
+8.8%
+4.3%
+10.6%
+10.2%
+8.4%
+0.6%
+22.5%
+5.2%
+13.4%
+6.3%
+1.9%
-1.9%
+1.1%
-1.7%
+1.4%
+1.3%
+1.8%
-1.1%
-5.9%
-0.6%
-11.4%
-7.2%
-1.5%
-0.8%
-1.9%
…
…
…
-9.5%
-4.9%
-11.6%
-10.3%
-1.4%
…
-11.1%
…
-11.9%
-3.5%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+2.3%
-2.9%
…
-0.7%
-0.7%
-0.8%
+1.2%
-1.1%
…
…
+2.0%
…
-2.0%
…
62.9%
83.4%
85.4%
63.0%
73.7%
69.3%
63.2%
61.1%
71.1%
53.6%
64.7%
68.0%
66.8%
76.5%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 38
Date
Date
Constituency
Constituency
Result
Result
Change
vote
since
previous
election:
Change in
inshare
shareofofthe
the
vote
since
previous
election:
Con
Lab
LD SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Turnout
CON
LAB
LD
SNP/PC
Other
GENERAL ELECTION 1951
06/02/1952
06/02/1952
07/02/1952
17/07/1952
23/10/1952
04/11/1952
27/11/1952
27/11/1952
12/02/1953
12/03/1953
31/03/1953
31/03/1953
01/04/1953
13/05/1953
30/06/1953
02/07/1953
17/09/1953
12/11/1953
12/11/1953
19/11/1953
03/12/1953
03/02/1954
11/02/1954
11/02/1954
18/02/1954
09/03/1954
11/03/1954
08/04/1954
14/04/1954
30/09/1954
21/10/1954
21/10/1954
28/10/1954
28/10/1954
04/11/1954
04/11/1954
18/11/1954
21/12/1954
13/01/1955
20/01/1955
25/01/1955
27/01/1955
03/02/1955
17/03/1955
Bournemouth East and Christchurch
Southport
Leeds SE
Dundee East
Cleveland
Wycombe
Birmingham, Small Heath
Farnworth
Canterbury
Isle of Thanet
Barnsley
Stoke-on-Trent North
Hayes and Harlington
Sunderland South
Abingdon
Birmingham, Edgbaston
Broxtowe
Crosby
Ormskirk
Holborn and St.Pancras S
Paddington North
Ilford North
Kingston upon Hull, Haltemprice
Harwich
Bournemouth West
Arundel and Shoreham
Harrogate
Edinburgh East
Motherwell
Croydon East
Shoreditch and Finsbury
Wakefield
Aldershot
Aberdare
Sutton And Cheam
Morpeth
Liverpool, West Derby
Inverness
Norfolk South
Orpington
Twickenham
Edinburgh North
Stockport South
Wrexham
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con gain from Lab
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
-1.5%
-1.7%
+1.8%
+3.7%
-2.7%
+2.7%
-10.6%
+2.5%
+0.7%
-0.7%
+0.3%
-0.3%
+2.1%
+3.6%
-0.7%
+0.7%
+6.0%
+1.9%
-0.3%
+0.3%
+9.8%
+3.2%
-4.1%
+4.1%
+0.9%
-0.9%
-1.1%
-4.2%
-2.3%
-4.8%
+3.3%
-3.3%
-1.4%
+1.4%
-2.8%
+1.5%
-2.0%
+2.0%
-0.2%
+1.9%
+1.0%
-1.9%
+4.3%
-5.7%
+3.7%
-3.7%
+0.2%
-0.2%
+4.2%
-4.2%
+1.1%
-1.1%
+0.2%
-0.2%
-3.5%
+3.5%
-3.4%
-0.9%
-2.2%
-5.8%
-5.6%
+5.6%
+0.2%
-0.2%
-0.2%
+0.2%
-0.9%
-9.0%
+3.7%
-3.7%
+0.6%
-0.6%
+1.6%
-1.6%
-23.1% +36.0%
-3.0%
+3.0%
+3.1%
-3.1%
+1.9%
-1.9%
+0.6%
-0.6%
+0.1%
-0.1%
-4.0%
-3.7%
-1.5%
-5.5%
…
…
…
…
-5.7%
…
-7.9%
…
-13.0%
…
…
+5.3%
+7.1%
…
…
…
…
-1.7%
…
+1.4%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+8.0%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
-12.9%
…
…
…
…
…
…
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab gain from Con
Lab hold
Lab gain from Lib
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
Lab hold
-1.2%
+1.2%
…
-2.3%
+2.3%
…
-9.4%
-0.2%
+9.6%
-3.4%
+3.4%
…
+1.8%
-1.8%
…
-7.5% +11.6%
-4.1%
-15.0%
-6.6% +21.6%
-1.9%
+9.7%
-8.4%
-14.1%
-1.0% +14.7%
-8.4%
+8.4%
…
-6.4%
+2.6%
+3.8%
-4.5%
+4.5%
…
-5.0%
+4.6%
+0.4%
-7.6%
+7.6%
…
-7.5%
+3.5%
…
-11.6%
+1.7%
…
…
+4.6%
-8.3%
-5.1%
+5.1%
…
-12.2% +12.2%
…
-6.1%
+6.1%
…
-3.6%
+3.6%
…
-21.9%
-1.6% +23.5%
-11.5%
-2.8%
…
…
…
…
+7.4%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+9.9%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+7.7%
+4.7%
…
…
+0.7%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+4.3%
…
…
+0.9%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+4.3%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
63.8%
61.0%
55.7%
55.7%
71.4%
83.9%
46.6%
71.0%
49.2%
58.7%
57.9%
50.5%
45.0%
72.7%
75.9%
50.2%
63.5%
62.5%
54.1%
56.2%
60.3%
45.4%
45.7%
58.8%
45.1%
54.2%
55.3%
61.8%
70.5%
57.5%
40.7%
68.6%
58.7%
69.7%
55.6%
73.0%
58.9%
49.2%
66.6%
55.4%
47.3%
46.4%
64.6%
62.4%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+4.0%
…
+9.9%
+3.7%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
… +14.3%
42.3%
75.3%
62.6%
56.5%
39.9%
61.5%
61.9%
75.0%
52.0%
60.6%
72.1%
64.9%
71.5%
56.5%
70.8%
60.0%
87.5%
61.1%
77.9%
64.7%
64.1%
65.8%
57.3%
GENERAL ELECTION 1955
07/12/1955
08/12/1955
15/12/1955
02/02/1956
09/02/1956
14/02/1956
14/02/1956
14/02/1956
01/03/1956
07/06/1956
06/07/1956
27/09/1956
15/11/1956
19/12/1956
14/02/1957
28/02/1957
28/02/1957
07/03/1957
07/03/1957
21/03/1957
21/03/1957
29/05/1957
30/05/1957
Gateshead West
Greenock
Torquay
Blaydon
Leeds NE
Hereford
Gainsborough
Taunton
Walthamstow West
Tonbridge
Newport(Mon.)
Cheter-le-Street
City of Chester
Melton
Lewisham North
Wednesbury
Carmathen
Bristol West
Warwick and Lemington
Beckenham
Newcastle upon Tyne
Edinburgh South
East Ham North
39 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Date
Date
30/05/1957
27/06/1957
12/09/1957
24/10/1957
28/11/1957
05/12/1957
12/02/1958
13/03/1958
27/03/1958
15/05/1958
12/06/1958
12/06/1958
12/06/1958
12/06/1958
12/06/1958
06/11/1958
06/11/1958
10/11/1958
20/11/1958
27/11/1958
29/01/1959
19/03/1959
25/03/1959
09/04/1958
11/06/1959
18/06/1959
Constituency
Constituency
Hornsey
Dorset North
Gloucester
Ipswich
Leicester SE
Liverpool, Garston
Rochdale
Glasgow, Kelvingrove
Torrington
Islington North
Ealing South
St.Helens
Wigan
Weston-super-Mare
Argyll
Morecambe and Lonsdale
Chichester
Pontypool
Aberdeenshire East
Shoreditch and Finsbury
Southend West
Harrow East
Norfolk SW
Galloway
Penistone
Whitehaven
Result
Result
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON gain from Ind CON
LAB gain from CON
LAB gain from CON
Lib gain from CON
LAB hold
CON gain from Ind CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
Change
inshare
shareofofthe
the
vote
since
previous
election:
Change in
vote
since
previous
election:
CON
LAB
LD
Other
CON
LAB
LD SNP/PC
SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Turnout
-6.7%
-7.0%
-20.5%
-14.4%
-3.2%
-14.3%
-31.7%
-13.8%
-27.7%
-10.4%
-9.2%
-0.4%
-5.7%
-13.4%
-20.8%
-5.9%
+0.1%
-5.6%
-19.9%
-2.5%
-8.6%
-1.6%
+0.7%
-16.5%
-1.8%
-0.6%
+9.3%
+2.8%
+0.4%
-7.1%
+3.2%
-0.9%
-3.8%
+3.4%
-10.3%
+7.4%
+1.6%
+0.4%
+6.6%
-11.1%
-6.7%
+5.9%
-0.1%
-4.4%
-4.4%
+2.5%
-0.6%
+0.6%
-3.3%
-9.2%
+1.8%
+0.6%
…
…
-2.6%
+3.7%
…
+0.5%
+20.1%
…
…
+21.5%
…
…
…
…
…
+15.2%
…
…
+35.5%
…
…
…
… +10.4%
+38.0%
…
…
…
…
+3.0%
+7.6%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
-0.9%
+24.5%
…
…
+27.5%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
… +10.0%
…
+24.3%
…
…
…
…
…
+9.2%
…
…
…
…
+1.0%
…
…
+2.6%
+25.7%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
63.0%
75.8%
71.0%
75.6%
56.4%
49.7%
80.2%
60.5%
80.6%
35.6%
64.5%
54.6%
70.3%
72.2%
67.1%
63.8%
51.7%
61.7%
65.9%
24.9%
42.9%
68.9%
75.2%
72.7%
65.0%
79.2%
+0.9%
-0.9%
…
…
…
-15.2% -10.9% +21.4%
…
+4.7%
-9.8%
-5.7% +15.5%
…
…
-15.0% -11.0% +24.8%
…
+1.2%
-1.4%
-6.2%
+7.0%
…
+0.6%
-9.9%
-7.6% +17.5%
…
…
-6.5%
-4.7% +11.2%
…
…
-13.9% -13.4% +27.3%
…
…
-2.3%
-9.8% +12.1%
…
…
-6.3% -12.2% +11.5%
+7.0%
…
-3.8%
-5.7%
+9.5%
…
…
-18.0% -12.1% +30.1%
…
…
-12.0% -12.0% +24.0%
…
…
-8.6%
-1.9% +10.5%
…
…
-4.4%
-2.8%
+7.2%
…
…
-13.8%
+1.8% +12.0%
…
…
-12.1%
-0.4% +12.5%
…
…
-29.5% -11.9% +41.4%
…
…
-13.3% +13.3%
…
…
…
-21.1% -11.9% +27.8%
…
+5.2%
-15.1%
+0.0% +12.3%
…
+2.8%
-22.4%
-3.7% +26.1%
…
…
-15.9%
-5.9%
… +18.7%
+3.1%
-14.7%
-4.6% +18.2%
…
+1.1%
-19.5%
+4.8% +14.7%
…
…
-23.7%
-1.0% +22.9%
…
+1.8%
-21.9%
-9.8% +31.7%
…
…
-4.2%
+0.9%
…
…
+3.3%
-18.5%
-8.4% +26.9%
…
…
-24.7%
-3.4% +25.4%
…
+2.7%
-9.4%
-6.0%
+9.2%
+6.2%
…
-21.2%
+4.3% +16.1%
…
+0.8%
-25.2% -11.4% +32.5%
…
+4.1%
-28.3%
-9.4% +10.8% +23.3%
+3.6%
-23.9% -10.4% +34.3%
…
…
-18.0%
-1.2%
+6.2%
… +13.0%
-12.6%
+2.2%
+7.6%
…
+2.8%
-15.8%
-4.4% +19.3%
…
+0.9%
-15.2%
-1.9% +15.6%
…
+1.5%
-19.1%
-7.0% +14.0% +11.1%
+1.0%
-14.5%
+0.1% +13.7%
…
+0.7%
-8.8%
+6.5%
…
…
+2.3%
-14.7%
-6.3% +15.8%
-5.3% +10.5%
82.4%
61.6%
53.8%
68.2%
71.1%
68.4%
53.6%
63.6%
54.2%
76.1%
54.1%
64.2%
62.4%
72.5%
64.9%
42.6%
56.7%
68.1%
56.7%
46.7%
60.8%
67.3%
41.9%
75.0%
55.2%
52.2%
80.3%
63.3%
81.5%
60.5%
85.1%
72.2%
79.4%
71.1%
60.8%
70.2%
60.2%
69.0%
68.0%
54.7%
78.9%
56.3%
55.9%
GENERAL ELECTION 1959
17/03/1960
17/03/1960
19/05/1960
16/11/1960
16/11/1960
16/11/1960
16/11/1960
16/11/1960
16/11/1960
17/11/1960
24/11/1960
16/03/1961
16/03/1961
16/03/1961
16/03/1961
23/03/1961
20/04/1961
20/04/1961
04/05/1961
07/11/1961
08/11/1961
08/11/1961
16/11/1961
08/03/1962
13/03/1962
14/03/1962
14/03/1962
22/03/1962
05/04/1962
17/04/1962
15/05/1962
06/06/1962
06/06/1962
14/06/1962
12/07/1962
22/11/1962
22/11/1962
22/11/1962
22/11/1962
22/11/1962
21/03/1963
28/03/1963
28/03/1963
Brighouse and Spenborough
Harrow West
Edinburgh North
Bolton East
Bedfordshire Mid
Tiverton
Petersfield
Ludlow
Carshalton
Ebbw Vale
Blyth
Worcester
Cambridgeshire
High Peak
Colchester
Brimingham, Small Heath
Warrington
Paisley
Bristol SE
Manchester, Moss Side
Oswestry
Fife East
Glasgow, Bridgeton
Lincoln
Blackpool North
Middlesbrough
Orpington
Pontefract
Stockton-on-Tees
Derby North
Montgomeryshire
Middlesbrough West
Debyshire West
West Lothian
Leicester NE
Dorset South
Norfolk Central
Northamptonshire South
Chippenham
Glasgow, Woodside
Colne Valley
Rotherham
Swansea East
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
Lib gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
Lib hold
LAB gain from CON
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 40
Date
Date
20/06/1963
04/07/1963
04/07/1963
15/08/1963
20/08/1963
07/11/1963
07/11/1963
21/11/1963
05/12/1963
05/12/1963
05/12/1963
12/12/1963
14/05/1964
14/05/1964
14/05/1964
14/05/1964
04/06/1964
11/06/1964
Constituency
Constituency
Leeds South
Deptford
West Bromwich
Stratford
Bristol SE
Luton
Kinross-shire and Perthshire West
Dundee West
St.Marylebone
Manchester, Openshaw
Sudbury and Woodbridge
Dunfriesshire
Winchester
Bury St.Edmunds
Devizes
Rutherglen
Faversham
Liverpool, Scotland
Result
Result
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
Change
in share
shareofofthe
thevote
vote
since
previous
election:
Change in
since
previous
election:
CON
LAB
LD
Other
CON
LAB
LD SNP/PC
SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Turnout
-10.9%
+4.4%
+4.3%
-18.9%
-3.6% +22.5%
-19.0%
+1.4% +17.6%
-25.0%
+2.6% +21.0%
-43.8% +23.5%
…
-15.6%
+3.1% +11.4%
-10.8%
-1.6% +19.5%
-8.9%
+1.0%
…
-9.6%
+8.2%
+1.4%
-10.6%
+5.7%
…
-3.4%
+4.0%
-0.6%
-17.5%
-3.1% +10.9%
-15.1%
+1.9% +13.2%
-9.7%
+2.2%
+7.5%
-4.6%
+1.0% +10.3%
-7.6%
+7.6%
…
+5.6%
+4.8%
…
-12.5% +12.5%
…
…
+2.2%
…
…
…
…
…
+1.4%
… +20.3%
…
+1.1%
-7.7%
+0.6%
+7.4%
+0.5%
…
…
…
+4.9%
…
…
+9.7%
…
…
…
…
…
…
-6.7%
…
…
…
+0.8%
…
…
60.5%
44.1%
55.2%
69.4%
42.2%
74.0%
76.1%
71.6%
44.2%
46.1%
70.5%
71.6%
68.7%
74.6%
75.8%
82.0%
74.8%
42.0%
+9.3%
+5.8%
+3.2%
+1.8%
-0.1%
-0.8%
-4.2%
+0.2%
+2.2%
-6.2%
+1.2%
+4.9%
+0.0%
…
…
…
…
…
…
-2.5%
+6.7%
…
…
…
…
…
+0.8%
…
+1.6%
…
+1.5%
…
+0.9%
…
…
+0.3%
…
…
+0.7%
57.7%
60.8%
62.0%
64.5%
69.1%
76.1%
82.2%
63.2%
52.4%
58.5%
41.8%
72.0%
76.3%
+22.9%
…
…
+7.6%
+31.2%
-0.6%
+28.2%
+1.8%
…
…
…
+2.2%
…
-0.9%
…
+3.4%
…
…
…
+3.7%
+46.0%
…
…
+5.2%
…
+3.4%
…
+6.1%
…
…
…
…
…
…
… +13.2%
…
+7.3%
… -10.0%
+29.3%
…
…
+2.4%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+3.4%
…
+1.7%
…
…
…
+3.6%
…
+0.4%
+25.0%
-1.1%
…
+4.4%
…
+5.8%
…
…
+20.4%
…
74.9%
66.1%
82.2%
75.7%
72.6%
68.0%
65.7%
54.0%
57.5%
72.4%
73.7%
64.5%
40.0%
59.7%
63.5%
66.0%
58.5%
54.7%
49.8%
74.2%
75.9%
68.0%
55.9%
45.1%
51.2%
60.8%
53.4%
51.9%
32.8%
46.3%
72.3%
69.8%
58.5%
44.7%
69.6%
70.3%
76.3%
GENERAL ELECTION 1964
21/01/1965
21/01/1965
04/02/1965
04/02/1965
04/02/1965
23/03/1965
24/03/1965
01/04/1965
06/05/1965
22/07/1965
04/11/1965
11/11/1965
27/01/1966
Leyton
CON gain from LAB
Nuneaton
LAB hold
Altrinham and Sale
CON hold
East Grinstead
CON hold
Salisbury
CON hold
Saffron Walden
CON hold
Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire and PeeblesshLib gain from CON
Abertillery
LAB hold
Birmingham, Hall Green
CON hold
Hove
CON hold
Cities of London and Westminster
CON hold
Erith and Crayford
LAB hold
Kingston upon Hull North
LAB hold
-7.9%
-2.2%
-3.8%
-2.0%
+1.0%
+5.8%
-6.3%
+4.5%
+3.0%
-4.4%
+2.1%
-1.3%
-4.5% +10.3%
-6.9%
…
-3.0%
+0.8%
-11.0% +16.9%
+2.3%
-4.8%
+2.3%
-7.2%
+8.9%
-9.6%
GENERAL ELECTION 1966
14/07/1966
09/03/1967
09/03/1967
09/03/1967
16/03/1967
27/04/1967
21/09/1967
21/09/1967
02/11/1967
02/11/1967
02/11/1967
23/11/1967
14/03/1968
28/03/1968
28/03/1968
28/03/1968
28/03/1968
13/06/1968
13/06/1968
27/06/1968
18/07/1968
31/10/1968
07/11/1968
27/03/1969
27/03/1969
27/03/1969
22/05/1969
26/06/1969
30/10/1969
30/10/1969
30/10/1969
30/10/1969
30/10/1969
04/12/1969
04/12/1969
12/03/1970
19/03/1970
Carmarthen
Nuneaton
Rhondda West
Glasgow, Pollok
Honiton
Brierley Hill
Cambridge
Walthamstow West
Leicester SW
Manchester, Gorton
Hamilton
Derbyshire West
Kensington South
Acton
Dudley
Meriden
Warwick and Leamington
Oldham West
Sheffield Brightside
Nelson and Colne
Caerphilly
Bassetlaw
New Forest
Brighton, Pavilion
Walthamstow East
Weston-super-Mare
Chichester
Birmingham, Ladywood
Islington North
Paddington North
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Swindon
Glasgow, Gorbals
Louth
Wellingborough
Bridgwater
Ayrshire South
PC gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
CON gain from LAB
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
SNP gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
CON gain from LAB
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
Lib gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
LAB hold
-4.5%
+1.1%
-3.5%
-10.7%
+2.5%
+2.6%
+8.2%
+12.2%
+10.3%
+4.6%
-16.3%
+7.0%
+10.3%
+6.3%
+17.2%
+18.4%
+16.7%
+7.7%
+13.5%
+11.9%
-4.2%
+9.5%
+15.1%
+12.5%
+20.8%
+13.6%
+17.0%
-0.6%
+8.2%
+16.0%
+5.7%
+5.1%
-4.2%
+11.6%
+6.8%
+11.1%
-7.2%
-13.1%
-11.8%
-27.1%
-21.2%
-6.3%
-12.6%
-8.9%
-24.4%
-22.8%
-14.2%
-29.7%
-18.8%
-11.2%
-23.8%
-25.1%
-18.4%
-19.6%
-27.6%
-20.8%
-10.9%
-28.7%
-11.9%
-12.9%
-23.3%
-11.0%
-14.2%
-12.9%
-33.4%
-10.2%
-6.7%
-15.7%
-20.8%
-19.7%
-17.0%
-12.6%
-6.2%
-13.2%
-5.3%
+3.1%
…
+1.9%
+3.8%
+7.8%
+1.6%
+8.8%
+12.5%
+5.9%
…
+6.6%
-2.5%
+11.4%
+7.9%
…
+2.9%
+6.7%
…
+9.0%
+3.6%
…
-2.2%
+10.8%
-9.8%
+0.6%
-4.1%
+30.6%
+0.3%
-9.3%
+6.4%
+15.3%
…
+1.0%
…
-4.9%
…
41 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Date
Date
Constituency
Constituency
Result
Result
Change
Change in
in share
share of
of the
the vote
vote since
since previous
previous election:
election:
CON
LAB
LD
Other
CON
LAB
LD SNP/PC
SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Turnout
GENERAL ELECTION 1970
22/10/1970
19/11/1970
01/04/1971
01/04/1971
27/05/1971
27/05/1971
27/05/1971
17/06/1971
08/07/1971
16/09/1971
23/09/1971
30/09/1971
13/04/1972
04/05/1972
04/05/1972
26/10/1972
07/12/1972
07/12/1972
01/03/1973
01/03/1973
01/03/1973
24/05/1973
24/05/1973
27/06/1973
26/07/1973
26/07/1973
08/11/1973
08/11/1973
08/11/1973
08/11/1973
St.Marylebone
Enfield West
Liverpool, Scotland
Arundel and Shoreham
Southampton, Itchen
Bromsgrove
Goole
Hayes and Harlington
Greenwich
Stirling and Falkirk
Widnes
Macclesfield
Merthyr Tydfil
Southwark
Kingston upon Thames
Rochdale
Sutton and Cheam
Uxbridge
Lincoln
Chester-le-Street
Dundee East
West Bromwich
Westhoughton
Manchester, Exchange
Isle of Ely
Ripon
Hove
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Edinburgh North
Glasgow, Govan
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB gain from Ind LAB
LAB gain from Ind LAB
CON hold
Lib gain from LAB
Lib gain from CON
CON hold
Dem LAB gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
Lib gain from CON
Lib gain from CON
CON hold
Lib gain from CON
CON hold
SNP gain from LAB
+1.3%
-0.6%
-6.8%
+3.3%
+31.6%
-10.1%
-8.7%
-15.9%
-8.3%
-15.9%
-11.4%
-7.4%
-2.4%
-10.1%
-4.3%
-10.3%
-26.2%
-9.4%
-21.5%
-20.0%
-17.2%
-19.4%
-2.3%
-20.7%
-24.9%
-20.2%
-20.9%
-11.0%
-14.1%
-16.5%
-2.3%
-0.2%
-3.5%
-2.0%
-11.8%
+10.1%
+8.7%
+17.0%
+9.4%
-4.2%
+11.4%
+9.4%
+19.8%
+12.0%
-0.7%
-10.5%
-18.6%
-5.1%
-27.7%
-18.6%
-15.6%
-2.0%
+1.6%
-13.2%
-13.4%
-12.3%
-19.7%
-7.6%
-13.1%
-21.8%
-2.4%
-0.5%
…
-1.6%
+5.4%
…
…
…
-6.4%
…
…
-3.9%
+2.4%
…
-0.4%
+11.9%
+39.0%
+1.3%
…
+38.6%
+8.3%
…
…
+36.5%
+38.3%
+30.4%
+37.3%
+18.0%
+8.3%
+8.2%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+20.1%
…
…
+27.4%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+21.3%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+18.9%
+31.6%
+3.4%
+1.3%
+10.3%
+0.3%
-25.2%
…
…
-1.1%
+5.3%
…
…
+1.9%
-47.2%
-1.9%
+5.4%
+8.9%
+5.8%
+13.2%
+49.2%
…
+3.2%
+21.4%
+0.7%
-2.6%
…
+2.1%
+3.3%
+0.6%
…
-1.5%
35.3%
49.9%
37.7%
53.1%
50.1%
67.0%
55.6%
42.3%
39.2%
60.0%
45.4%
75.8%
79.5%
32.1%
53.6%
69.1%
56.3%
54.3%
72.6%
72.3%
70.6%
43.6%
63.4%
43.7%
65.8%
64.3%
62.4%
75.0%
54.4%
51.7%
-1.1%
-3.4%
-2.3%
…
+6.8%
25.9%
…
+3.8%
…
+2.8%
…
+5.8%
…
+1.5%
…
+6.8%
…
+7.1%
…
+3.7%
… +20.8%
…
…
…
+3.0%
…
+8.9%
… +10.6%
…
+4.8%
…
+0.3%
…
+4.5%
… +13.6%
…
+5.8%
…
+6.7%
+1.7%
+3.2%
…
+9.7%
…
+7.1%
…
+0.6%
-5.6%
…
…
+2.8%
…
…
…
-1.1%
-4.4%
…
…
…
…
+1.5%
…
+2.7%
62.3%
72.9%
60.5%
55.5%
46.8%
54.1%
41.0%
51.5%
74.2%
49.2%
39.6%
58.8%
59.7%
70.2%
64.8%
42.6%
42.6%
69.1%
69.1%
44.5%
54.9%
59.0%
72.1%
51.6%
59.8%
48.9%
71.2%
62.8%
57.2%
57.2%
GENERAL ELECTION 1974 (FEB)
23/05/1974
Newham South
LAB hold
GENERAL ELECTION 1974 (OCT)
26/06/1975
04/03/1976
11/03/1976
11/03/1976
24/06/1976
15/07/1976
04/11/1976
04/11/1976
04/11/1976
02/12/1976
24/02/1977
31/03/1977
28/04/1977
28/04/1977
07/07/1977
18/08/1977
24/11/1977
02/03/1978
13/04/1978
20/04/1978
27/04/1978
27/04/1978
31/05/1978
13/07/1978
13/07/1978
26/10/1978
26/10/1978
01/03/1979
01/03/1979
29/03/1979
Greenwich, Woolwich West
Coventry NW
Sutton, Carshalton
Wirral
Rotherham
Thurrock
Newcastle upon Tyne
Walsall North
Workington
Cambridge
City of London and Westminster South
Birmingham, Strechford
Ashfield
Grimsby
Saffron Walden
Birmingham, Ladywood
Bournemouth East
Redbridge, Ilford North
Glasgow, Garscadden
Lambeth Central
Epsom and Ewell
Wycombe
Hamilton
Manchester, Moss Side
Penistone
Pontefract and Castleford
Berwick and East Lothian
Clitheroe
Knutsford
Liverpool, Edge Hill
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON gain from ENP
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
Lib gain from LAB
+10.2%
+5.8%
+6.3%
+16.0%
+12.6%
+11.0%
+3.2%
+17.3%
+15.9%
+9.8%
+7.4%
+15.6%
+20.8%
+13.8%
+12.0%
+6.3%
+11.7%
+9.4%
+5.6%
+8.2%
+9.5%
+13.7%
+3.5%
+6.3%
+8.9%
+11.1%
+2.6%
+17.0%
+16.1%
-11.4%
-5.0%
-9.0%
-4.2%
-4.4%
-10.4%
-1.7%
-11.3%
-6.2%
-13.9%
-5.5%
-10.3%
-7.8%
-24.2% +17.3%
-27.9% -10.2%
-10.4%
-5.5%
-10.0%
-2.8%
-11.2%
-5.1%
-19.6%
-6.6%
-20.9%
-4.7%
-0.2% -13.9%
-11.4%
-5.1%
-11.4%
-8.5%
-5.7% -11.8%
-4.5% -11.6%
-5.5%
-5.0%
-10.7%
-7.2%
-2.8% -13.8%
-2.3% -12.0%
+3.5%
-1.4%
-0.7%
-8.4%
-8.7%
-0.2%
-4.6%
-5.4%
+4.1%
-2.3%
-2.8% -14.2%
-7.0% -10.6%
-28.1% +36.8%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 42
Date
Date
Constituency
Constituency
Result
Result
Change
inin
share
ofof
the
vote
since
previous
election:
Change
share
the
vote
since
previous
election:
CON
LAB
LDLD SNP/PC
CON
LAB
SNP/PC Other
Other Turnout
Turnout
GENERAL ELECTION 1979
27/09/1979
13/12/1979
13/03/1980
26/06/1980
16/07/1981
22/10/1981
26/11/1981
25/03/1982
27/05/1982
03/06/1982
24/06/1982
16/09/1982
28/10/1982
28/10/1982
02/12/1982
24/02/1983
24/03/1983
Manchester Central
Hertfordshire SW
Southend East
Glasgow Central
Warrington
Croydon NW
Crosby
Glasgow, Hillhead
Beaconsfield
Merton, Mitcham and Morden
Coatbridge and Airdrie
Gower
Southwark, Peckham
Birmingham, Northfiled
Glasgow, Queens's Park
Southwark, Bermondsey
Darlington
-0.1%
+0.0%
+6.5%
-11.7%
-13.2%
-14.1%
-15.9%
-8.5%
-9.7%
-20.8%
-5.8%
-9.7%
-9.5%
-8.8%
-8.4%
-37.5%
-6.0%
+1.3%
+1.4%
+0.8%
+4.1%
+1.6%
+3.5%
-0.7%
+2.8%
-0.1%
+0.8%
…
+0.6%
+0.0%
+0.6%
+0.7%
+6.0%
+0.2%
33.6%
48.3%
62.5%
42.8%
67.0%
62.8%
69.3%
76.4%
53.9%
48.5%
56.3%
65.4%
38.0%
55.0%
47.0%
57.7%
80.0%
+2.0%
+3.6%
+0.0%
+0.6%
+2.9%
-0.4%
+2.2%
+0.3%
+1.4%
+0.4%
+1.3%
…
+1.4%
+2.2%
+0.2%
+0.9%
55.7%
76.9%
65.6%
61.7%
65.7%
54.5%
50.6%
79.4%
38.1%
70.8%
71.9%
67.3%
62.2%
57.3%
68.2%
70.3%
…
+7.4%
+38.4%
+2.3%
… +14.5%
… +35.9%
+20.0%
+3.9%
+1.7%
+7.1%
+20.2%
+4.1%
…
+8.3%
…
+6.0%
…
+6.5%
+7.5%
…
…
+1.7%
…
+4.5%
…
+6.2%
+16.5%
+3.5%
+13.5%
+3.2%
…
+3.6%
+17.0% +10.4%
-0.2%
+1.3%
…
+8.0%
…
+3.1%
+4.7%
+0.8%
…
+1.9%
51.6%
60.2%
49.1%
64.4%
62.2%
70.7%
52.8%
44.4%
77.5%
50.6%
33.4%
60.7%
39.7%
53.4%
53.7%
55.0%
71.2%
63.7%
75.8%
56.7%
42.6%
64.6%
65.3%
…
+8.9%
+7.4%
…
+12.0%
…
… +15.2%
+33.3%
…
…
+29.5%
+33.8%
…
+1.2%
+19.0%
…
+9.7%
+20.5%
…
-1.1%
+8.2%
+16.0%
+1.5%
+25.2%
…
+18.0%
…
+9.4% +10.3%
+50.9%
…
+14.3%
…
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
Lib gain from CON
SDP gain from CON
SDP gain from CON
CON hold
CON gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
Lib gain from Ind LAB
LAB hold
-10.1%
-8.8%
-19.3%
-7.6%
-21.7%
-18.9%
-17.2%
-14.5%
+0.1%
-0.5%
-1.3%
-8.4%
-15.7%
-9.8%
-12.0%
-19.4%
-8.5%
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
SDP gain from CON
CON hold
Lib gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
CON hold
Lib gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
SDP gain from LAB
Lib hold
-12.8%
-5.9% +16.7%
-17.2%
-1.6% +15.2%
-10.8%
+3.7%
+7.1%
-10.4%
-1.5% +11.3%
-6.8%
+2.8%
-0.7%
-15.7%
+3.9% +12.2%
-8.5%
-5.9% +12.2%
-20.5%
+9.4% +11.4%
-14.1%
+1.3% +11.4%
-11.3% +10.4%
+0.5%
+2.7% +12.4%
-16.4%
-17.9%
-1.9% +19.8%
-1.2% +17.2%
-17.4%
-13.8%
-8.2% +19.8%
-23.6%
-4.5% +27.9%
-6.5%
+2.5%
+3.1%
CON hold
SNP gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LD gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LD gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold.
LD gain from CON
LAB gain from CON
-5.9%
-4.6%
-21.4%
-24.0%
-6.0%
-10.5%
-5.4%
-10.2%
-18.3%
-11.0%
-6.4%
-19.0%
-10.9%
-22.7%
-1.0%
-1.3%
-22.4%
-7.5%
-13.5%
-11.5%
-6.7%
-10.1%
-2.6%
LD gain from CON
LD gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LD gain from CON
-29.0%
-4.0% +27.8%
-32.2%
-9.4% +38.6%
-13.9%
-8.3% +17.4%
-23.5% +20.5%
-2.5%
-26.5%
+6.8% +16.3%
GENERAL ELECTION 1983
28/07/1983
01/03/1984
03/05/1984
03/05/1984
03/05/1984
14/06/1984
13/12/1984
04/07/1985
05/12/1985
10/04/1986
08/05/1986
08/05/1986
17/07/1986
13/11/1986
26/02/1987
12/03/1987
Penrith and The Border
Chesterfield
Stafford
Surrey SW
Cynon Valley
Portsmouth South
Enfield, Southgate
Brecon and Radnor
Tyne Bridge
Fulham
Derbyshire West
Ryedale
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Knowsley North
Greenwich
Truro
…
…
…
…
+1.8%
…
…
-0.6%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
GENERAL ELECTION 1987
14/07/1988
10/11/1988
15/12/1988
23/02/1989
23/02/1989
04/05/1989
15/06/1989
15/06/1989
22/03/1990
24/05/1990
27/09/1990
18/10/1990
08/11/1990
08/11/1990
29/11/1990
29/11/1990
07/03/1991
04/04/1991
16/05/1991
04/07/1991
07/11/1991
07/11/1991
07/11/1991
Kensington
Glasgow, Govan
Epping Forest
Richmond (Yorks)
Pontypridd
Vale of Glamorgan
Glasgow Central
Vauxhall
Mid Staffordshire
Bootle
Knowsley South
Eastbourne
Bootle
Bradford North
Paisley North
Paisley South
Ribble Valley
Neath
Monmouth
Liverpool Walton
Hemsworth
Kincardine and Deeside
Langbaurgh
+4.9%
-27.9%
+0.3%
-6.9%
-3.0%
+14.2%
-9.9%
+2.6%
+24.4%
+8.5%
+4.3%
-3.8%
+11.5%
+8.9%
-11.5%
-10.1%
-8.3%
-11.6%
+11.6%
-11.3%
-0.7%
-8.2%
+4.5%
-6.4%
-8.2%
+6.6%
-5.0%
-15.0%
-12.5%
-9.0%
-0.7%
-12.0%
-4.0%
-5.4%
+21.1%
-5.1%
+7.6%
-7.5%
-5.3%
+27.1%
-8.3%
+0.8%
+14.8%
+4.3%
+12.7%
-3.8%
GENERAL ELECTION 1992
06/05/1993
29/07/1993
05/05/1994
09/06/1994
09/06/1994
Newbury
Christchurch
Rotherham
Barking
Eastleigh
…
…
…
…
…
+5.2%
+3.0%
+4.8%
+5.5%
+3.4%
71.3%
74.2%
43.7%
38.3%
58.7%
43 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Date
Date
Constituency
Constituency
Result
Result
09/06/1994
09/06/1994
09/06/1994
30/06/1994
15/12/1994
16/02/1995
25/05/1995
27/07/1995
01/02/1996
11/04/1996
12/12/1996
27/02/1997
Newham North East
Bradford South
Dagenham
Monklands East
Dudley West
Islwyn
Perth and Kinross
Littleborough & Saddleworth
Hemsworth
South East Staffordshire
Barnsley East
Wirral South
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
SNP gain from CON
LD gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
Change
Change in
in share
share of
of the
the vote
vote since
since previous
previous election:
election:
CON
LAB
LD
Other
LAB
LD SNP/PC
SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Turnout
CON
-16.0%
-20.6%
-26.4%
-13.7%
-30.2%
-10.9%
-18.7%
-20.7%
-9.8%
-22.2%
-6.9%
-16.5%
+16.6%
-7.0%
…
+6.3%
+7.7% +10.2%
…
+2.7%
+19.7%
-3.1%
…
+9.7%
-11.5%
-2.0% +26.9%
+0.4%
+28.1%
-2.8%
…
+5.0%
-5.2%
+4.9%
+8.8%
+2.3%
+10.5%
+0.4%
+4.4%
+3.4%
+13.9%
+2.7%
…
+4.1%
+1.1%
-3.7%
… +12.4%
…
+5.1%
+22.0%
-4.9%
-0.3%
…
+7.9%
-0.7%
-3.0%
+18.0%
…
+1.5%
34.8%
44.2%
37.0%
70.0%
47.0%
45.1%
62.1%
64.4%
39.5%
59.6%
33.6%
73.0%
+7.6%
-2.5%
-5.3%
…
+0.2%
-1.7% -13.4%
+1.6%
+9.1%
+4.4%
-1.2%
+4.0%
+0.2%
…
-3.0%
-13.6%
-8.8% +26.0%
…
-3.6%
-1.4% -21.4% +19.6%
…
+3.2%
+2.3%
+0.0%
+0.6%
…
-2.9%
-1.4% -28.7%
-1.9% +16.4% +15.6%
+1.1%
-9.0%
+3.3%
…
+4.6%
+9.0%
+2.8%
-5.9%
-5.9%
…
+1.1%
+1.6%
-9.9%
+6.5%
+0.7%
…
-2.3%
-4.0% -14.8% +21.1%
+0.3% -15.8%
+8.3%
…
+7.2%
-0.6%
-9.7%
+0.8%
+3.7%
+5.8%
+3.1% -15.1%
+1.5%
… +10.5%
Not Comparable
-3.8% -15.8%
-2.0% +16.5%
+5.1%
55.5%
43.1%
43.6%
68.7%
19.6%
51.4%
41.3%
25.0%
29.7%
45.6%
55.5%
25.4%
38.4%
29.6%
27.6%
36.2%
GENERAL ELECTION 1997
31/07/1997
06/11/1997
20/11/1997
20/11/1997
10/06/1999
22/07/1999
23/09/1999
23/09/1999
25/11/1999
03/02/2000
04/05/2000
22/06/2000
23/11/2000
23/11/2000
23/11/2000
21/12/2000
Uxbridge
Paisley South
Beckenham
Winchester4
Leeds Central
Eddisbury
Hamilton South
Wigan
Kensington and Chelsea
Ceredigion
Romsey
Tottenham
Glasgow, Anniesland
Preston
West Bromwich West5
Falkirk West
CON hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LD hold
LAB hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
PC hold
LD gain from CON
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB win
LAB hold
GENERAL ELECTION 2001
22/11/2001
14/02/2002
18/09/2003
15/07/2004
15/07/2004
30/09/2004
Ipswich
Ogmore
Brent East
Birmingham Hodge Hill
Leicester South
Hartlepool
LAB hold
LAB hold
LD gain from LAB
LAB hold
LD gain from LAB
LAB hold
-2.1%
-3.7%
-2.1%
-2.6%
-3.3%
-11.1%
-8.0%
-10.1%
-29.4%
-27.4%
-25.2%
-18.5%
+7.2%
-4.0%
+28.6%
+26.1%
+17.7%
+19.2%
…
+2.9%
+6.8% +11.0%
…
+2.9%
…
+3.9%
… +10.8%
… +10.4%
40.2%
35.2%
36.2%
37.9%
40.6%
45.8%
-4.2%
+2.0%
+3.3%
…
-1.1%
-3.4%
-9.3%
-0.6% +11.1%
+2.2%
-2.5% -16.8% +15.7%
+2.1%
+1.6%
+1.4%
+4.7%
+1.2%
+4.1% -11.4%
-11.1% -15.6% +17.5%
…
+9.2%
+0.9%
-7.3%
+3.2%
…
+3.2%
+0.2% -14.1%
+8.0%
…
+5.9%
+16.9% -18.3%
-4.0%
…
+5.4%
+3.5% -11.7%
+1.8%
…
+6.4%
+24.1%
…
…
… +25.4%
-0.6% -19.0%
-8.4% +26.1%
+1.9%
-3.3%
+3.2% -10.0% +13.1%
-3.0%
+6.3% -26.7%
-2.2%
… +22.6%
Not Comparable
55.2%
38.6%
48.7%
51.7%
40.5%
42.9%
41.5%
57.7%
50.3%
34.1%
42.2%
52.3%
45.8%
33.0%
GENERAL ELECTION 2005
14/07/2005
29/09/2005
09/02/2006
29/06/2006
29/06/2006
19/07/2007
19/07/2007
22/05/2008
26/06/2008
10/07/2008
24/07/2008
06/11/2008
23/07/2009
12/11/2009
Cheadle
Livingston
Dunfermline & W Fife
Blaenau Gwent
Bromley & Chislehurst
Ealing, Southall
Sedgefield
Crewe & Nantwich
Henley
Haltemprice & Howden6
Glasgow East
Glenrothes
Norwich North
Glasgow North East7
LD hold
LAB hold
LD gain from LAB
Ind hold
CON hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON gain from LAB
CON hold
CON hold
SNP gain from LAB
LAB hold
CON gain from LAB
LAB win
GENERAL ELECTION 2010
13/01/2011
03/02/2011
05/05/2011
30/06/2011
16/12/2011
29/03/2012
15/11/2012
15/11/2012
15/11/2012
Oldham East and Saddleworth
Barnsley Central
Leicester South
Inverclyde
Feltham and Heston
Bradford West
Cardiff South and Penarth
Corby
Manchester Central
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
Respect gain from LAB
LAB hold
LAB gain from CON
LAB hold
-13.6%
-9.0%
-6.2%
-2.1%
-6.3%
-22.8%
-8.4%
-15.7%
-7.3%
+10.3%
+13.5%
+12.3%
-2.2%
+10.8%
-20.4%
+8.4%
+9.6%
+16.4%
+0.3%
…
+3.0%
48.0%
-13.1%
…
+8.6%
37.0%
-4.4%
…
-1.7%
43.9%
-11.1% +15.5%
-0.1%
45.4%
-7.9%
…
+3.5%
28.7%
-7.1%
… +50.2%
50.8%
-11.4%
+5.4%
+6.1% …
-9.5%
… +15.4%
44.8%
-17.2%
…
+8.0%
18.2%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 44
Change in share of the vote since previous election:
CON
LAB
LD SNP/PC
Other Turnout
Date
Constituency
Result
24/11/2012
29/11/2012
29/11/2012
28/02/2013
02/05/2013
13/02/2014
05/06/2014
09/10/2014
09/10/2014
20/11/2014
Croydon North
Middlesborough
Rotherham
Eastleigh
South Shields
Wythenshawe & Sale East
Newark
Clacton
Heywood and Middleton
Rochester and Strood
LAB hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
LD hold
LAB hold
LAB hold
CON hold
UKIP gain from CON
LAB hold
UKIP gain from CON
-7.3%
-12.5%
-11.3%
-18.5%
-10.0%
-11.0%
-8.9%
-28.4%
-14.9%
-14.4%
+8.7%
+14.6%
+1.8%
-1.8%
-1.5%
+11.2%
-4.6%
-13.8%
+0.8%
-11.7%
-10.5%
-10.0%
-13.9%
-20.4%
-12.8%
-17.4%
-17.4%
-11.6%
-17.6%
-15.4%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+9.1%
+7.9%
+23.4%
+20.3%
+24.3%
+16.9%
+30.9%
+53.8%
+31.7%
+41.5%
47.9%
25.9%
33.8%
52.7%
57.7%
28.2%
52.7%
51.1%
36.0%
50.6%
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Lab hold
Con hold
LD gain from CON
Con hold
Con gain from LAB
Lab hold
-9.6%
-5.4%
-3.3%
-5.8%
…
-12.3%
-13.1%
-2.7%
+8.5%
+1.8%
+7.3%
+5.8%
-0.8%
+8.7%
+42.6%
-1.4%
-8.7%
-7.0%
-4.9%
-2.2%
+0.0%
+1.6%
+0.0%
-1.4%
…
+23.8%
+30.4%
+5.3%
+3.8%
+5.7%
…
…
+5.7%
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
+2.3%
-2.0%
-1.6%
-1.5%
-42.6%
-3.7%
-8.7%
+4.4%
-7.3%
-5.2%
40.1%
33.0%
42.4%
42.8%
25.6%
77.0%
53.4%
37.0%
51.3%
38.1%
GENERAL ELECTION 2015
03/12/2015
05/05/2016
05/05/2016
16/06/2016
20/10/2016
20/10/2016
01/12/2016
08/12/2016
23/02/2017
23/02/2017
Oldham West and Royton
Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough
Ogmore
Tooting
Bateley and Spen
Witney
Richmond Park 8
Sleaford and North Hykeham
Copeland
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Notes:
1. Constituency returned two MPs at 1945 General Election. When calculating the change in vote share, the total vote received by a
party's candidate in the previous general election is used.
2. Votes for the National candidate in the general election are counted as Conservative votes.
3. From 1918 to 1945, two Members were returned for a Combined English Universities constituency and three Members for a
Combined Scottish Universities constituency, using the Single Transferable Vote system. By-elections were conducted by First Past
the Post. Therefore by-election results are not comparable with the general election results.
4. Election re-run. Original general election result annulled by election court.
5. By-election called due to resignation of Speaker Betty Boothroyd.
6. Labour and the Liberal Democrats did not contest the by-election.
7. By-election called due to resignation of Speaker Michael Martin.
8. By-election called due to resignation of Zac Goldsmith from Conservative party who stood as an independent in the by-election. The
Conservatives did not field a candidate. The change in CON vote share is based off CON vote share in 2015 GE and Zac
Goldsmith's independent vote share.
Sources:
1. F.W.S. Craig, Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833-1987
2. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
3. House of Commons Library, RP10/50 By-election results 2005-10; SN05833 By-elections since 2010 General Election; CBP7417 Byelections since 2015.
45 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
3.2 Northern Ireland
Parliamentary by-elections, Northern Ireland, 1945-2015
2010-15
Loses
Gains
No change
Total
1997-2001
1992-97
1987-92
1983-87
1979-83
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213141516
Anti-H Block
Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Popular Unionist Party
Independent
Social Democratic Labour Party
UK Unionist
Democratic Unionist
There were by-elections in Northern Ireland in six of the last eighteen
Parliaments.
Among Parliaments since 1950, the highest number of by-elections took
place in the Parliament of 1983-1987, when there were 15. However,
only one seat changed hands during this Parliament, which was Newry
and Armagh. Previously held by the UK Unionist Party, the seat was won
by SDLP.
The 1981 by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone had the highest
turnout of any by-election in the UK since 1945. 87.5% of the
electorate gave a valid vote. This was the second of two by-elections
which took place in the same year in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone
constituency. In both cases by-elections were triggered by the
incumbent Member of Parliament’s death.
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 46
Table 14a: Parliamentary by-elections in Northern Ireland, 192219741
Date
Constituency
Result
Change in share of the vote since previous election:
NAT 2
LAB
LIB
Other Turnout
CON
Con hold
By-election uncontested
Nat hold
By-election uncontested
GENERAL ELECTION 1922
None
GENERAL ELECTION 1923
None
GENERAL ELECTION 1924
29/01/1929
Londonderry*
GENERAL ELECTION 1929
07/03/1931
Fermanagh and Tyrone*
GENERAL ELECTION 1931
27/06/1934
Fermanagh and Tyrone*
...
8.5%
...
...
38.6%
39.4%
...
...
29.2%
54.8%
45.0%
Con gain from Ind Con
10.9%
...
...
... -10.9%
Con hold
Previous general election was uncontested
66.6%
GENERAL ELECTION 1935
10/05/1939
08/02/1940
09/02/1943
11/02/1943
Down*
East Belfast
West Belfast
Antrim*
Con hold
Con hold
NI Lab gain from Con
Con hold
By-election uncontested
By-election uncontested
-29.2%
...
By-election uncontested
GENERAL ELECTION 1945
06/06/1946
05/03/1948
Down*
Armagh
GENERAL ELECTION 1950
19/05/1951
Londonderry
Con hold
By-election uncontested
Con hold
Con hold
Con hold
By-election uncontested
By-election uncontested
By-election uncontested
GENERAL ELECTION 1951
27/10/1952
15/04/1953
20/11/1954
North Antrim
North Down
Armagh
GENERAL ELECTION 1955
11/08/1955
08/05/1956
Mid-Ulster3
Mid-Ulster4
SF hold
Ind Con gain from SF
-0.5%
...
...
10.9%
...
...
...
...
0.5%
38.9%
89.7%
88.4%
Unity gain from Con
-5.6%
...
...
...
5.6%
91.5%
GENERAL ELECTION 1959
None
GENERAL ELECTION 1964
None
GENERAL ELECTION 1966
17/04/1969
Mid-Ulster
GENERAL ELECTION 1970
None
47 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 14b: Parliamentary by-elections in Northern
Ireland, 1974-20155
Date
Constituency
Result
Change in share of the vote since previous election:
DUP
UUP
SF
SDLP
Other
Turnout
GENERAL ELECTION 1974 (FEB)
None
GENERAL ELECTION 1974 (OCT)
None
GENERAL ELECTION 1979
09/04/1981
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
20/08/1981
04/03/1982
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Belfast South
... +41.0%
...
... +51.2%
82.4%
-3.2%
-22.4%
...
...
... +3.2%
+0.9% +29.3%
87.5%
65.7%
...
+43.2%
...
+35.6%
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
+16.1%
...
...
...
+47.5%
...
+48.5%
...
+35.3%
+21.4%
...
+8.1%
+2.1%
+31.5%
+56.0%
...
+0.2%
+45.4%
+23.9%
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
-2.2%
-7.6%
...
...
-2.6%
-7.7%
...
...
...
-4.8%
...
...
...
...
...
-6.1%
... +13.7%
... +2.4%
... +21.9%
+5.6%
-0.6%
+5.0% +0.5%
... +7.3%
...
...
+3.0%
-0.1%
+8.7%
-1.2%
...
...
... +13.8%
58.9%
53.5%
52.2%
63.6%
54.7%
56.6%
60.5%
73.8%
80.4%
81.4%
47.0%
77.0%
76.6%
55.1%
57.2%
UUP hold
...
-3.5%
-1.7%
-1.6%
-4.8%
53.4%
UKU gain from UPU
...
...
...
...
-19.3%
38.6%
DUP gain from UUP
...
-22.2%
+3.0%
-4.7%
-5.0%
43.0%
-1.5%
…
-1.4%
…
-0.4%
-5.1%
-2.9%
+3.1%
+6.3%
+1.9%
37.4%
55.4%
Anti-H Block gain
from Ind Rep
Anti-H Block hold
UUP hold
...
+22.6%
UUP hold
DUP hold
UUP hold
DUP hold
UUP hold
UUP hold
UPU hold
UUP hold
UUP hold
UUP hold
UUP hold
DUP hold
SDLP gain from UUP
UUP hold
UUP hold
GENERAL ELECTION 19836
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
23/01/1986
East Antrim
North Antrim
South Antrim
Belfast East
Belfast North
Belfast South
North Down
South Down
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Lagan Valley
East Londonderry
Mid Ulster
Newry and Armagh
Strangford
Upper Bann
GENERAL ELECTION 1987
17/05/1990
Upper Bann
GENERAL ELECTION 1992
15/06/1995
North Down
GENERAL ELECTION 1997
21/09/2000
South Antrim
GENERAL ELECTION 2001
None
GENERAL ELECTION 2005
None
GENERAL ELECTION 2010 (up to July 2011)
09/06/2011
07/03/2013
Belfast West
Mid Ulster
GENERAL ELECTION 2015 (up to December 2015)
None
SF hold
SF hold
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 48
Notes for tables 14a and 14b:
1. The formation of new parties in the early 1970s altered the pattern of party competition at Westminster elections. The SDLP
(formed 1970) and the DUP (formed 1971) are included in Table 14b (1974-2012). Ulster Unionists are listed as Conservatives
up to 1972 when they stopped taking the Conservative whip.
2. Irish Nationalist/Anti-Partitionist
3. Sinn Féin (SF) candidate T.J. Mitchell was elected as MP for Mid-Ulster at the 1955 General Election, but was in prison at the
time of election and hence was disqualified from being an MP. No petition was lodged but a by-election writ was
subsequently issued; in the 31 August 1955 by-election Mitchell again stood for Sinn Féín and topped the poll (therefore the
by-election is here recorded as a Sinn Féin hold). However on this occasion a petition was lodged and since Mitchell was
disqualified, the Conservative candidate was elected instead.
4. Prior to the by-election the seat was held by a Conservative (see footnote 1). Changes in vote share are as compared to the
1955 General Election.
* Constituency returned two MPs at previous general election. Change in vote share between general election and by-election is
calculating using the total vote received by a party's candidate in the previous general election. However some electors will
only voted for one candidate in the general election and of those who cast two votes, some will have voted for candidates
from different parties. Additionally some parties will only have stood one candidate in a multimember seat.
5. The formation of new parties in the early 1970s altered the pattern of party competition at Westminster elections. The SDLP
(formed 1970) and the DUP (formed 1971) are included in this table but not in Table 14a. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
took the Conservative whip at Westminster until 1972 and so in Table 14a are listed under Conservatives.
6. Multiple by-elections were held in January 1986 after fifteen unionist Members resigned their seats in protest at the Anglo-Irish
Agreement.
Party descriptions:
DUP - Democratic Unionist Party
SDLP - Social Democratic and Labour Party
UUP - Ulster Unionist Party
UPU - Ulster Popular Unionist Party
SF - Sinn Fein
UKU - United Kingdom Unionist
Sources for tables 14a and 14b:
1. F.W.S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949
2. F.W.S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973
3. F.W.S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1974-1983
4. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Parliamentary Election Results 1983-1997
5. House of Commons Library RP01/36, By-election results 1997-2000; RP05/34, By-election results 2001-05;
6. RP10/50, By-election results 2005-10; SN05833, By-elections since 2010 General Election
49 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
4. European Parliament elections (UK)
Elections to the European Parliament are held every five years. Prior to
the first direct elections in June 1979, members of the European
Parliament were delegates from national parliaments.
Detailed analysis of
European Parliament
Elections 2014 is available
in:
House of Commons Library
Research Paper RP14-32
Since 1999, MEPs in England, Scotland and Wales have been elected
using a regional list system of proportional representation; up to the
1994 election the electoral system was First Past the Post. European
Parliament elections in Northern Ireland have always been conducted
using the Single Transferable Vote system of proportional
representation.
Members of the
European Parliament
after each election by
party, UK, 1979 - 2014
In 1979, the Conservatives received just over half the vote and won
three-quarters of seats in Great Britain at the European Parliament
elections. By 1994 the picture had been reversed and three-quarters of
MEPs elected were Labour. After a change in electoral system in 1999,
there was an increase in the number of MEPs from other parties. Ten
Liberal Democrats were elected, compared with two in 1994, and the
UK Independence Party (UKIP), the Green Party and Plaid Cymru got
their first MEPs.
Table 15a: UK MEPs elected at European Parliament elections by party,
1979-2014
1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
2009
2014
1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
2009
2014
0
Great Britain
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrat
UKIP
Scottish National
Plaid Cymru
Green
BNP
Total
Northern Ireland
60
17
0
..
1
0
0
..
78
45
32
0
..
1
0
0
..
78
32
45
0
..
1
0
0
..
78
18
62
2
0
2
0
0
..
84
36
29
10
3
2
2
2
0
84
27
19
12
12
2
1
2
0
75
25
13
11
13
2
1
2
2
69
19
20
1
24
2
1
3
0
70
DUP
SDLP
UUP
Sinn Fein
Total
Total UK
1
1
1
..
3
81
1
1
1
0
3
81
1
1
1
0
3
81
1
1
1
0
3
87
1
1
1
0
3
87
1
0
1
1
3
78
1
0
1
1
3
72
1
0
1
1
3
73
Although Labour polled more votes in 2004 than in 1999, a higher
turnout meant the party’s vote share fell from 36% to 23%. An
increase in the UKIP vote meant the number of UKIP MEPs rose from
three to twelve and the party had the third highest number of votes
behind the Conservative and Labour. UKIP gained another seat in 2009
and received more votes than Labour. The 2009 elections also saw the
first MEPs elected for the British National Party (BNP). In 2014 UKIP was
the party with the most MEPs and won a share of 27% of the vote in
Great Britain.
Turnout at European Parliament elections in Great Britain has typically
been lower than at General Elections; it was exceptionally low in 1999
when fewer than one in four voters turned out. In all European
Parliament elections the turnout in Northern Ireland has been higher
than in the rest of the UK.
25
50
75
100
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrat
UKIP
Scottish National
Plaid Cymru
Green
BNP
Table 15a Source:
Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher,
British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 50
15b: European Parliament election results: votes by party, 19792014
1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
2009
2014
6,508,493
4,253,207
1,691,531
5,426,821
4,865,261
2,591,635
5,331,098
6,153,661
944,861
247,836
83,399
17,953
230,594
103,031
70,853
406,686
115,062
2,292,718
4,268,539
6,753,881
2,557,887
150,251
487,237
162,478
494,561
71,433
24,678
117,181
417,888
3,578,203
2,803,820
1,266,549
696,055
268,528
185,235
625,378
102,644
475,841
4,397,087
3,718,683
2,452,327
2,660,768
231,505
159,888
1,028,283
808,201
1,001,861
4,198,664
2,381,760
2,080,613
2,498,226
321,007
126,702
1,303,745
943,598
1,282,887
3,788,405
4,020,646
1,087,632
4,352,051
389,503
111,864
1,244,975
179,694
654,054
Great Britain
Votes received
Conservative
Labour
1
Liberal Democrat
UKIP
Scottish National
Plaid Cymru
2
Green
BNP
Other
Total
12,873,852 13,312,873 15,361,267 15,292,722 10,002,253 16,458,603 15,137,202 15,828,824
% vote share received
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrat 1
UKIP
Scottish National
Plaid Cymru
2
Green
BNP
Other
Turnout
51%
33%
13%
41%
37%
19%
35%
40%
6%
2%
1%
0%
2%
1%
1%
3%
1%
15%
28%
44%
17%
1%
3%
1%
3%
1%
0%
1%
3%
36%
28%
13%
7%
2%
3%
6%
1%
5%
27%
23%
15%
16%
1%
1%
6%
5%
6%
28%
16%
14%
17%
2%
1%
9%
6%
8%
24%
25%
7%
27%
2%
1%
8%
1%
4%
32.1%
32.1%
36.5%
36.2%
23.1%
38.2%
34.3%
35.0%
160,110
136,335
118,785
48,914
27,905
42,762
163,246
161,992
133,459
55,215
23,157
22,798
192,762
190,731
119,507
117,643
14,391
43,775
175,761
87,559
91,164
144,541
131,163
50,252
88,346
78,489
82,893
126,184
26,699
81,961
81,594
83,438
159,813
44,432
125,685
534,811
559,867
678,809
549,277
484,572
626,125
Northern Ireland
Votes received (first preference votes)
DUP
SDLP
UUP
Sinn Fein
Alliance
Other
170,688
140,622
125,169
39,026
96,734
230,251
151,399
147,169
91,476
34,046
30,976
Total
572,239
685,317
% vote share received (first preference votes)
DUP
SDLP
UUP
Sinn Fein
Alliance
Other
30%
25%
22%
0%
7%
17%
34%
22%
21%
13%
5%
5%
30%
25%
22%
9%
5%
8%
29%
29%
24%
10%
4%
4%
28%
28%
18%
17%
2%
6%
32%
16%
17%
26%
0%
9%
18%
16%
17%
26%
6%
17%
21%
13%
13%
26%
7%
20%
Turnout
55.6%
64.4%
48.3%
48.7%
57.0%
51.2%
42.4%
51.0%
UK-wide turnout
32.7%
32.9%
36.8%
36.5%
24.0%
38.5%
34.5%
35.4%
Notes:
1. Liberal Party in 1979 and SDP/Liberal Alliance in 1984. SDP votes in the 1989 election are
counted under 'Other'.
2. Ecology Party in 1979 and 1984.
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006 House of Commons
2. Library Research Paper RP09/53, European Parliament Elections 2009
51 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
5. Elections to devolved
legislatures and London
elections
5.1 National Assembly for Wales
Detailed analysis of National
Assembly for Wales Elections
2016 is available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing paper CBP-7594
Elections to the National Assembly for Wales have been held since it
was established in 1999. Initially they were every four years, but most
recently moved to a five-year interval. 40 constituency Assembly
Members (AMs) and 20 regional AMs are elected using the Additional
Member System.
Assembly Members
Assembly
elected
byMembers
party,
by party, 1999-2016
1999-2016
Labour has always been the largest party in the Assembly in terms of
votes received and seats won, although it has never won a clear
majority of seats. Following the 1999 elections, Labour initially formed a
minority administration but entered a coalition with the Liberal
Democrats in 2000. Labour governed on its own between 2003 and
2007, and in coalition with Plaid Cymru from 2007 to 2011. In 2011
Labour formed majority government with 30 seats. Following the 2016
election Labour fell one seat short of working majority and formed a
minority government.
1999
1999
2003
2003
2007
2007
Prior to 2016 Conservatives were the only party in the Assembly to have
consistently increased the share of the vote in Assembly elections from
1999 to 2011. Their share of the total vote increased at every Assembly
election by an average of 2.5% points, before dropping by 3.8%. In
2016 UKIP gained 13.3% of votes and seven regional seats.
2011
2011
2016
2016
Plaid Cymru’s most successful Assembly election was in 1999, when it
took almost 30% of the vote and won 17 seats. In 2016, it polled
20.7% and became the second largest party, with 12 seats.
0
0
The next Welsh Assembly elections are expected to be in May 2021.
10
20
30
20
30
10
Other
LD
Other
LD
UKIP
CON
UKIP
CON
PC
LAB
PC
LAB
Share of votes and seats by party 1999-2016
Labour
Conservative
50%
Vote share
Vote share
50%
% Seats
40%
% Seats
Liberal Democrats
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
30%
20%
20%
20%
10%
10%
10%
0%
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
0%
50%
Vote share
50%
% Seats
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
2003
2007
2011
2016
UK Independence Party
Vote share
% Seats
0%
0%
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
% Seats
0%
1999
Plaid Cymru
Vote share
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
40
40
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 52
Table 16: National Assembly for Wales elections, 1999-2016
1999
Number of Votes
2003
2007
2011
2016
1999
2003
% share
2007
2011
2016
Constituency votes
LAB
384,671
340,515
314,925
401,677 353,865
37.6% 40.0% 32.2% 42.3% 34.7%
PC
290,565
180,185
219,121
182,907 209,374
28.4% 21.2% 22.4% 19.3% 20.5%
CON
162,133
169,832
218,730
237,389
15.8% 20.0% 22.4% 25.0% 21.1%
19,795
18,047
137,657
47,992
120,250
20,266
144,410
100,259
78,165
62,859
27,021
35,341
1,023,018
850,843
978,092
UKIP
LD
Others
Total
215,597
127,038
949,253 1,019,380
2.3%
1.8%
13.5% 14.1% 14.8% 10.6%
12.5%
7.7%
4.7%
2.4%
6.4%
2.8%
3.5%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Constituency seats
LAB
27
30
24
28
27
67.5% 75.0% 60.0% 70.0% 67.5%
PC
9
5
7
5
6
CON
1
1
5
6
6
22.5% 12.5% 17.5% 12.5% 15.0%
2.5% 2.5% 12.5% 15.0% 15.0%
UKIP
0
0
0
0
0
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
LD
3
3
3
1
1
7.5%
7.5%
7.5%
2.5%
2.5%
Others
0
1
1
0
0
0.0%
2.5%
2.5%
0.0%
0.0%
Total:
40
40
40
40
40
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
LAB
361,657
310,658
288,955
349,935
319,196
35.4% 36.6% 29.6% 36.9% 31.5%
PC
CON
312,048
168,206
167,653
162,725
204,757
209,154
169,799
213,773
211,548
190,846
30.5% 19.7% 21.0% 17.9% 20.8%
16.5% 19.2% 21.5% 22.5% 18.8%
29,427
38,349
128,008
108,013
114,500
76,349
65,504
51,938
71,076
119,071
95,776
95,511
5.1%
1,021,857
849,552
974,786
948,888 1,014,743
100%
Regional votes
UKIP
LD
Others
Total
43,256 132,138
3.5% 3.9%
12.5% 12.7% 11.7%
4.6% 13.0%
8.0% 6.5%
8.4% 12.2% 10.1%
100%
100%
100%
9.4%
100%
Regional seats
LAB
1
0
2
2
2
PC
8
8
8
7
6
8
6
CON
7
10
5
40.0% 35.0% 40.0% 30.0% 30.0%
40.0% 50.0% 35.0% 40.0% 25.0%
UKIP
LD
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
4
7
0
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 35.0%
15.0% 15.0% 15.0% 20.0%
0.0%
Others
0
0
0
0
0
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Total:
20
20
20
20
20
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Total seats
LAB
28
30
26
30
29
46.7% 50.0% 43.3% 50.0% 48.3%
PC
17
12
15
11
12
28.3% 20.0% 25.0% 18.3% 20.0%
CON
9
11
12
14
11
15.0% 18.3% 20.0% 23.3% 18.3%
UKIP
LD
0
6
0
0
0
7
Others
0
6
1
6
1
5
0
1
0
Total:
60
60
60
60
60
Constituency turnout
46.4%
38.2%
43.5%
41.5%
45.5%
Regional turnout
46.3%
43.4%
41.4%
45.3%
38.1%
5.0%
0.0%
0.0% 10.0% 10.0% 10.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0% 11.7%
10.0% 10.0% 10.0%
0.0% 1.7% 1.7%
100%
100%
100%
8.3%
0.0%
1.7%
0.0%
100%
100%
Source: House of Commons Library Briefing Paper CBP7594, National Assembly for Wales Elections: 2016
53 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
5.2 Scottish Parliament
Detailed analysis of Scottish
Parliament Elections 2016 is
available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing paper CBP-7599
Elections for the 73 constituency Members of the Scottish Parliament
(MSPs) and 56 regional MSPs are held every five years using the
Additional Member System.
Prior to 2016, elections to the Scottish Parliament were held every four
years. Scottish Parliamentary constituencies, now have different
boundaries to Westminster seats.
Labour won the most seats in the 1999 and 2003 elections, and on
both occasions went into coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The
Scottish National Party (SNP) replaced Labour as the largest party in
2007, winning 47 seats compared with Labour’s 46, and formed a
minority government. Measured by the number of seats gained, 2011
was the best SNP performance so far, when they won an outright
majority (69 out of 129 seats).
In 2016, The SNP gained the highest share of the vote with 44.1% of
the total vote, 46.5% of the constituency vote and 41.7% of the
regional vote. It also won the highest number of seats (63), down six
compared with the 2011 election.
The Conservatives became the second largest party in Scottish
Parliament, after their worst ever performance in 2011. Labour’s overall
share of seats was steadily declining from 56 seats in 1999 to 24 in
2016. Number of seats controlled by Liberal Democrats decreased to
five in 2011 and remained at the same level after the last election.
Members of the Scottish
Parliament elected by
party, 1999-2016
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
The next Scottish Parliament elections are expected to be in May 2021.
0
Share of votes and seats by party 1999-2016
Scottish National Party
50%
% Seats
Labour
50%
Vote share
Vote share
40%
30%
30%
30%
20%
20%
20%
10%
10%
10%
0%
0%
1999
2003
2007
2011
Liberal Democrats
50%
40%
% Seats
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
2007
% Seats
40%
30%
2003
2011
2016
Green Party
50%
Vote share
Vote share
0%
0%
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
SSP1
GRN
LD
CON
LAB
Vote share
0%
1999
2016
75
Other
% Seats
40%
40%
50
SNP
Conservative
50%
% Seats
25
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 54
Table 17: Scottish Parliament elections, 1999-2016
Number of votes and seats
2011
2007
2003
2016
1999
2003
664,227 902,915 1,059,898
334,742 276,652 501,844
648,374 630,461 514,261
326,232 157,714 178,238
13,172
2,971
11,741
21,534
43,402
63,770 184,641
2,342,488 1,916,594 2,016,977 1,989,276 2,279,154
28.7%
15.6%
38.8%
14.2%
23.8%
16.6%
34.6%
15.4%
2.7%
100%
1999
% Share
2007
2011
2016
Constituency votes
SNP
CON
LAB
LD
GRN
Other
Total
672,768
364,425
908,346
333,179
455,742
318,279
663,585
294,347
46.5%
22.0%
22.6%
7.8%
0.6%
0.5%
1.1%
100% 100.0%
45.4%
13.9%
31.7%
7.9%
9.6%
100%
32.9%
16.6%
32.1%
16.2%
0.1%
2.2%
100%
Constituency seats
SNP
CON
LAB
LD
GRN
Other
Total
7
0
53
12
9
3
46
13
21
4
37
11
53
3
15
2
59
7
3
4
9.6%
0.0%
72.6%
16.4%
12.3%
4.1%
63.0%
17.8%
28.8%
5.5%
50.7%
15.1%
72.6%
4.1%
20.5%
2.7%
80.8%
9.6%
4.1%
5.5%
1
73
2
73
0
73
0
73
0
73
1.4%
100%
2.7%
100%
0.0%
100%
0.0%
100%
0.0%
100%
638,644 399,659 633,401 876,421 953,587
359,109 296,929 284,005 245,967 524,220
786,818 561,375 595,415 523,469 435,919
290,760 225,774 230,671 103,472 119,284
86,939 150,426
82,584
84,023 132,138
102,315
179,560 299,976 215,973 154,568
2,338,914 1,915,851 2,042,049 1,990,836 2,285,751
27.3%
15.4%
33.6%
12.4%
3.6%
7.7%
100%
20.9%
15.5%
29.3%
11.8%
6.9%
15.7%
100%
31.0%
13.9%
29.2%
11.3%
4.0%
10.6%
100%
44.0%
12.4%
26.3%
5.2%
4.4%
7.8%
100%
41.7%
22.9%
19.1%
5.2%
6.6%
4.5%
100%
28.6%
21.4%
39.3%
5.4%
3.6%
1.8%
100%
7.1%
42.9%
37.5%
1.8%
10.7%
0.0%
100%
Regional votes
SNP
CON
LAB
LD
GRN
Other
Total
Regional Seats
SNP
CON
LAB
LD
GRN
Other
Total
28
18
3
5
1
1
56
18
15
4
4
7
8
56
26
13
9
5
2
1
56
16
12
22
3
2
1
56
4
24
21
1
6
0
56
50.0%
32.1%
5.4%
8.9%
1.8%
1.8%
100%
32.1%
26.8%
7.1%
7.1%
12.5%
14.3%
100%
46.4%
23.2%
16.1%
8.9%
3.6%
1.8%
100%
63
31
24
5
6
62.5%
32.1%
100.0%
30.4%
1.8%
3.6%
100%
48.2%
32.1%
89.3%
30.4%
12.5%
17.9%
100%
83.9% 123.2% 112.5%
30.4% 26.8% 55.4%
82.1% 66.1% 42.9%
8.9%
28.6%
8.9%
3.6%
3.6% 10.7%
0.0%
1.8%
1.8%
100% 100% 100%
Total seats
SNP
35
CON
18
LAB
56
17
LD
1
GRN
Other
2
129
Total
Constituency Turnout
58.8%
27
18
50
17
7
10
129
47
17
46
16
2
1
129
69
15
37
5
2
1
129
129
49.4%
51.7%
50.4%
55.6%
Regional Turnout
58.7%
49.4%
52.4%
50.4%
55.7%
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. Electoral Commission, Report on the Scottish Parliament election on 5 May 2016
3. House of Commons Library Briefing Paper CBP7599, Scottish Parliament Elections: 2016
4. House of Commons Library Research Paper RP07/46, Scottish Parliament Elections: 3 May 2007
5. House of Commons Library Research Paper RP11/41, Scottish Parliament Elections: 2011
6. House of Commons Library Briefing Paper CBP-7529, Scottish Parliament Elections: 2016
55 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
5.3 Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly elections on 2 March 2017 took place
just 301 days since the previous elections. The resignation of the
Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, on 9
January 2017 set in train a sequence of statutory provisions that led to
an early election to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Detailed analysis of
Northern Ireland Assembly
Elections 2016 is available
in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing paper CBP-7920
The March 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly Elections were
conducted with the Single Transferrable Vote system. 90 Members
were elected, 5 for each of the 18 constituencies; previously 108
Members were elected.
Members of Northern
Ireland Assembly elected
by party, 1998-2017
The DUP remained the largest party in the Assembly with 28 MLAs
(31.1% of seats) although they no longer have enough MLAs to
unilaterally use a “petition of concern” (a blocking mechanism) in the
Assembly. Sinn Féin is the second largest party with 27 MLAs (30%
of seats). The UUP lost their position as the third largest party in the
Assembly (a position they had held since 2007) and was replaced by
the SDLP. The Alliance party kept the same number of seats as they
had in 2016 although their share of total seats increased.
1998
Other
Alliance
SDLP
2003
UUP
Sinn Féin
2007
DUP
2011
The turnout was 64% (based on valid votes).
2016
Share of votes and seats by party 1999-2017
2017
Democratic Unionist Party
% seats
0
Sinn Féin
% 1st pref votes
% seats
50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
% 1st pref votes
0%
1998
2003
2007
2011
2016
2017
1998
Ulster Unionist Party
% seats
2003
2007
2011
2016
2017
Social Democrat & Labour Party
% 1st pref votes
% seats
50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
% 1st pref votes
0%
1998
2003
2007
2011
2016
2017
2016
2017
Alliance Party
% seats
% 1st pref votes
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1998
2003
2007
2011
1998
2003
2007
2011
2016
2017
25
50
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 56
Table 18: Northern Ireland Assembly elections: 1998-2017
1998
1st Pref Votes and seats won
2003
2007
2011
2016
2017
1998
% of votes and seats won
2003
2007
2011
2016
2017
Votes
DUP
Sinn Féin
UUP
SDLP
Alliance
UK Unionists
PUP
TUV
UKIP
Green Party
Others
146,917
142,858
172,225
177,963
52,636
36,541
20,634
…
...
...
510
59,961
177,944
162,758
156,931
117,547
25,372
5,700
8,032
...
...
...
2,688
45,277
207,721
180,573
103,145
105,164
36,139
10,452
3,822
774
...
...
11,985
30,538
198,436
178,222
87,531
94,286
50,875
...
1,493
5,438
16,480
4,152
6,031
18,790
202,567
166,785
87,302
83,364
48,447
...
5,955
13,761
23,776
10,109
18,718
33,526
225,413
224,245
103,314
95,958
72,717
...
5,590
14,100
20,523
1,579
18,527
21,349
18.1%
17.6%
21.3%
22.0%
6.5%
4.5%
2.5%
...
...
...
0.1%
7.4%
25.3%
23.2%
22.3%
16.7%
3.6%
0.8%
1.1%
...
...
...
0.4%
6.4%
30.1%
26.2%
14.9%
15.2%
5.2%
1.5%
0.6%
0.1%
...
...
1.7%
4.4%
30.0%
26.9%
13.2%
14.2%
7.7%
...
0.2%
0.8%
2.5%
0.6%
0.9%
2.8%
29.2%
24.0%
12.6%
12.0%
7.0%
...
0.9%
2.0%
3.4%
1.5%
2.7%
4.8%
28.1%
27.9%
12.9%
11.9%
9.1%
...
0.7%
1.8%
2.6%
0.2%
2.3%
2.7%
Total
810,245
702,249
690,313
661,734
694,310
803,315
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
20
18
28
24
6
5
2
...
...
...
0
5
30
24
27
18
6
1
1
...
...
...
0
1
36
28
18
16
7
0
1
0
...
...
1
1
38
29
16
14
8
...
0
0
1
0
1
1
38
28
16
12
8
...
0
2
1
0
2
1
28
27
10
12
8
…
0
1
1
0
2
1
18.5%
16.7%
25.9%
22.2%
5.6%
4.6%
1.9%
...
...
...
0.0%
4.6%
27.8%
22.2%
25.0%
16.7%
5.6%
0.9%
0.9%
...
...
...
0.0%
0.9%
33.3%
25.9%
16.7%
14.8%
6.5%
0.0%
0.9%
0.0%
...
...
0.9%
0.9%
35.2%
26.9%
14.8%
13.0%
7.4%
...
0.0%
0.0%
0.9%
0.0%
0.9%
0.9%
35.2%
25.9%
14.8%
11.1%
7.4%
...
0.0%
1.9%
0.9%
0.0%
1.9%
0.9%
31.1%
30.0%
11.1%
13.3%
8.9%
...
0.0%
1.1%
1.1%
0.0%
2.2%
1.1%
108
108
108
108
108
90
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
People before Profit Alliance
Seats von
DUP
Sinn Féin
UUP
SDLP
Alliance
UK Unionists
PUP
..
People before Profit Allianc
TUV
UKIP
Green Party
Others
Total
Electorate
1,178,556 1,097,526 1,107,904 1,210,009 1,281,595 1,254,709
Turnout
68.7%
64.0%
62.3%
54.7%
54.2%
64.0%
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. Electoral Office for Northern Ireland, www.eoni.org.uk
Elections were held to the Northern Ireland House of Commons
(Stormont) from its creation in 1921 to 1969 after which it was
abolished in 1972. About two-thirds of seats were held by Unionists. A
significant number of Members were elected unopposed.
Table 19: Members elected at general elections to the
Northern Ireland House of Commons (Stormont)
Unionist
1921
1925
1929
1933
1938
1945
1949
1953
1958
1962
1965
1969 4
40
32
37
36
39
33
37
38
37
34
36
36
Other
0
4
3
3
3
2
2
1
0
0
0
3
NI Labour
0
3
1
2
1
2
0
0
4
4
2
2
Independent
0
0
0
0
1
3
2
3
2
3
2
2
Nationalist/
12
12
11
11
8
10
9
9
8
9
9
6
Others
0
1
0
0
0
2
2
1
1
2
3
3
Total
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
Notes:
1. Including Independent Unionists, Progressive Unionists, Protestant Unionists and Independent O'Neill Unionists
2. Including Independent Labour, Commonwealth Labour, Federation of Labour, Irish Labour, Republican Labour and Socialist Republican.
3. Including Nationalists, Republicans, Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, Anti-Partitionists
4. Of the 36 Unionists elected in 1969, 24 were pro-O'Neill and 12 were anti-O'Neill.
Source: Sydney Elliot, Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921-1972
Unopposed
returns
12
22
33
21
20
20
25
27
24
23
7
57 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
5.4 London Assembly
Elections for the London Assembly have been held every four years,
using the Additional Member System. There are 14 Constituency
Members and 11 London-wide Members. In the five elections held since
the establishment of the Assembly in 2000, only Conservative and
Labour Members have been elected on the constituency ballot, with
other parties picking up seats from the London-wide list.
Detailed analysis of
London Elections 2016 is
available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing paper CBP-7598
Table 20a: London Assembly seats by party, 2000-2016
2000
LAB
CON
Green
UKIP
LD
BNP
Total
Total seats won
2004 2008 2012
9
9
3
2016
2000
6
8
14
8
11
2
12
9
2
4
7
9
2
2
5
3
1
2
12
8
2
2
1
25
25
25
25
25
Constituency seats
2004 2008 2012
5
9
14
6
8
14
8
6
14
2016
2000
9
5
3
1
3
14
Source: House of Commons Library briefing paper: CBP-7598
Labour gained the largest share of seats in 2012 and 2016 Assembly
elections when they secured twelve seats. In 2016 Labour won three
seats on the London-wide list, one fewer than in 2012, but gained one
constituency seat.
The Conservatives’ best result was in 2008, when they had eleven
Assembly Members elected and received 37% of the vote in the
constituency election. In 2016 the Conservative Party won eight
Assembly seats, one fewer than in 2012. The party retained five of the
six constituency seats it won in 2012, losing the other one to Labour,
and retained three London-wide seats.
The highest turnout was recorded in 2016, 45.6%.
London Assembly seats won by party, 2000-2016
14
12
CON
LAB
LD
Green
UKIP
BNP
10
8
6
4
2
0
2000
2004
2008
Source: House of Commons Library briefing paper: CBP-7598
2012
2016
London-wide seats
2004 2008 2012
2
4
2
2
5
11
11
2016
2
3
2
4
3
2
3
1
2
3
3
2
2
1
11
11
11
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 58
Table 20b: Votes cast in London Assembly Elections, 2000-2016
2000
2004
Number
2008
2012
2016
2000
2004
% Share
2008
2012
2016
24.7%
31.2%
28.0%
37.4%
42.3%
32.7%
43.5%
31.1%
Constituency ballot votes
LAB
CON
501,296
526,707
444,808
562,048
673,855
900,569
933,438 1,138,576
722,280 812,415
31.6%
33.2%
GRN
162,457
138,243
194,059
188,623
236,809
10.2%
7.7%
8.1%
8.5%
9.1%
LD
UKIP
299,998
2,115
332,237
181,147
330,018
71,984
193,842
95,849
195,820
199,448
18.9%
0.1%
18.4%
10.0%
13.7%
3.0%
8.8%
4.3%
7.5%
7.6%
93,497 144,688 235,804
73,645
31,844
1,586,070 1,803,171 2,406,289 2,207,677 2,614,912
5.9%
100%
8.0%
100%
9.8%
100%
3.3%
100%
1.2%
100%
Others
Total
London-wide ballot votes
LAB
502,874
468,247
665,443
911,204 1,054,801
30.3%
25.0%
27.6%
41.1%
40.3%
CON
GRN
481,053
183,910
533,696
160,445
835,535
203,465
708,528
189,215
764,230
207,959
29.0%
11.1%
28.5%
8.6%
34.6%
8.4%
32.0%
8.5%
29.2%
8.0%
LD
245,555
316,218
275,272
150,447
165,580
14.8%
16.9%
11.4%
6.8%
6.3%
UKIP
BNP
Others
34,054
47,670
164,514
156,780
90,365
147,415
46,617
130,714
255,561
100,040
47,024
108,550
171,069
15,833
236,204
2.1%
2.9%
9.9%
8.4%
4.8%
7.9%
1.9%
5.4%
10.6%
4.5%
2.1%
4.9%
6.5%
0.6%
9.0%
1,659,630 1,873,166 2,412,607 2,215,008 2,615,676
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Total
Constituency ballot seats
42.9% 35.7% 42.9% 57.1% 64.3%
57.1% 64.3% 57.1% 42.9% 35.7%
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
0.0%
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
0.0%
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
0.0%
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
0.0%
LAB
6
5
6
8
9
CON
8
9
8
6
5
GRN
0
0
0
0
0
LD
0
0
0
0
0
UKIP
0
0
0
0
0
Others
0
0
0
0
0
14
14
14
14
14
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
27.3%
9.1%
27.3%
36.4%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
18.2%
0.0%
18.2%
45.5%
18.2%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
18.2%
27.3%
18.2%
27.3%
0.0%
9.1%
0.0%
100%
36.4%
27.3%
18.2%
18.2%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
27.3%
27.3%
18.2%
18.2%
9.1%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
Total
London-wide ballot seats
LAB
3
2
2
4
3
CON
1
0
3
3
3
GRN
3
2
2
2
2
LD
4
5
3
2
2
UKIP
BNP
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
11
0
11
0
11
0
11
0
11
Constituency Ballot turnout
31.2%
34.7%
44.3%
37.4%
45.6%
London-wide ballot turnout
32.6%
36.0%
44.4%
37.5%
45.6%
Others
Total
Source: Greater London Authority
59 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
5.5 Mayor of London
Elections for the Mayor of London have been held every four years since
2000, using the Supplementary Vote system. Ken Livingstone won the
first Mayoral election as an independent and was re-elected in 2004
standing for Labour. He was replaced by Conservative Boris Johnson in
2008. Johnson won a second term in May 2012. In 2016 Labour’s Sadiq
Khan was elected Mayor of London.
Detailed analysis of
London Mayor Election
2016 is available in:
House of Commons
Library Briefing Paper
CBP-7598, section 4:
Table 21a: London Mayoral Elections, 2000-2008
Name
Party
1st preference
Votes %
1
2nd preference
%
Votes
2
Total
Votes
%
4 May 2000
Ken Livingstone
Steve Norris
Frank Dobson
Susan Kramer
Ram Gidoomal
Darren Johnson
Michael Newland
Damian Hockney
Geoffrey Ben-Nathan
Ashwin Kumar Tanna
Geoffrey Clements
Independent
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrat
Christian Peoples Alliance
Green
British National Party
UK Independence Party
Pro-Motorist Small Shop
Independent
Natural Law Party
667,877
464,434
223,884
203,452
42,060
38,121
33,569
16,324
9,956
9,015
5,470
39.0
27.1
13.1
11.9
2.5
2.2
2.0
1.0
0.6
0.5
0.3
1,714,162
Total
144,206
162,767
200,509
397,148
53,657
191,226
42,803
42,987
22,214
41,237
17,738
11.0
12.4
15.2
30.2
4.1
14.5
3.3
3.3
1.7
3.1
1.3
776,427
564,137
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
57.9
42.1
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
1,340,564
1,316,492
33.7%
Turnout
10 June 2004
Ken Livingstone
Steve Norris
Simon Hughes
Frank Maloney
Lindsey German
Julian Leppert
Darren Johnson
Ram Gidoomal
Lorna Reid
Tammy Nagalingam
Labour
Conservative
Liberal Democrat
UK Independence Party
Respect
British National Party
Green
Christian Peoples Alliance
Indep. Working Class Assoc.
Independent
685,548 36.8
542,423 29.1
284,647 15.3
115,666 6.2
61,731 3.3
58,407 3.1
57,332 3.1
41,698 2.2
9,542 0.5
6,692 0.4
1,863,686
Total
186,371
185,148
450,732
187,559
54,075
65,926
205,614
53,300
39,333
19,868
12.9
12.8
31.1
13.0
3.7
4.6
14.2
3.7
2.7
1.4
1,447,926
828,390
667,180
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
55.4
44.6
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
1,495,570
35.9%
Turnout
1 May 2008
Boris Johnson
Ken Livingstone
Brian Paddick
Siân Berry
Richard Barnbrook
Alan Craig
Gerard Batten
Lindsey German
Matt O’Connor
Winston McKenzie
Total
Turnout
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrat
Green
British National Party
Christian Peoples Alliance
UK Independence Party
Left List
English Democrats
Independent
1,044,067 43.2
894,317 37.0
236,752 9.8
77,396 3.2
69,753 2.9
39,266 1.6
22,435 0.9
16,803 0.7
10,700 0.4
5,396 0.2
2,416,885
44.5%
210,312
214,279
641,412
329,665
124,093
77,373
112,765
34,276
73,538
38,602
1,856,315
11.3
11.5
34.6
17.8
6.7
4.2
6.1
1.8
4.0
2.1
1,169,046
1,029,406
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
2,198,452
53.2
46.8
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 60
Table 21b: London Mayoral Elections, 2012-2016
Name
Party
1st preference
Votes %
1
2nd preference
Votes
%
2
Total
Votes
%
3 May 2012
Boris Johnson
Ken Livingstone
Jenny Jones
Brian Paddick
Siobhan Benita
Lawrence James Webb
Carlos Cortiglia
Conservative
Labour
Green
Liberal Democrat
Independent
UK Independence Party
British National Party
Total
971,931 44.0
889,918 40.3
98,913 4.5
91,774 4.2
83,914 3.8
43,274 2.0
28,751 1.3
2,208,475
Turnout
187,997
199,538
360,381
360,104
210,761
159,618
71,139
12.1
12.9
23.3
23.2
13.6
10.3
4.6
1,549,538
1,054,811
992,273
…
…
…
…
…
51.5
48.5
…
…
…
…
…
2,047,084
37.4%
5 May 2016
Sadiq Khan
Zac Goldsmith
Sian Berry
Caroline Pidgeon
Peter Whittle
George Galloway
David Furness
Others
LAB
CON
Green
LD
UKIP
Respect
BNP
Others
Total votes
1,148,716 44.2
909,755 35.0
150,673 5.8
120,005 4.6
94,373 3.6
37,007 1.4
13,325 0.5
123,107 4.7
161,427 65.5
84,859 34.5
1,310,143
994,614
2,596,961
246,286
2,304,757
56.8
43.2
46.0%
Turnout
Notes:
1. Excluding votes where the second preference was the same as the first preference.
2. If no candidate receives more than half of first preference votes, the two candidates who received the most first
preference votes then receive second preferences from the other candidates.
Electorates:
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
5,089,300
5,197,792
5,435,612
5,910,460
5,645,254
Sources:
2000 results
2004 and 2008 results
2012 results
2016 results
2000-2016
http://data.london.gov.uk/datastore/package/london-elections-results-2000
GLA, The 2008 London Elections
http://data.london.gov.uk/datastore/package/london-elections-results-2012-wards-boroughs-co
and BBC Political Research, personal communication
House of Commons Library Briefing paper CBP-7598
Greater London Authority
61 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
5.6 Women’s representation in devolved
assemblies and the European Parliament
At the most recent European Parliament elections in 2014, 41% of
MEPs elected for the UK were women. Following the first elections in
1979 only one in seven UK MEPs were women.
Table 22: Women elected as UK MEPs at European
Parliament elections, 1979-2014
CON
LAB
LD
Other
Detailed analysis of
Women in Parliament
and Government 2016
is available in:
House of Commons
Library Briefing paper
SN-01250
Number of female MEPs
1979-2014
Total
Other
1979
LD
Percentage of party's MEPs
1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
2009
2014
10%
13%
13%
11%
8%
7%
24%
32%
24%
16%
16%
21%
34%
37%
38%
55%
..
..
..
0%
50%
50%
55%
100%
25%
25%
25%
20%
25%
20%
30%
36%
LAB
1984
14%
15%
15%
18%
24%
24%
33%
41%
CON
1989
1994
1999
2004
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
2. House of Commons Library, RP09/53 European Parliament Elections 2009
2009
2014
Women have always won at least 30% of seats in elections to the
Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and London Assembly.
In 2003, an equal number of male and female Members were elected to
the National Assembly for Wales. Fewer than 20% of seats in the
Northern Ireland Assembly are held by women, although the number of
female Members has increased since the first elections in 1998.
0
5
10
Table 23: Women elected to devolved parliaments and
London Assembly, 1998-2016
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Women
Wales
Total
%
24
60
40%
Scotland
Women
Total
%
Northern Ireland
Women
Total
%
14
30
28
24
25
60
60
60
60
50%
47%
40%
42%
48
51
43
45
45
129
129
129
129
129
108
London Assembly
Women
Total
%
13%
37%
40%
33%
35%
35%
18
18
20
30
108
108
108
108
10
25
40%
9
25
36%
8
25
32%
8
25
32%
10
25
40%
17%
17%
19%
28%
Sources:
1. House of Commons Library, SN01250 Women in Public Life, the Professions and the Boardroom
2. Greater London Authority
3. House of Commons Library, London Elections 2016 CBP-7598
15
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 62
6. Local Elections
6.1 Council Elections
Electoral system
Councillors are generally elected for four year terms using the First Past
the Post electoral system in England and Wales and (since 2007) Single
Transferable Vote (STV) in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Some
authorities, including London boroughs and county councils, hold
elections every four years and elect all their councillors at the same time.
Other councils elect a third of councillors every year (except in years
when there are county council elections). A small number of councils
hold elections every two years and elect half of the councillors at a time.
Party affiliation of Councillors
After the 1973 reorganisation of local government, Conservative
councillor numbers peaked at more than 12,600 in 1978, when half of
all councillors were Conservative. The number fell during the Party’s
time in government from 1979, but climbed again when the Party
entered opposition in 1997.
The increase in the number of Conservative councillors prior to 1979
corresponded to a sharp fall in Labour councillors. Labour made gains
between 1979 and 1981 having left government, but their councillor
numbers then remained fairly constant up to the mid-1990s. Labour
held 10,900 council seats in 1996 prior to winning the 1997 General
Election, but the number of Labour councillors fell steadily while the
party was in government to a low of 4,400 in 2009.
Thousands
Since 2009 Labour’s overall share of councillors had grown to 6,851 in
2016. The Conservatives have been the party with the most councillors
since 2004. Their number of councillors has fluctuated in recent years
from 9,553 in 2009 to 8,261 in 2014, before reaching 8,709 in 2016.
14
Party affiliation of councillors since 1973
Great Britain
12
10
CON
8
LAB
6
4
Other
2
PC/SNP
0
Note: Liberal Democrat councillor count include predecessor parties
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British electoral facts 1832-2006
2. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, Local elections handbook, various
3. House of Commons Library, CBP-7596 Local Elections 2016
LD
Detailed analysis of
Local Elections 2016 is
available in:
House of Commons
Library Briefing paper
CBP-7596
63 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
The number of seats held by the Liberal/SDP Alliance (and then the
Liberal Democrats) climbed through the 1980s and the early 1990s to
peak at 5,100 in 1996. Their share has declined recently. In 2015 they
had 1810 - their lowest ever number since the Party was created in
1988. In the 2016 local elections the total count of Liberal Democrats’
councillors increased by 12 to 1,822.
Table 24: Party affiliation of councillors 1973-2016
% total
Number
CON
LAB
LD
PC/SNP
Others
Total
CON
LAB
LD
PC/SNP
Others
1973
1974
1975
1976
7,709
8,102
8,301
11,077
9,781
10,325
10,117
8,213
1,427
1,474
1,462
1,113
65
145
145
223
5,183
5,664
5,685
5,132
24,165
25,710
25,710
25,758
32%
32%
32%
43%
40%
40%
39%
32%
6%
6%
6%
4%
0.3%
0.6%
0.6%
0.9%
21%
22%
22%
20%
1977
1978
1979
1980
12,370
12,645
12,222
11,738
7,115
6,644
7,410
8,011
950
923
1,059
1,149
349
349
301
186
4,965
4,920
4,388
4,325
25,749
25,481
25,380
25,409
48%
50%
48%
46%
28%
26%
29%
32%
4%
4%
4%
5%
1.4%
1.4%
1.2%
0.7%
19%
19%
17%
17%
1981
1982
1983
1984
10,545
10,447
10,557
10,393
8,999
8,774
8,782
8,870
1,455
1,850
2,171
2,331
172
177
175
179
4,208
4,099
3,570
3,515
25,379
25,347
25,255
25,288
42%
41%
42%
41%
35%
35%
35%
35%
6%
7%
9%
9%
0.7%
0.7%
0.7%
0.7%
17%
16%
14%
14%
1985
1986
1987
1988
10,191
9,216
9,141
9,150
8,746
8,759
8,525
8,601
2,633
2,971
3,640
3,518
177
191
203
254
3,432
3,364
2,974
2,968
25,179
24,501
24,483
24,491
40%
38%
37%
37%
35%
36%
35%
35%
10%
12%
15%
14%
0.7%
0.8%
0.8%
1.0%
14%
14%
12%
12%
1989
1990
1991
1992
9,242
9,020
7,985
8,288
8,636
8,920
9,504
9,102
3,343
3,265
3,672
3,728
258
264
292
334
2,958
2,968
2,997
2,977
24,437
24,437
24,450
24,429
38%
37%
33%
34%
35%
37%
39%
37%
14%
13%
15%
15%
1.1%
1.1%
1.2%
1.4%
12%
12%
12%
12%
1993
1994
1995
1996
7,802
7,286
4,883
4,276
9,213
9,257
10,461
10,929
4,123
4,551
4,942
5,078
358
392
294
298
2,948
2,941
2,157
2,157
24,444
24,427
22,737
22,738
32%
30%
21%
19%
38%
38%
46%
48%
17%
19%
22%
22%
1.5%
1.6%
1.3%
1.3%
12%
12%
9%
9%
1997
1998
1999
2000
4,449
4,772
6,144
6,785
10,608
10,411
9,134
8,529
4,754
4,629
4,485
4,457
301
304
444
447
2,076
2,083
1,973
2,071
22,188
22,199
22,180
22,289
20%
21%
28%
30%
48%
47%
41%
38%
21%
21%
20%
20%
1.4%
1.4%
2.0%
2.0%
9%
9%
9%
9%
2001
2002
2003
2004
6,941
7,178
7,768
8,038
8,487
8,117
7,207
6,669
4,382
4,379
4,551
4,714
418
415
388
355
2,091
2,094
2,125
2,213
22,319
22,183
22,039
21,989
31%
32%
35%
37%
38%
37%
33%
30%
20%
20%
21%
21%
1.9%
1.9%
1.8%
1.6%
9%
9%
10%
10%
2005
2006
2007
2008
8,193
8,495
9,431
9,721
6,518
6,176
5,483
5,122
4,743
4,723
4,420
4,467
357
364
537
569
2,233
2,273
2,173
2,225
22,044
22,031
22,044
22,104
37%
39%
43%
44%
30%
28%
25%
23%
22%
21%
20%
20%
1.6%
1.7%
2.4%
2.6%
10%
10%
10%
10%
2009
2010
2011
2012
9,553
9,406
9,445
9,004
4,436
4,831
5,707
6,559
4,083
3,944
3,104
2,711
570
568
568
584
2,060
1,962
1,855
1,787
20,702
20,711
20,679
20,645
46%
45%
46%
44%
21%
23%
28%
32%
20%
19%
15%
13%
2.8%
2.7%
2.7%
2.8%
10%
9%
9%
9%
2013
2014
2015
2016
8,589
8,261
8,766
8,709
6,842
7,129
6,873
6,851
2,576
2,235
1,810
1,822
590
591
592
596
1,991
2,362
2,241
2,251
20,588
20,578
20,282
20,229
42%
40%
43%
43%
33%
35%
34%
34%
13%
11%
9%
9%
2.9%
2.9%
2.9%
2.9%
10%
11%
11%
11%
Note:
Liberal Democrat councillor figures include predecessor parties
Sources:
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British electoral facts 1832-2006
2. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, Local elections handbook, various
3. House of Commons Library, RP12/27 Local Elections 2012
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 64
Estimated national vote share
Although the areas holding elections change from year to year, it is
possible to calculate a national equivalent share of the vote which
estimates the vote share which each party would have received had
elections been held across all authorities in Great Britain.
Table 25: Estimated national equivalent share of vote at local
elections: Great Britain, 1979-2016
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
CON
LAB
LD
Others
45%
40%
38%
40%
39%
38%
32%
34%
38%
39%
36%
33%
35%
46%
31%
28%
25%
29%
31%
33%
34%
38%
33%
34%
35%
37%
33%
39%
40%
43%
35%
37%
38%
33%
26%
30%
37%
32%
38%
42%
41%
29%
36%
37%
39%
37%
32%
38%
42%
44%
38%
30%
39%
40%
47%
43%
44%
37%
36%
30%
42%
33%
30%
26%
36%
26%
26%
24%
22%
30%
37%
39%
29%
31%
30%
33%
14%
13%
17%
27%
20%
21%
26%
26%
27%
18%
19%
17%
22%
20%
25%
27%
23%
24%
17%
25%
25%
26%
19%
25%
27%
27%
23%
25%
24%
23%
25%
24%
16%
15%
13%
11%
8%
14%
3%
5%
4%
4%
5%
4%
3%
3%
3%
5%
3%
6%
5%
4%
5%
5%
5%
4%
8%
5%
5%
6%
6%
8%
8%
10%
8%
10%
10%
10%
18%
10%
9%
13%
32%
28%
25%
21%
Share of votes
Of which UKIP
22%
18%
13%
12%
Note:
1. Local elections were held on the same day as a general election in 1979, 1997, 2001, 2005
and 2010. For these years, general election results are shown (in bold).
Sources:
1. Rallings and Thrasher, Local Elections Handbook, various
2. Local Government Elections Centre
CON
LAB
LD
Other
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
0%
50%
100%
65 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Council control immediately following elections
The following charts summarise council composition and control for all
local authorities in Great Britain, immediately following local elections
by year (held on the first Thursday of May). This also includes those
where councils were elections were not held in a given year.
Data source:
Data on council
composition is available in
Colin Rallings and Michael
Thrasher, Local Election
Handbooks, but only from
2005.
Council control by party immediately following elections, England
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
NOC
Ind/Other
LD
LAB
CON
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The Conservative Party controls the largest proportion of councils in
England. Their highest share, over the last decade, was recorded
immediately after the 2010 and 2011 elections (56.7%). Labour has the
second largest share of council majorities. Their share has doubled from
14.2% in 2010 to 28.5% in 2016.
Council control by party immediately following elections, Scotland
30
NOC
SNP
Ind/Other
LD
LAB
CON
25
20
15
10
5
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Scotland has the highest share of councils with No Overall Control
(NOC) - around 70% compared to more than 50% in Wales and just
over 20% in England. Labour controls the largest number of councils,
The SNP has had a majority in two councils since 2012. The
Conservatives have not had control of any councils in Scotland over the
last ten years.
Council control by party immediately following elections, Wales
NOC
PC
Ind/Other
LD
LAB
CON
20
15
10
5
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The number of Welsh councils with Labour majority fluctuated over the
last ten years. This Party currently controls 10 out of 22 councils
(45.5%). The Conservative Party had overall control in two councils prior
to 2012 and currently has none. Following the 2016 election Plaid
Cymru gained control of one council.
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 66
Table 26: Council control by party immediately following elections, Great Britain, 2005-2016
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
204
48
29
5
100
386
213
44
29
5
95
386
207
33
26
4
81
351
199
50
25
4
73
351
199
77
14
1
60
351
190
100
12
1
48
351
180
103
12
1
55
351
164
106
10
1
70
351
192
100
6
2
51
351
191
100
7
1
52
351
% share of all councils in England
40.2% 43.5% 52.8%
LAB
18.4% 14.0% 12.4%
LD
8.0%
8.3%
7.5%
Ind/Other
1.8%
1.3%
1.3%
NOC
31.6% 32.9% 25.9%
Total
100% 100% 100%
55.2%
11.4%
7.5%
1.3%
24.6%
100%
59.0%
9.4%
7.4%
1.1%
23.1%
100%
56.7%
14.2%
7.1%
1.1%
20.8%
100%
56.7%
21.9%
4.0%
0.3%
17.1%
100%
54.1%
28.5%
3.4%
0.3%
13.7%
100%
51.3%
29.3%
3.4%
0.3%
15.7%
100%
46.7%
30.2%
2.8%
0.3%
19.9%
100%
54.7%
28.5%
1.7%
0.6%
14.5%
100%
54.4%
28.5%
2.0%
0.3%
14.8%
100%
1
8
0
3
1
9
22
2
2
0
5
0
13
22
2
2
0
5
0
13
22
2
2
0
5
0
13
22
2
2
0
5
0
13
22
0
10
0
3
0
9
22
0
10
0
2
0
10
22
0
10
0
2
0
10
22
0
10
0
2
0
10
22
0
10
0
2
1
9
22
% share of all councils in Wales
4.5%
4.5%
4.5%
LAB
36.4% 36.4% 36.4%
LD
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Ind/Other
13.6% 13.6% 13.6%
PC
4.5%
4.5%
4.5%
NOC
40.9% 40.9% 40.9%
Total
100% 100% 100%
9.1%
9.1%
0.0%
22.7%
0.0%
59.1%
100%
9.1%
9.1%
0.0%
22.7%
0.0%
59.1%
100%
9.1%
9.1%
0.0%
22.7%
0.0%
59.1%
100%
9.1%
9.1%
0.0%
22.7%
0.0%
59.1%
100%
0.0%
45.5%
0.0%
13.6%
0.0%
40.9%
100%
0.0%
45.5%
0.0%
9.1%
0.0%
45.5%
100%
0.0%
45.5%
0.0%
9.1%
0.0%
45.5%
100%
0.0%
45.5%
0.0%
9.1%
0.0%
45.5%
100%
0.0%
45.5%
0.0%
9.1%
4.5%
40.9%
100%
0
2
0
3
0
27
32
0
2
0
3
0
27
32
0
2
0
3
0
27
32
0
2
0
3
0
27
32
0
3
0
3
0
26
32
0
4
0
3
2
23
32
0
5
0
3
2
22
32
0
5
0
3
2
22
32
0
4
0
3
2
23
32
0
5
0
3
2
22
32
% share of all councils in Scotland
CON
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
LAB
40.6% 40.6%
6.3%
LD
3.1%
3.1%
0.0%
Ind/Other
18.8% 18.8%
9.4%
SNP
3.1%
3.1%
0.0%
NOC
34.4% 34.4% 84.4%
Total
100% 100% 100%
0.0%
6.3%
0.0%
9.4%
0.0%
84.4%
100%
0.0%
6.3%
0.0%
9.4%
0.0%
84.4%
100%
0.0%
6.3%
0.0%
9.4%
0.0%
84.4%
100%
0.0%
9.4%
0.0%
9.4%
0.0%
81.3%
100%
0.0%
12.5%
0.0%
9.4%
6.3%
71.9%
100%
0.0%
15.6%
0.0%
9.4%
6.3%
68.8%
100%
0.0%
15.6%
0.0%
9.4%
6.3%
68.8%
100%
0.0%
12.5%
0.0%
9.4%
6.3%
71.9%
100%
0.0%
15.6%
0.0%
9.4%
6.3%
68.8%
100%
All councils in England
CON
155
LAB
71
LD
31
Ind/Other
7
NOC
122
Total
386
168
54
32
5
127
386
CON
All councils in Wales
1
LAB
8
LD
0
Ind/Other
3
PC
1
NOC
9
Total
22
CON
1
8
0
3
1
9
22
CON
All councils in Scotland
0
0
LAB
13
13
LD
1
1
Ind/Other
6
6
SNP
1
1
NOC
11
11
Total
32
32
CON
Table 26 sources:
Colin Rallings and
Michael Thrasher, Local
Election Handbooks
2005-2016
Rallings and Thrasher:
Lack of action provided
plenty of opportunity for
spin", Local Government
Chronicle, 11/05/2016
6.2 Elected Mayors (outside London)
Elected mayors currently hold office in 16 local authorities. Since new
council leadership arrangements were introduced by the Local
Government Act 2000, 51 councils have held referendums on elected
mayors. Leicester and Liverpool city councils both resolved to adopt a
mayoral system without holding a referendum. Eleven cities held
referendums on elected mayors on 3 May 2012 under the provisions of
the Localism Act 2011, but only Bristol and Doncaster voted in favour.
The first councils to adopt elected mayors have now held five mayoral
elections. There are nine Labour mayors, one Independent, two Liberal
Democrats, one Conservatives and three from other parties. Excluding
referendums that coincided with general elections, the highest turnout
was 42% in West Devon. The lowest turnout was 10% in Ealing.
Detailed analysis of
Mayoral Elections 2016
is available in:
House of Commons
Library Briefing paper
CBP-7596, section 7
67 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 27: Mayoral referendum result
Council
Result
Date
Mayoral referendum of votes (%)
For
Against
1
Turnout
For
Berwick-upon-Tweed
No
7 Jun 2001 *
Table
28a: Mayoral No
Elections
Cheltenham
28 Jun 2001
Gloucester
No
28 Jun 2001
Watford
Yes
12 Jul 2001
1
Authority/Turnout
Candidate
Party
Doncaster2
Yes
20 Sep 2001
Berwick-upon-Tweed
3,617
10,212
63.8%
8,083
16,602
31.0%
Cheltenham
7,731 1st 16,317
Gloucester Total
preference 30.8%
2nd preference
7,636
7,140
24.5%
Watford
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
35,453
19,398
25.0%
Kirklees
Doncaster
Sunderland
Turnout
28.4%
Hartlepool
Lewisham
North Tyneside
10,169
27,977
36.8%
9,59321,494
12,209
15.4%
10,667 9,000
10,294
14.5%
16,822 8,469
15,914
12.8%
30,262 7,502
22,296
13.0%
4,213
10.0%
3,170
31.0%
18.0%
36.0%
10,628
11,869
4,036
6.9%
29,067
5,422
2,836
4.8%
22,724
37,214
58,487
100.0%
7,250
9,198
8,327 5,696
11,974
29.1%
33.3%
34.0%
31.6%
7,383
28.3%
28.5%
1,699
LAB
7 Dec 2001
IND
24 Jan 2001
LD
24 Jan 2001
CON
31 Jan 2002
31 Jan 2002
27.8%
17,502 5,438
23,554
26.5%
5,296 5,174
15,490
29,559 1,675
42,8118.6%
6,054 1,561
13,2178.0%
27,26319,544
12,687
100.0%
1,354
26.0%
36.4%
39.8%
11.2%
25.9%
3,053
31 Jan 2002
LAB
2002
CON
2002
LD
2002
GRN
2002
LEAP
3,555
12,190
20,011 45.0%
11,357
14,435
8,004 18.0%
11,316 7,2765,537
16.3%
12,912 5,517
16,468
12.4%
14,692 3,710
18,6868.3%
41.8%
4,509
36.3%
1,851
15.5%
31.5%
33.8%
02 May 2002
Sedgefield
Middlesbrough
Brighton and Hove
Redditch
Durham City
Hartlepool
Turnout
Harrow 30.1%
Harlow
Plymouth
Southwark
Newham
West Devon
Lewisham
Shepway
Turnout 25.5%
Bedford
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Oxford
Hackney
Stoke-on-Trent3
Middlesborough
Mansfield
Turnout
Corby 41.3%
Ealing
Ceredigion
Isle of Wight
Torbay
Fenland
Crewe and Nantwich
Newham
Darlington
Turnout
27.6%
Bury
Stoke-on-Trent3 (leader)
Tower Hamlets
Great Yarmouth
Salford
Birmingham
North Tyneside
Bradford
Turnout 42.5%
Bristol
Coventry
Leeds
No
MartinNo
Winter
Andrew
Burden
Yes
Jessie Credland
Yes
Michael
Maye
Yes
4 Oct 2001
LAB
11 Oct 2001
CON
18 Oct 2001
CG
18 Oct 2001
IND
18 Oct 2001
Graham Newman
LD
No
18 Oct 2001
Terry Wilcox
IND
Yes
18 Oct 2001
Shafiq Khan
IND
No
18 Oct 2001
No
8 Nov 2001
StuartNo
Drummond20 Nov 2001
IND
Leo Gillen
No
Ian Cameron
No
ArthurNo
Preece
Stephen
NoClose
Yes
No
Steve Bullock
No
31 Jan
Derek Stone
Yes
21 Feb
Alex Feakes
No
2 May
Sinna Mani
No Irvine 2 May
Marie-Louise
Yes
3 May 2002
Yes
3 May 2002
Raymond
IND
Yes Mallon 3 May 2002
LAB
Sylvia Connolly
No
26 Sep 2002
Joe Michna
LD
No
11 Dec 2002
8.8%
Doncaster
57.1%
42.9%
Kirklees
25,707 67.9%
Sunderland32.1%
12,170
Hartlepool
Lewisham
North Tyneside
Sedgefield
Middlesbrough
37,877
Brighton and Hove
55.7%
7,395
Redditch52.1%
44.3%
6,792 City47.9%
Durham
Harrow
Harlow
70.9%
29.1%
Plymouth
14,187
Southwark
24,520 71.3%
Newham
9,855 28.7%
West Devon
Shepway
Bedford
24,697
10,547
44,518 100.0%
28,601
20,578
62.8%
8,97326,3627,350
23.0%
5,351 9,6536,239
9,454 3,820
11,6559.1%
31.9%
Newcastle-under-Lyme
6,360 100.0%
34,375 100.0%
27.8%
Oxford
21.0%
Hackney
30.9%
Stoke-on-Trent
9.8%
20 May 2004
SA
5 May 2005
*
IND
Yes
14 Jul 2005
No
14 Jul 2005
No
4 May 2006
LAB
Robin Wales
NoChoudhury
27 Sep 2007
Tawfique
IND
NoPostles
3 Jul 2008
CON
Graham
No
23 Oct 2008
Alan Craig
CPA
BNP*
Michael
Davidson 6 May 2010
Yes
Gabrielle
GRN
NoRolfe
5 May 2011
Yes
26 Jan 2012
5,308
14,013
352
0.8%
28,786 297
37,0970.7%
18,074
14,682
100.0%
5,50941,994
17,296
11,80820,384
18,768
50.8%
7,981 5,907
11,226
14.7%
10,338 4,635
15,425
11.5%
21,231 3,649
14,5929.1%
60,758 2,881
39,8577.2%
10,051 2,691
15,5956.7%
17,34440,147
13,653
100.0%
36.3%
62.4%
32.1%
33.6%
35.3%
24.7%
18.3%
19.2%
62.1%
36.0%
18.1%
No
3 May
Christopher Morgan
No
3 May
Eddie Darke
Yes
3 May
Michael Huscroft
No
3 May
Allan Pond
No
3 May
Michael Elliott
88,085 120,611
21,829 35.9%
53,949
66,283
19,601 32.2%
41,032
35,880
12,323 20.2%
22,619
39,483
4,993
8.2%
62,440 2,119
107,9103.5%
27.7%
4,254
35.2%
4,930
24.1%
26.2%
30.3%
Ronald Darby
No
Jeffrey Fowler
No
Rod Jones
CON
2012
CON
2012
LAB
2012
LD
2012
IND
2012
SA
Manchester
No
3 May 2012
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
No
3 May 2012
Watford
Dorothy
LD
Nottingham
NoThornhill 3 May 2012
Turnout
Vince Muspratt
LAB
Sheffield37.4%
No
3 May 2012
Gary Ling
CON
Wakefield
No
3 May 2012
Rackett
GRN
Doncaster (retained) Stephen
Yes
3 May 2012
SA
Hartlepool (abolished)4 Paul Woodward
No
15 Nov 2012
Tristram
Cooke
FC
Middlesbrough (retained)
Yes
26 Sep 2013
Copeland
Yes
22 May 2014
Bath & North East Somerset No
10 Mar 2016
North
(retained)
Yes
5 May 2016
17
OctTyneside
2002
Torbay (retained)
No
5 May 2016
Bedford
Notes: 25.3%
Turnout
5,150
1,510
3.6%
42,677
48,593
60,865 100.0%
24,630
40,089
49.4%
20,94310,954
28,320
22.1%
44,571 4,899
82,890
21.4%
27,610 4,746
45,357
42,196 851
25,8793.8%
5,177 3907,3661.8%
8,674 3306,4551.5%
12,67122,1705,489
100.0%
8,054
30,557
32,546
23,703
9,511
15,846
Mansfield
Corby
Ealing
Ceredigion
Isle of Wight
Torbay
Fenland
Salford
Birmingham
Bradford
46.3%
53.7%
Bristol
26,083
51.5%
Coventry
24,531 48.5%
Leeds
Manchester
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
24.7%
Nottingham
9,184 100.0%
50,614
100.0%
32.0%
Sheffield
2,519 87.2%
13,473 71.9%
23.8%
Wakefield
5,269 28.1%
32.1% 370 12.8%
Doncaster
28.3%
Hartlepool
30.7%
Middlesbrough
18.0%
15.1%
Copeland
33.9%
2,889 100.0% Bath &18,742
100.0%
North East…
29.0%
North Tyneside
36.6%
Torbay
25.3%
Frank Branston
BBI
9,557 34.5%
2,522 52.8%
12,079 63.4%
0%
50%
Christine McHugh
LD
4,711 17.0%
2,253 47.2%
6,964 36.6%
1. Turnout as reported Charles
by localRose
authority
CON
4,661 16.8%
2. A referendum on whether
to end the mayoral system
Doncaster
in May 2012. The referendum decided in
Apu Bagchi
LAB was held in4,114
14.8%
favour of retaining Ian
theClifton
mayoral system.
IND
1,893
6.8%
3. A subsequent referendum
Stoke-on-Trent in October
2008 decided
Arthur in
Foster
IND
1,826 in favour
6.6% of ending the mayoral system
* Referendum held on Mark
the same
day as General Election
Powell
GRN
735
2.6%
Sources:
Gurminder Singh Dosanjh
IND
218
0.8%
1. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006;
27,715 100.0%
2. Local authority websites;
3. House of Commons Library, RP12/27 Local Elections 2012
4. House of Commons Library, SN05000 Directly-elected Mayors
Against
4,775 100.0%
19,043 100.0%
100%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 68
Authority/Turnout
Hackney
Turnout 25.2%
1
Candidate
Party
Jules Pipe
Andrew Boff
Paul Foot
Ian Sharer
Crospin Truman
Bruce Spenser
Terry Edwards
Errol Carr
LAB
CON
SA
LD
GRN
IND
IND
IND
Mansfield
Turnout 18.5%
Tony Egginton
Lorna Carter
Kathryn Allsop
Phillip Smith
Michael Comerford
IND
LAB
CON
LD
GRN
Stoke-on-Trent
Turnout 24.0%
Mike Wolfe
George Stevenson
Steven Batkin
Roger Ibbs
Geoffrey Snow
Fred Morrow
Paul Breeze
Patricia Whitehouse
Graham Wilkes
David Chatton
Adrian Knapper
Harry Chesters
M4S
LAB
BNP
CON
LD
IND
IND
IND
AKIP
-
1st preference
Votes
%
2nd preference
%
Votes
42.0%
13.7%
12.7%
12.7%
9.1%
4.7%
3.8%
1.3%
2,421
1,127
32,926 100.0%
3,548
29.6%
34.0%
23.9%
6.8%
5.8%
1,801
590
13,813
4,502
4,187
4,185
3,002
1,543
1,253
441
4,150
4,773
3,351
958
811
14,043 100.0%
9,356
9,752
8,213
4,417
3,975
2,408
1,349
1,280
1,157
926
708
453
21.3%
22.2%
18.7%
10.0%
9.0%
5.5%
3.0%
2.9%
2.6%
2.1%
1.6%
1.0%
43,994 100.0%
68.2%
31.8%
Votes
Total
%
16,234
5,629
74.3%
25.7%
21,863
75.3%
24.7%
5,951
5,363
52.6%
47.4%
2,391 100.0%
11,314 100.0%
3,337
2,627
12,693
12,379
56.0%
44.0%
5,964 100.0%
50.6%
49.4%
25,072 100.0%
12 June 2003
North Tyneside (by-elec Linda Arkley
Turnout 31.4%
Gordon Adam
Michael Huscroft
Robert Batten
Louise van der Hoeven
CON
LAB
LD
NF
SA
18,478
13,070
8,404
2,554
400
43.1%
30.5%
19.6%
6.0%
0.9%
2,810
3,357
45.6%
54.4%
21,288
16,427
56.4%
43.6%
42,906 100.0%
6,167 100.0%
37,715 100.0%
14,227
5,527
4,272
3,765
2,701
1,821
1,482
42.1%
16.4%
12.6%
11.1%
8.0%
5.4%
4.4%
2,685
1,180
69.5%
30.5%
16,912
6,707
71.6%
28.4%
33,795 100.0%
3,865
100.0
23,619
100.0
27,253
16,211
15,882
15,776
4,505
1,955
1,368
32.9%
19.5%
19.1%
19.0%
5.4%
2.4%
1.6%
9,708
6,919
58.4%
41.6%
36,961
23,130
61.5%
38.5%
82,950 100.0%
16,627
100.0
60,091
100.0
40,015
27,304
12,533
10,263
7,773
6,128
4,930
36.7%
25.1%
11.5%
9.4%
7.1%
5.6%
4.5%
5,727
10,004
36.4%
63.6%
45,742
37,308
55.1%
44.9%
108,946 100.0%
15,731
100.0
83,050
100.0
05 May 2005
Hartlepool
Turnout 51.1%
Stuart Drummond
Carl Richardson
Ian John Henry Cameron
Stephen Allison
Stan Kaiser
John Lauderdale
Brenda Pearson
IND
LAB
IND
LLH
IND
IND
CON
Stoke-on-Trent
Turnout 50.8%
Mark Joseph Meredith
Roger Michael Ibbs
Mike Wolfe
Steven Reginald Batkin
Gary Chevin
Justin Harvey
Gary Falconer
LAB
CON
SGS
BNP
IND
IND
IND
Doncaster
Turnout 54.5%
Martin Winter
Michael Maye
Raymond Bartlett
Jessie Credland
Michael Cooper
David Owen
Richard Rolt
LAB
IND
CON
CG
IND
BNP
GRN
69 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
1st preference
Authority/Turnout 1
Candidate
Party
North Tyneside
Turnout 61.4%
John Harrison
LindaArkely
Dr Joan Harvey
Robert Batten
LAB
CON
LD
NF
2nd preference
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
Total
%
34,053
35,467
12,761
2,470
40.2%
41.8%
15.1%
2.9%
6,407
3,991
61.6%
38.4%
40,460
39,458
50.6%
49.4%
84,751
100.0
10,398
100.0
79,918
100.0
5,283
3,811
3,516
2,871
2,015
1,161
1,152
1,030
881
767
647
526
322
143
21.9%
15.8%
14.6%
11.9%
8.4%
4.8%
4.8%
4.3%
3.7%
3.2%
2.7%
2.2%
1.3%
0.6%
1,813
1,386
56.7%
43.3%
7,096
5,197
57.7%
42.3%
20 Oct 2005
Torbay
Turnout 23.5%
Nicholas Bye
Nicholas Pannell
Gordon Oliver
Susan Colley
Percy Brewis
Robert Crawford
Marshall Richie
Peter Middleton
Beverley Brennan
David Pedrick-Friend
James O'Dwyer
Julien Parrott
Beverley Oxley
James Grimble
CON
LD
IND
IND
IND
IND
IND
IND
IND
LAB
IND
IND
IND
IND
24,125 100.0%
3,199 100.0%
12,293 100.0%
20,830
7,454
4,882
4,683
2,907
2,800
896
3,403
1,331
24,233
8,785
04 May 2006
Hackney
Turnout 32.9%
Jules Pipe
Andrew Boff
Matthew Penhaligon
Mima Bone
Hettie Peters
Dean Ryan
Monty Goldman
LAB
CON
LD
GRN
IND
RES
CP
Lewisham
Turnout 33.0%
Steve Bullock
Christopher Maines
James Cleverley
Michael Keogh
John Hamilton
Sinna Mani
LAB
LD
CON
GRN
IND
LPA
Newham
Turnout 34.5%
Robin Wales
Akhtar Jafar
Reza Choudhury
Alan Craig
Anwar Hussain
LAB
RES
CON
CPA
LD
Watford
Turnout 38.1%
Dorothy Thornhill
Stephen O’Brien
Ruth Ellis
Stephen Rackett
LD
CON
LAB
GRN
46.9%
16.8%
11.0%
10.5%
6.5%
6.3%
2.0%
71.9%
28.1%
73.4%
26.6%
44,452 100.0%
4,734 100.0%
33,018 100.0%
22,155
12,398
10,790
7,168
4,823
1,366
2,974
6,491
25,129
18,889
37.7%
21.1%
18.4%
12.2%
8.2%
2.3%
31.4%
68.6%
57.1%
42.9%
58,700 100.0%
9,465 100.0%
44,018 100.0%
28,655
12,898
8,822
6,559
2,886
5,406
2,983
34,061
15,881
47.9%
21.6%
14.7%
11.0%
4.8%
59,820 100.0%
11,963
4,838
4,062
2,522
64.4%
35.6%
68.2%
31.8%
8,389 100.0%
49,942 100.0%
51.2%
20.7%
17.4%
10.8%
23,385 100.0%
03 May 2007
Bedford
Turnout 40.1%
Frank Branston
Nicky Attenborough
Christine McHugh
Randolph Charles
Justina McLennan
IND
CON
LD
LAB
GRN
15,966
10,710
10,553
4,758
1,538
36.7%
24.6%
24.2%
10.9%
3.5%
3,732
2,603
58.9%
41.1%
19,698
13,313
59.7%
40.3%
43,525
100.0
6,335
100.0
33,011
100.0
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 70
1st preference
Authority/Turnout
Mansfield
Turnout 34.2%
1
Middlesborough
Turnout 30.8%
Candidate
Tony Egginton
Alan Meale
Aaron Beattie
Philip Burman
Mary Button
Ray Mallon
Joe Michna
Charles Rooney
Dorothy Smith
Party
IND
LAB
CON
LD
GRN
IND
GRN
LAB
CON
2nd preference
Total
Votes
12,051
8,129
2,770
1,944
1,489
%
45.7%
30.8%
10.5%
7.4%
5.6%
Votes
1,705
645
%
72.2%
27.4%
Votes
13,756
8,774
%
61.0%
39.0%
26,383
100.0
2,350
100.0
22,530
100.0
17,455
7,026
3,529
1,733
58.7%
23.6%
11.9%
5.8%
29,743
100.0
16,961
17,150
16,549
12,198
2,152
2,051
25.3%
25.6%
24.7%
18.2%
3.2%
3.1%
8,383
7,840
51.7%
48.3%
25,344
24,990
50.4%
49.6%
04 June 2009
Doncaster
Turnout 38.1%
Peter Davies
Michael Maye
Sandra Holland
Jonathan Wood
Stuart Exelby
Michael Felse
ED
IND
LAB
CON
CG
IND
Hartlepool
Turnout 31.9%
Stuart Drummond
Ian Cameron
Chris Simmons
Martyn Aiken
Tony Morrell
Cheryl Dunn
David Young
Jim Gillespie
Iris Ryder
Allison Willetts
Lynne Gillam
Barbara Jackson
Christine Blakey
IND
IND
LAB
UKIP
IND
BNP
CON
IND
IND
IND
LD
IND
IND
67,061 100.0%
North Tyneside
Turnout 38.4%
Linda Arkley
John Harrison
Nigel John Yuscroft
John Burrows
Martin Collins
Robert Nigel Batten
CON
LAB
LD
BNP
GRN
NF
5,268
4,280
2,921
1,844
1,457
1,352
1,092
986
594
564
464
461
204
24.5%
19.9%
13.6%
8.6%
6.8%
6.3%
5.1%
4.6%
2.8%
2.6%
2.2%
2.1%
0.9%
Dave Hodgson
Parvez Akhtar
Apu Bagchi
Tony Hare
James Valentine
Eve Robinson-Morley
LD
CON
IND
IND
LAB
GRN
LAB
LD
CON
GRN
CPB
CP
50,334 100.0%
6,867
6,023
53.3%
46.7%
12,890 100.0%
24,784
19,823
7,343
3,398
1,995
1,086
2,299
2,811
27,083
22,634
42.4%
33.9%
12.6%
5.8%
3.4%
1.9%
9,428
9,105
7,631
4,316
3,482
1,183
26.8%
25.9%
21.7%
12.3%
9.9%
3.4%
06 May 2010
Jules Pipe
Adrian John Gee-Turner
Andrew Boff
Mischa Borris
Monty Goldman
William Thompson
47.8%
52.2%
3,342 100.0%
35,145 100.0%
Hackney
Turnout 58.0%
1,599
1,743
21,487 100.0%
58,429 100.0%
Bedford (by-election)
Turnout 30.2%
16,223 100.0%
48,363
15,818
12,405
10,100
2,033
1,084
53.9%
17.6%
13.8%
11.2%
2.3%
1.2%
89,803 100.0%
45.0%
55.0%
54.5%
45.5%
5,110 100.0%
49,717 100.0%
4,127
2,438
13,555
11,543
62.9%
37.1%
6,565 100.0%
54.0%
46.0%
25,098 100.0%
71 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Authority/Turnout 1
Lewisham
Turnout 58.4%
Newham
Turnount 50.4%
Candidate
Steve Bullock
Chris Maines
Simon John Nundy
Dean Maurice Walton
John Nicholas Hamilton
Tess Culnane
Graham Trevor Dare
Sir Robin Wales
Maria Joy Allen
Kamran Malik
Alan Craig
Chikwe Nkemnacho
Party
LAB
LD
CON
GRN
UKIP
BNP
ED
LAB
CON
KMCW
CP
IND
1st preference
Votes
%
47,861 44.5%
26,445 24.6%
16,276 15.1%
6,560
6.1%
5,964
5.5%
2,904
2.7%
1,559
1.4%
2nd preference
Votes
%
4,670 31.8%
10,001 68.2%
Votes
52,531
36,446
107,569 100.0%
14,671 100.0%
88,977 100.0%
64,748
15,330
6,607
6,503
2,006
Total
%
59.0%
41.0%
68.0%
16.1%
6.9%
6.8%
2.1%
95,194 100.0%
Watford
Turnout 65.2%
Dorothy Thornhill
Stephen Johnson
Nigel Bell
Alex MacGregor Mason
LD
CON
LAB
GRN
19,153
10,403
10,029
2,173
45.9%
24.9%
24.0%
5.2%
41,758 100.0%
4,276
1,105
79.5%
20.5%
23,429
11,508
67.1%
32.9%
5,381 100.0%
34,937 100.0%
2,086
1,648
12,716
9,631
21 Oct 2010
Tower Hamlets
Turnout 25.6%
Lutfur Rahman
Helal Uddin Abbas
Neil King
John Griffiths
John Duffell
IND
LAB
CON
LD
GRN
23,283
11,254
5,348
2,800
2,300
53.9%
17.6%
13.8%
11.2%
2.3%
44,985 100.0%
05 May 2011
Torbay
Turnout 41.2%
Bedford
Turnout 47.0%
Gordon Malcolm Oliver
Nick Bye
Dennis Raymond Brewer
Patrick Canavan
Susie Colley
Paul Clifford
Martin Robert Brook
Fiona McPhail
Sam Moss
Dave Hodgson
John Guthrie
Michelle Harris
Tony Hare
Greg Paszynski
CON
IND
LD
LAB/Co
IND
IND
IND
V4T
GRN
LD
CON
LAB
IND
GRN
10,630
7,983
6,905
3,793
3,559
2,414
2,090
2,084
1,918
25.7%
19.3%
16.7%
9.2%
8.6%
5.8%
5.1%
5.0%
4.6%
Sir Peter Soulsby
Ross Ian Grant
Rick Moore
Gary Glen Hunt
Geoff Forse
Nima Patel
Regine Amanda Anderson
Mohinder Farma
David John Bowley
Mu-hamid Pathan
Lee Alan Sowden
LAB
CON
IND
LD
GRN
IND
UKIP
UPS
IND
IND
IND
56.9%
43.1%
41,376 100.0%
3,734 100.0%
22,347 100.0%
19,966
17,501
11,197
3,133
1,211
4,325
1,824
24,291
19,325
37.7%
33.0%
21.1%
5.9%
2.3%
53,008 100.0%
Leicester
Turnout 40.7%
55.9%
44.1%
46,948
9,688
7,635
6,029
3,452
3,358
2,195
1,944
1,784
1,465
631
55.1%
11.4%
9.0%
7.1%
4.1%
3.9%
2.6%
2.3%
2.1%
1.7%
0.7%
85,129 100.0%
70.3%
29.7%
6,149 100.0%
55.7%
44.3%
43,616 100.0%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 72
1st preference
Authority/Turnout 1
Mansfield
Turnout 37.4%
Candidate
Tony Eggington
Stephen Yemm
David Hamilton
Vic Bobo
Anna Marie Ellis
Party
IND
LAB
UKIP
CON
LD
Middlesbrough
Turnout 36.6%
Raymond Thomas Mallon
Michael John Carr
Chris Foote-Wood
Christopher L Cole-Nolan
IND
LAB
LD
CON
Votes
10,901
11,732
2,390
2,192
1,813
%
37.6%
40.4%
8.2%
7.6%
6.2%
29,028 100.0%
17,917
11,405
3,256
3,001
Total
2nd preference
Votes
1,779
881
%
66.9%
33.1%
Votes
12,680
12,613
%
50.1%
49.9%
2,660 100.0%
25,293 100.0%
2,796
2,016
23,459
10,071
50.4%
32.1%
9.2%
8.4%
35,579 100.0%
03 May 2012
Liverpool
Turnout 31.7%
Joe Anderson
Liam Fogarty
Richard Kemp
John Coyne
Tony Mulhearn
Steve Radford
Tony Caldeira
Adam Heatherington
Paul Duane Rimmer
Jeffrey Berman
Mike Whitby
Peter Tierney
LAB
IND
LD
GRN
TUSC
LIB
CON
UKIP
ED
LIP
BNP
NF
58,448
8,292
6,238
5,175
4,792
4,442
4,425
2,352
1,400
1,362
1,015
566
59.3%
8.4%
6.3%
5.3%
4.9%
4.5%
4.5%
2.4%
1.4%
1.4%
1.0%
0.6%
98,507 100.0%
Salford
Turnout 26.1%
15 November 2012
Bristol
Turnout 27.9%
Ian Stewart
Karen Margaret Garrido
Bernard Gill
Pat Ward
Norman Owen
Eddy O'Sullivan
Paul Massey
Mike Felse
Joe O'Neill
Michael Moulding
LAB
CON
UKIP
IND
LD
BNP
IND
ED
GRN
CAP
20,663
8,055
3,368
2,665
2,148
2,026
1,995
1,616
1,273
1,065
46.0%
18.0%
7.5%
5.9%
4.8%
4.5%
4.4%
3.6%
2.8%
2.4%
70.0%
30.0%
44,874 100.0%
4,812 100.0%
33,530 100.0%
6,032
5,363
37,353
31,259
George Ferguson
Marvin Johnathan Rees
Geoff Gollop
Jon Rogers
Elsa Daniella Radice
Owain George
Spud Murphy
Neil Maggs
Stoney Garnett
B1st
LAB
CON
LD
GRN
Ind
Ind
TRP
Ind
31,321
25,896
8,136
6,202
5,248
2,404
1,855
1,568
1,413
35.1%
29.0%
9.1%
7.0%
5.9%
2.7%
2.1%
1.8%
1.6%
Tom Baldwin
TUSC
Ind
Ind
Ind
Ind
TBP
1,412
1,037
994
761
494
411
1.6%
1.2%
1.1%
0.9%
0.6%
0.5%
Tim Collins
Philip Pover
Tony Britt
Rich Fisher
Dave Dobbs
58.1%
41.9%
52.9%
47.1%
54.4%
45.6%
89,152 100.0%
11,395 100.0%
68,612 100.0%
21,996
21,406
4,615
4,557
2,811
1,916
1,123
1,110
1,066
786
25,364
24,725
47,360
46,131
02 May 2013
Doncaster
Turnout 27.2%
Ros Jones
Peter Davies
David Allen
Micael Maye
Martin Drake
Mary Jackson
John Brown
Tony ward
Dave Owen
Doug Wright
LAB
IND
ED
IND
CON
TUSC
LD
IND
NF
SYS
61,386
35.8%
34.9%
7.5%
7.4%
4.6%
3.1%
1.8%
1.8%
1.7%
1.3%
50,089
50.6%
49.4%
93,491
51%
49%
73 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Authority/Turnout
North Tyneside
Turnout 31.8%
1
Candidate
Party
Norma Redfearn
Linda Arkley
John Appleby
LAB
CON
LD
1st preference
Votes
%
27,905
18,083
4,054
2nd preference
%
Votes
55.8%
36.1%
8.1%
50,042
22 May 2014
Hackney
Votes
Total
%
27,905
18,083
4,054
55.8%
36.1%
8.1%
50,042
Jules Pipe
LAB
40,858
60.4%
Turnout 38.8%
Linda Kelly
Simon De Deney
Mustapha Korel
CON
LD
RA
7,853
3,840
3,265
11.6%
5.7%
4.8%
Lewisham
Turnout 36.7%
Steve Bullock
Simon Nundy
Duwayne Brooks
Mike Keogh
John Hamilton
Peter Lello
Christopher Flood
LAB
CON
LD
GRN
RA
UKIP
TUSC
67,665
36,659
8,041
7,234
7,224
6,014
5,684
1,354
50.8%
11.1%
10.0%
10.0%
8.3%
7.9%
1.9%
72,210
Newham
Turnout 39.4%
Robin Wales
Stefan Mrozinski
David Mears
Jane Lithgow
Kamran Malik
David Thorpe
Lois Austin
Alex Latim
LAB
CON
UKIP
GRN
CUP
LD
TUSC
CPA
47,095
13,976
4,960
3,055
2,796
1,757
1,708
1,625
61.2%
18.2%
6.4%
4.0%
3.6%
2.3%
2.2%
2.1%
76,972
Tower Hamlets
Turnout 45.9%
Lutfur Rahman
John Biggs
Christopher Wilford
Nicholas McQueen
Chris Smith
Reetendra Banerji
Hugo Pierre
Reza Choudhury
Mohammed Khan
Hafiz Kadir
THF
LAB
CON
UKIP
GRN
LD
TUSC
IND
IND
IND
36,539
27,643
7,173
4,819
4,699
1,969
871
205
164
162
43.4%
32.8%
8.5%
5.7%
5.6%
2.3%
1.0%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
84,244
Watford
Turnout 36.1%
Dorothy Thornhill
Jagtar Dhindsa
Philip Cox
Linda Topping
LD
LAB
UKIP
CON
11,741
6,577
3,789
3,470
45.9%
25.7%
14.8%
13.6%
25,577
07 May 2015
Bedford
Turnout 66.0%
Dave Hodgson
Jas Parmar
Tim Douglas
Steve Lowe
Adrian John Haynes
LD
CON
LAB
IND
UKIP
25,282
19,417
15,931
12,883
7,060
31.4%
24.1%
19.8%
16.0%
8.8%
80,573
Copeland
Turnout 60.0%
Mike Starkie
Steve Gibbons
Chris Whiteside
Total
IND
LAB
CON
9,836
12,867
9,509
32,212
856
6,500
37,395
34,143
52.3%
47.7%
7,356
71,538
100%
2,452
927
14,193
7,504
65.4%
34.6%
3,379
21,697
100%
35,302
26,513
57.1%
42.9%
10,020
7,096
58.5%
41.5%
17,116
30.5%
39.9%
29.5%
5,397
1,392
6,789
61,815
79.5%
20.5%
15,233
14,259
29,492
51.7%
48.3%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 74
Authority/Turnout
Leicester
Turnout 59.0%
Mansfield
Turnout 57.9%
1
Candidate
Peter Alfred Soulsby
Paul David Brenner
Dutch Veldhuizen
Tim Grayson
Adrian Charles Barnes
Barbie Potter
Avtar Singh
Party
LAB
CON
UKIP
GRN
LD
LICAC
IND
Kate Allsop
Martin Lee
Philip Shields
MIF
LAB
IND
1st preference
Votes
%
71,533 54.6%
24,327 18.6%
12,532
9.6%
8,637
6.6%
8,315
6.3%
3,028
2.3%
2,662
2.0%
131,034
17,604
17,562
9,672
39.3%
39.2%
21.6%
44,838
Middlesbrough
Turnout 52.0%
Christopher David Budd
Andrew Loughran Preston
David Robert Roberts
Michael John Carr
Christopher Lloyd Cole-Nolan
Len Junier
LAB
IND
IND
IND
CON
IND
Total
Torbay
Turnout 60.0%
Gordon Malcolm Oliver
Dennis Brewer
Julien Henry Parrott
Darren John Cowell
Susie Colley
Martin Robert Brook
Pamela Neale
16,680
14,265
5,803
5,549
3,844
3,470
15,354
11,788
11,325
8,119
7,541
5,846
1,249
33.6%
28.8%
11.7%
11.2%
7.7%
7.0%
Liverpool
Turnout 30.9%
Salford
Turnout 29.1%
Marvin Johnathan Rees
George Ferguson
Charles Lucas
Tony Dyer
Kay Barnard
Paul Anthony Turner
Tom Baldwin
Stoney Garnett
Christine Charlotte Townsend
Tony Britt
Paul Anthony Saville
John Langley
Mayor Festus Kudehinbu
Total
LAB
BF
CON
GRN
LD
UKIP
TUSC
IND
IND
IND
IND
IND
IND
Joe Anderson
Richard Kemp
Tom Crone
Roger Bannister
Alan Hutchinson
Tony Caldeira
Paul Duane Rimmer
Total
LAB
LD
GRN
TUSC
IND
CON
ED
Paul Dennett
Robin Garrido
Owen Martin Hammond
Wendy Kay Olsen
Total
LAB
CON
UKIP
GRN
69.8%
30.2%
2,858
5,017
25.1%
19.3%
18.5%
13.3%
12.3%
9.5%
2.0%
3,989
6,034
36.3%
63.7%
40.4%
23.1%
14.0%
7.1%
5.8%
5.1%
1.3%
1.0%
0.7%
0.6%
0.4%
0.3%
0.2%
51,332
20,598
10,609
4,950
3,964
3,533
2,590
97,576
52.6%
21.1%
10.9%
5.1%
4.1%
3.6%
2.7%
24,209
11,810
8,668
4,158
48,845
0.5%
0.2%
0.2%
0.1%
12,021
7,202
22,600
19,720
%
53.4%
46.6%
19,538
19,282
50.3%
49.7%
38,820
39.8%
60.2%
10,023
56,729
32,375
19,617
10,000
8,078
7,115
1,876
1,384
1,010
877
545
367
341
140,314
Total
Votes
42,320
7,875
61,222
05 May 2016
Bristol
Turnout 44.3%
4,996
2,158
7,154
49,611
CON
LD
UKIP
LAB
IND
IND
IND
2nd preference
Votes
%
19,343
17,822
52.0%
48.0%
37,165
62.5%
37.5%
68,750
39,577
63%
37%
51,332
20,598
52.6%
21.1%
28,332
14,484
66.2%
33.8%
19,223
-
-
4,123
2,674
6,797
60.7%
39.3%
75 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 28b. Elected Mayors, as at May 2016 (Excluding Greater London)
Council
Name
North Tyneside
Watford
Norma Redfearn
Lewisham
Hackney
Dorothy Thornhill
Steve Bullock
Jules Pipe
Party
Year
elected
Next
election
Result
Mayoral referendum details
Date
For
Against
18 Oct 2001
12 Jul 2001
30,262
7,636
22,296
7,140
36.0%
24.5%
Turnout
1
LAB
LD
2013
2014
2017
2018
Yes
Yes
LAB
LAB
2014
2014
2018
2018
Yes
Yes
18 Oct 2001
3 May 2002
16,822
24,697
15,914
10,547
18.0%
31.9%
Yes
6 May 2010 *
60,758
39,857
62.1%
Tower Hamlets
Lutfur Rahman
THF
2014
2018
Leicester
Newham
Bedford
Mansfield
Peter Alfred Soulsby
Robin Wales
Dave Hodgson
Kate Allsop
LAB
LAB
LD
MIF
2014
2015
2015
2015
2018
2019
2019
2019
Torbay
Gordon Malcolm Oliver
Con
2015
2019
Yes
Doncaster
Ros Jones
LAB
2015
2019
Yes
Middlesbrough
Christopher David Budd
LAB
2015
2019
Yes
Copeland
Salford
Bristol
Mike Starkie
Paul Dennett
George Ferguson
IND
LAB
Bristol 1st
2015
2016
2016
2019
2020
2020
Yes
Yes
Yes
Liverpool
Joe Anderson
LAB
2016
2020
Adopted a mayoral system without holding a referendum
Yes
31 Jan 2002
27,263
12,687
Yes
21 Feb 2002
11,316
5,537
Yes
3 May 2002
8,973
7,350
14 Jul 2005
3 May 2012
18,074
14,682
42,196
25,879
32.1%
30.7%
26 Sep 2013
22 May 2014
26 Jan 2012
8,674
12,671
17,344
6,455
5,489
13,653
15.1%
33.9%
18.1%
3 May 2012
41,032
35,880
24.1%
Adopted a mayoral system without holding a referendum
Notes Tables 28a & 28b:
1. Turnout is as reported by local authority and may include spoilt ballots
Party descriptions:
B1st
Bristol 1st
BBI
Better Bedford Independent
BP
The Birthday Party
CAP
Community Action Party - Exposing Political Fraud
CG
Community Group
CPA
Christian People's Alliance
CPB
Communist Party of Britain
SGS
Supporting Green Shoots
FCP
Fat Cat Party
KMCWP-KM Communities Welfare Party
TUSC
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
UPS
Unity For Peace and Socialism
Sources Tables 28a & 28b:
1. House of Commons Library, Local Elections research papers, various years
2. BBC Political Research
3. Local authority websites
4. Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, Local Elections Handbook, various years
LLH
LPA
MIF
M4S
NF
SA
ED
TRP
THF
LEAP
LIP
V4T
25.9%
15.5%
21.0%
Local Man, Local Issues, Hartlepool First
Lewisham People's Alliance
Mansfield Independent Forum
Mayor 4 Stoke
National Front
Socialist Alliance
English Democrats
The Respect Party
Tower Hamlets First
Local Education Action by Parents
Liverpool Independent Party
Voice 4 Torbay
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 76
7. Police and Crime
Commissioner (PCC) Elections
Electoral process
PCC elections take place every four years. People who are registered to
vote at local government elections are entitled to vote for the PCC in
that area. The Supplementary Vote system is used; the same system is
used for directly elected mayors in England, including the Mayor of
London.
Turnout
Turnout in the PCC elections, measured as valid votes as a proportion of
the electorate, averaged 26.6% across the 40 voting police force areas.
This is an increase of 11.5 percentage points on the previous PCC
elections in 2012 where turnout averaged 15.1%.
The three police areas with the highest turnout were Dyfed-Powys
(48.9%), South Wales (46.6%) and North Wales (41.6%). The three
police areas with the lowest turnout were Durham (17.4%), Cleveland
(19.7%) and Leicestershire (19.8%).
PCC election results in 2012 and 2016:
On 5 May 2016 the second cycle of elections (2012 being the first) for
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) took place in England and
Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police, City of London and Greater
Manchester).
There were 20 Conservative, 15 Labour, 2 Plaid Cymru and 3
Independent candidates elected as PCCs during the 5 May 2016
elections.
Table 29a: Seats won in PCC elections by party, 2012 & 2016
England and Wales
England
Wales
Con
16
15
1
Lab
12
11
1
2012
PC UKIP
LD Green
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ind Other
12
0
10
0
2
0
Total
40
36
4
England and Wales
England
Wales
Con
20
20
0
Lab
15
13
2
2016
PC UKIP
LD Green
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
Ind Other
3
0
3
0
0
0
Total
40
36
4
2012-2016 change
PC UKIP
LD Green
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
Ind Other
-9
0
-7
0
-2
0
Con
Lab
England and Wales
4
3
England
5
2
Wales
-1
1
note: excludes greater manchester
Source: House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: CBP-07595
Detailed analysis of Police
and Crime Commissioner
Elections: 2016 is
available in:
House of Commons Library
Briefing Paper CBP-07595
Average turnout by
country, 2012 & 2016
Wales
2016
2012
England
England and
Wales
0%
25%
50%
77 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 29b: Share of PCC election first preference votes and
turnout by police force area, 2016
Number of first round votes
Area
Avon & Somerset
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cleveland
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon & Cornwall
Dorset
Durham
Dyfed-Powys
Essex
Gloucestershire
Gwent
Hampshire
Hertfordshire
Humberside
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Merseyside
Norfolk
North Wales
North Yorkshire
Northamptonshire
Northumbria
Nottinghamshire
South Wales
South Yorkshire
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Surrey
Sussex
Thames Valley
Warwickshire
West Mercia
West Midlands
West Yorkshire
Wiltshire
Con
Lab
19.3%
36.7%
36.2%
38.0%
22.8%
34.4%
34.6%
24.4%
29.4%
23.6%
25.1%
33.5%
34.0%
30.8%
28.7%
42.3%
27.0%
33.1%
32.0%
30.9%
35.2%
17.9%
27.8%
19.7%
40.1%
40.5%
18.0%
28.1%
17.9%
10.7%
36.3%
43.7%
35.3%
41.8%
39.9%
31.2%
33.4%
25.8%
22.8%
46.2%
23.8%
35.3%
31.0%
39.8%
41.0%
24.1%
37.5%
23.4%
16.0%
63.8%
18.6%
19.7%
24.5%
46.4%
16.1%
27.4%
40.8%
19.1%
43.8%
44.7%
22.7%
61.8%
24.0%
25.7%
26.0%
35.5%
55.3%
47.3%
40.9%
51.9%
31.4%
24.7%
12.0%
22.2%
33.5%
25.5%
21.1%
49.9%
49.7%
23.0%
PC
28.0%
UKIP
Lib
Green
Ind
8.8%
10.3%
16.9%
12.1%
21.3%
9.9%
17.0%
17.5%
16.7%
7.4%
11.6%
15.9%
10.2%
7.4%
33.2%
11.1%
24.4%
Other
6.1%
14.9%
14.6%
17.0%
10.9%
12.4%
22.4%
37.9%
12.6%
11.1%
9.3%
6.2%
13.0%
41.6%
22.9%
13.7%
14.1%
18.1%
27.5%
16.5%
11.7%
25.5%
31.5%
17.5%
12.2%
13.9%
16.2%
14.1%
7.3%
7.7%
12.7%
17.9%
20.4%
15.8%
16.9%
10.3%
15.7%
12.1%
13.4%
16.9%
17.0%
14.3%
15.0%
Source: House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: CBP-07595
8.5%
9.8%
3.1%
16.5%
11.5%
8.3%
8.9%
5.9%
10.5%
24.0%
16.0%
11.9%
19.1%
16.5%
11.0%
23.4%
10.7%
12.7%
17.1%
6.2%
10.1%
9.0%
12.9%
10.8%
14.5%
10.6%
6.7%
9.3%
15.8%
6.9%
3.7%
5.7%
12.7%
11.5%
17.9%
9.5%
7.4%
19.4%
14.5%
7.3%
3.9%
Turnout
26.0%
23.2%
29.3%
23.3%
19.7%
24.9%
23.3%
22.1%
22.0%
17.4%
48.9%
25.2%
29.4%
39.4%
27.8%
28.1%
22.1%
21.0%
28.1%
19.8%
24.8%
30.2%
23.2%
41.6%
21.9%
22.0%
31.3%
21.4%
46.6%
28.4%
21.1%
24.0%
27.2%
22.5%
24.6%
26.0%
20.7%
28.6%
33.3%
24.0%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 78
Table 29c: Share of PCC election first preference votes and
turnout by policing area, 2012
Number of first round votes
Area
Avon & Somerset
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cleveland
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon & Cornwall
Dorset
Durham
Dyfed-Powys
Essex
Greater Manchester
Gloucestershire
Gwent
Hampshire
Hertfordshire
Humberside
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Merseyside
Norfolk
North Wales
North Yorkshire
Northamptonshire
Northumbria
Nottinghamshire
South Wales
South Yorkshire
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Surrey
Sussex
Thames Valley
Warwickshire
West Mercia
West Midlands
West Yorkshire
Wiltshire
Con
Lab
24.3%
31.9%
26.8%
36.8%
26.0%
29.0%
24.5%
29.0%
32.4%
9.8%
50.9%
30.5%
15.6%
36.2%
11.2%
24.8%
45.9%
22.0%
25.2%
34.8%
48.4%
23.7%
12.6%
31.7%
14.8%
58.2%
30.1%
25.6%
19.8%
14.7%
14.5%
51.8%
35.0%
26.1%
31.5%
34.7%
32.0%
36.6%
18.5%
21.1%
36.2%
21.3%
34.0%
19.8%
28.4%
41.6%
24.6%
44.3%
12.7%
12.1%
51.6%
49.1%
16.6%
51.2%
17.5%
38.9%
18.3%
29.0%
24.9%
11.2%
39.3%
34.4%
12.2%
56.2%
22.1%
29.7%
41.8%
24.8%
56.0%
43.1%
47.0%
51.4%
48.2%
35.2%
13.2%
21.5%
25.9%
34.7%
25.7%
42.0%
47.9%
20.6%
UKIP
Lib
16.4%
7.9%
18.5%
13.6%
8.5%
9.8%
Green
13.7%
21.9%
16.0%
8.6%
12.6%
10.4%
11.8%
9.0%
8.5%
10.0%
11.0%
16.1%
7.8%
15.0%
14.8%
11.0%
12.8%
14.1%
8.7%
Ind
35.8%
9.8%
20.4%
17.1%
18.7%
24.5%
15.1%
37.1%
45.2%
26.8%
Other
10.6%
8.1%
37.0%
9.8%
35.3%
49.9%
22.5%
6.9%
11.5%
28.3%
50.5%
5.3%
10.9%
6.9%
9.9%
7.8%
7.3%
7.6%
18.7%
10.6%
7.3%
7.8%
17.2%
64.0%
11.4%
28.7%
47.8%
5.7%
19.1%
37.1%
38.4%
11.5%
7.0%
13.1%
8.1%
15.5%
8.8%
6.5%
10.9%
9.4%
7.4%
9.2%
6.5%
8.0%
12.9%
Source: House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: CBP-07595
15.6%
16.7%
46.1%
20.6%
21.3%
33.3%
37.7%
25.7%
23.0%
21.1%
Turnout
18.8%
17.7%
14.8%
14.3%
14.7%
15.9%
14.4%
14.7%
16.3%
14.4%
16.4%
12.8%
16.0%
13.6%
14.0%
14.6%
14.1%
19.1%
16.0%
15.1%
15.9%
15.3%
12.4%
14.5%
14.8%
13.2%
19.2%
16.4%
16.4%
14.7%
14.5%
11.6%
15.4%
15.4%
15.3%
12.9%
15.2%
14.2%
12.0%
13.3%
15.3%
79 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
8. Referendums
8.1 European Union Referendum (June 2016)
A referendum on European Union membership was held on 23 June
2016, on the question:
Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European
Union or leave the European Union?
EU Referendum, UK
2016 (%)
% Remain votes
% Leave votes
West Midlands
East Midlands
North East
51.9% of votes were to leave the EU.
Y/H
A total of 33,577,342 people voted in the referendum, a turnout of
72.2%. The Leave vote won by a 3.8 percentage point margin.
Leave won more than 50% of the vote in all counting regions except for
three: London, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The West Midlands saw
the highest share of the vote for Leave (59.3%), and Scotland the
lowest (38.0%).
East of England
North West
South West
Wales
South East
Northern Ireland
London
Turnout was highest in the South East, and the South West and
Gibraltar (76.7%), and lowest in Northern Ireland (62.7%).
Scotland
United Kingdom
Table 30: EU referendum results by region, ranked by highest
vote share for Leave, 23 June 2016
Rejected
Leave
votes
0%
Total votes
cast (incl.
rejected)
Turnout
Turnup
(valid
(total
Remain
(% of Leave (% votes as votes cast
valid
% of
as % of
of valid
votes)
votes) electorate electorate
50%
Counting region
Remain
West Midlands
East Midlands
North East
Yorkshire and
the Humber (Y/H)
East of England
North West
South West and
Gibraltar
Wales
South East
Northern Ireland
London
Scotland
1,207,175
1,033,036
562,595
1,755,687
1,475,479
778,103
2,507
1,981
689
2,965,369
2,510,496
1,341,387
40.7%
41.2%
42.0%
59.3%
58.8%
58.0%
72.0%
74.1%
69.3%
72.0%
74.2%
69.3%
4,116,572
3,384,299
1,934,341
1,158,298
1,580,937
1,937
2,741,172
42.3%
57.7%
70.6%
70.7%
3,877,780
1,448,616
1,699,020
1,880,367
1,966,925
2,329
2,682
3,331,312
3,668,627
43.5%
46.3%
56.5%
53.7%
75.7%
69.9%
75.7%
70.0%
4,398,796
5,241,568
1,503,019
1,669,711
2,179
3,174,909
47.4%
52.6%
76.7%
76.7%
4,138,134
772,347
2,391,718
440,707
2,263,519
1,661,191
854,572
2,567,965
349,442
1,513,232
1,018,322
1,135
3,427
374
4,453
1,666
1,628,054
4,963,110
790,523
3,781,204
2,681,179
47.5%
48.2%
55.8%
59.9%
62.0%
52.5%
51.8%
44.2%
40.1%
38.0%
71.7%
76.7%
62.7%
69.6%
67.2%
71.7%
76.8%
62.7%
69.7%
67.2%
2,270,272
6,465,404
1,260,955
5,424,768
3,987,112
33,577,342
48.1%
51.9%
72.2%
72.2% 46,500,001
United Kingdom
16,141,241
17,410,742
25,359
100%
Electorate
Source: House of Commons Library briefing paper CBP7639
8.2 Europe (June 1975)
On 5 June 1975 a referendum was held on UK membership of the
European Community. Voters were asked, “Do you think that the
United Kingdom should stay in the European Community (The Common
Market)?” 67.2% of voters were in favour of remaining part of the
European Community, compared to 32.8% who thought the UK should
leave. The UK-wide turnout was 64.0%, although in Northern Ireland it
was 47.5%.
EC membership
referendum in1975 (%)
% Yes vote
% No vote
England
Wales
Scotland
N. Ireland
UK
0%
50%
100%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 80
Table 31: Referendum on membership of the European
Community, 5 June 1975
Yes
No
Votes
% vote
Votes
% vote
Total vote % turnout1
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
14,918,009
869,135
1,332,186
259,251
68.7%
64.8%
58.4%
52.1%
6,812,052
472,071
948,039
237,911
31.3%
35.2%
41.6%
47.9%
21,730,061
1,341,206
2,280,225
497,162
64.5%
66.5%
61.6%
47.3%
UK
17,378,581
67.2%
8,470,073
32.8%
25,848,654
63.9%
Note: Civilian turnout only. Special arrangements were made to allow members of the armed
forces and their spouses to vote regardless of whether they were included on the electoral
register as service voters.
Source: Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
8.3 Scotland (1979, 1997 and 2014)
A referendum on devolution in Scotland was held on 1 March 1979 and
again on 11 September 1997. The 1997 referendum asked two
questions, one on establishing a Scottish Parliament and one on
whether the Parliament should have tax-varying powers.
In the 1979 referendum, 51.6% of votes were cast in favour of
devolution. However for devolution to be introduced, at least 40% of
electors had to vote ‘Yes’, as stipulated in the Scotland Act 1978. A
turnout of 63.6% meant that the proportion of electors voting ‘Yes’
was only 32.8%.
In the 1997 referendum the proportion of voters favouring devolution
was much larger. 74.3% of voters supported the establishment of a
Scottish parliament and 63.5% were in favour of the Parliament having
tax-varying powers. Turnout was 60.2%. There was no threshold for the
number of electors voting ‘Yes’ in the 1997 referendum.
Table 32: Change in voting for/against devolution in Scotland, 1
March 1979 and 11 September 1997
1979 counting areas
% Yes vote
1979
1997
% No vote
1979
1997
Referendum in Scotland
1997 (%)
Change in
Yes vote
% points
Borders
Central
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife
Grampian
Highland
Lothian
Orkney
Shetland
Strathclyde
Tayside
Western Isles
40.3
54.7
40.3
53.7
48.3
51.0
50.1
27.9
27.0
54.0
49.5
55.8
62.8
76.3
60.7
76.1
67.6
72.6
74.5
57.3
62.4
78.1
67.6
79.4
59.7
45.3
59.7
46.3
51.7
49.0
49.9
72.1
73.0
46.0
50.5
44.2
37.2
23.7
39.3
23.9
32.4
27.4
25.5
42.7
37.6
21.9
32.4
20.6
+22.5
+21.7
+20.4
+22.4
+19.3
+21.6
+24.4
+29.4
+35.4
+24.1
+18.1
+23.6
Scotland
51.6
74.3
48.4
25.7
+22.7
% Yes vote
% No vote
Borders
Central
Dumfries and…
Fife
Grampian
Highland
Lothian
Orkney
Shetland
Strathclyde
Tayside
Western Isles
Scotland
Note: 1997 results fitted to 1979 counting areas as follows:
Borders: Borders; Central: Clackmannan, Falkirk, Stirling; Dumfries & Galloway: Dumfries & Galloway;
Fife: Fife; Grampian: City of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray; Highland: Highland; Lothian: City of
Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian; Orkney: Orkney; Shetland: Shetland Islands;
Strathclyde: Argyle & Bute, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, West
Dunbartonshire, City of Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire,
Renfrewshire; Tayside: Angus, City of Dundee, Perthshire & Kinross; Western Isles: Western Isles
Source: House of Commons Library RP97/113, Results of Devolution Referendums (1979 & 1997)
0%
50%
100%
81 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
On 18 September 2014, a referendum on Scottish Independence was
held on the proposition “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
This was rejected by a margin of 10.6 percentage points, with 55.3%
(2,001,926) voting against the proposition on an overall turnout of
84.6%. This was the highest turnout at a nationwide referendum or
parliamentary election in Scotland since 1918. It also saw 16 and 17year-olds eligible to vote for the first time. There was a majority for ‘No’
in 28 of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas, including the capital,
Edinburgh (61.1% for “No”).
Table 33: 2014 Scottish referendum results by counting area
local authority
Yes
No rejected
total votes
cast (incl.
rejected)
Yes %
No %
turnout (votes
cast as % of electorate
electorate)
Aberdeen City
59,390
84,094
180
143,664
41.4%
58.6%
81.7%
175,751
Aberdeenshire
71,337
108,606
102
180,045
39.6%
60.4%
87.2%
206,490
Angus
35,044
45,192
66
80,302
43.7%
56.3%
85.7%
93,656
Argyll and Bute
26,324
37,143
49
63,516
41.5%
58.5%
88.2%
72,014
Clackmannanshire
16,350
19,036
24
35,410
46.2%
53.8%
88.6%
39,974
Dumfries and Galloway
36,614
70,039
122
106,775
34.3%
65.7%
87.5%
122,052
Dundee City
53,620
39,880
92
93,592
57.3%
42.7%
78.8%
118,764
East Ayrshire
39,762
44,442
58
84,262
47.2%
52.8%
84.5%
99,682
East Dunbartonshire
30,624
48,314
73
79,011
38.8%
61.2%
91.0%
86,844
East Lothian
27,467
44,283
48
71,798
38.3%
61.7%
87.6%
81,947
East Renfrewshire
24,287
41,690
44
66,021
36.8%
63.2%
90.4%
72,993
Edinburgh, City of
123,927
194,638
460
319,025
38.9%
61.1%
84.4%
378,039
9,195
10,544
19
19,758
46.6%
53.4%
86.2%
22,908
50,489
58,030
107
108,626
46.5%
53.5%
88.7%
122,460
Fife
114,148
139,788
226
254,162
45.0%
55.0%
84.1%
302,165
Glasgow City
194,779
169,347
538
364,664
53.5%
46.5%
75.0%
486,296
Highland
78,069
87,739
168
165,976
47.1%
52.9%
87.0%
190,787
Inverclyde
27,243
27,329
29
54,601
49.9%
50.1%
87.4%
62,486
Midlothian
26,370
33,972
53
60,395
43.7%
56.3%
86.7%
69,620
Moray
27,232
36,935
38
64,205
42.4%
57.6%
85.4%
75,173
North Ayrshire
47,072
49,016
85
96,173
49.0%
51.0%
84.4%
113,941
115,783
110,922
178
226,883
51.1%
48.9%
84.4%
268,738
4,883
10,004
20
14,907
32.8%
67.2%
83.7%
17,806
Perth and Kinross
41,475
62,714
96
104,285
39.8%
60.2%
86.9%
120,052
Renfrewshire
55,466
62,067
79
117,612
47.2%
52.8%
87.3%
134,745
Scottish Borders
27,906
55,553
67
83,526
33.4%
66.6%
87.4%
95,542
Shetland Islands
5,669
9,951
15
15,635
36.3%
63.7%
84.4%
18,516
34,402
47,247
67
81,716
42.1%
57.9%
86.1%
94,895
100,990
121,800
137
222,927
45.3%
54.7%
85.3%
261,193
Eilean Siar
Falkirk
North Lanarkshire
Orkney Islands
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
Stirling
25,010
37,153
62
62,225
40.2%
59.8%
90.1%
69,043
West Dunbartonshire
33,720
28,776
36
62,532
54.0%
46.0%
87.9%
71,128
West Lothian
53,342
65,682
91
119,115
44.8%
55.2%
86.2%
138,238
1,617,989 2,001,926
3,429
3,623,344
44.7%
55.3%
84.6% 4,283,938
Scotland
Source: Library Research Paper RP14/50, Scottish Independence Referendum 2014
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 82
8.4 Wales (1979, 1997 and 2011)
Referendums on devolution for Wales were held on 1 March 1979 and
18 September 1997. There was little support for devolution in the 1979
referendum, with only 20.3% of voters in favour. The 1997 referendum
on the other hand produced a slim majority in favour of a Welsh
Assembly; 50.3% of voters voted ‘Yes’ to an Assembly while 49.7%
were opposed. Unlike in Scotland, the 1997 referendum did not ask
whether the Assembly should have tax-varying powers. Turnout was
58.6% in 1979 and 50.1% in 1997.
Table 34: Voting for/against devolution in Wales, 1 March 1979
and 18 September 1997
1979 counting areas
% Yes vote
1997
1979
% No vote
1997
1979
Change in
Yes vote
% points
Clwyd & Gwynedd
Dyfed
Powys
Gwent & Mid Glamorgan
South Glamorgan
West Glamorgan
27.1
28.1
18.5
16.7
13.1
18.7
47.4
57.2
42.7
51.3
42.0
57.8
72.9
71.9
81.5
83.3
86.9
81.3
52.6
42.8
57.3
48.7
58.0
42.2
+20.3
+29.1
+24.2
+34.6
+28.8
+39.1
Wales
20.3
50.3
79.7
49.7
+30.0
1997 results fitted to 1979 areas as follows:
Clwyd & Gwynedd: Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Wrexham. 1997 area
excludes communities of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Llansilin and Llangedwyn (formerly in
Glyndwr DC in Clwyd, now in Powys UA).
Dyfed: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire
Powys: Powys. 1997 area includes communities of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Llansilin and
Llangedwyn (formerly in Glyndwr DC in Clwyd, now in Powys UA)
Gwent & Mid Glamorgan: Bridgend, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire,
Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen. 1997 area excludes communities of Wick, St Bride's
Major and Ewenny (formerly in Ogwr BC in Mid Glamorgan, now in Vale of Glamorgan UA) and
excludes community of Pentyrch (formerly in Taff-Ely BC in Mid Glamorgan, now in Cardiff UA).
South Glamorgan: Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff. 1997 area includes communities of Wick, St
Bride's Major and Ewenny (formerly in Ogwr BC in Mid Glamorgan, now in Vale of Glamorgan
UA) and includes community of Pentyrch (formerly in Taff-Ely BC in Mid Glamorgan, now in
Cardiff UA)
West Glamorgan: Neath & Port Talbot, Swansea
Source: House of Commons Library RP97/113, Results of Devolution Referendums (1979 & 1997)
On 3 March 2011, a referendum was held on extending the law-making
powers of the National Assembly for Wales. Voters were asked, “Do
you want the Assembly now to be able to make laws on all the matters
in the 20 subject areas it has powers for?” The question related to
Schedule 5 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 which lists twenty
subject areas in which the Assembly can legislate. 63.5% of voters were
in favour while 36.5% were opposed. The ‘Yes’ vote was in the majority
in all local authorities with the exception of Monmouthshire, where
there was a narrow majority against the change. Turnout across Wales
was 35.6%.
Referendum in Wales
1979 (%)
% Yes vote
Clwyd &…
Dyfed
Powys
Gwent & Mid…
South…
West…
Wales
0%
% No vote
50%
100%
Referendum in Wales
1997 (%)
% Yes vote
% No vote
Clwyd &…
Dyfed
Powys
Gwent & Mid…
South…
West…
Wales
0%
50%
100%
83 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
Table 35: Results of referendum on extending the law-making
powers of the National Assembly for Wales, 3 March 2011
No
Votes
% vote Total votes
Yes
Votes
% vote
Local authority
% turnout
Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff
Carmarthenshire
11,869
25,063
28,431
53,427
42,979
68.9%
68.1%
64.3%
61.4%
70.8%
5,366
11,736
15,751
33,606
17,712
31.1%
31.9%
35.7%
38.6%
29.2%
17,235
36,799
44,182
87,033
60,691
32.4%
35.6%
34.5%
35.1%
44.3%
Ceredigion
Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
16,505
18,368
15,793
21,119
28,200
66.2%
59.7%
61.8%
62.1%
76.0%
8,412
12,390
9,742
12,913
8,891
33.8%
40.3%
38.2%
37.9%
24.0%
24,917
30,758
25,535
34,032
37,091
44.0%
33.7%
34.4%
29.4%
43.4%
Isle of Anglesey
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouthshire
Neath Port Talbot
Newport
14,011
9,136
12,381
29,957
15,983
64.8%
68.9%
49.4%
73.0%
54.8%
7,620
4,132
12,701
11,079
13,204
35.2%
31.1%
50.6%
27.0%
45.2%
21,631
13,268
25,082
41,036
29,187
43.8%
30.1%
35.8%
37.9%
27.9%
Pembrokeshire
Powys
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea
Torfaen
19,600
21,072
43,051
38,496
14,655
55.0%
51.6%
70.7%
63.2%
62.8%
16,050
19,730
17,834
22,409
8,688
45.0%
48.4%
29.3%
36.8%
37.2%
35,650
40,802
60,885
60,905
23,343
38.7%
39.6%
34.6%
32.9%
33.8%
Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham
19,430
17,606
52.5%
64.1%
17,551
9,863
47.5%
35.9%
36,981
27,469
40.1%
27.0%
517,132
63.5%
297,380
36.5%
814,512
35.6%
Wales
Source: Electoral Commission
8.5 Northern Ireland (1973 and 1998)
A referendum was held in Northern Ireland on 8 March 1973, on
whether it should remain part the UK. Unionist parties, Alliance and the
Northern Ireland Labour Party campaigned for a vote in support of
remaining in the UK but Nationalist parties boycotted the vote. 98.9%
of votes were in favour of staying in the UK. Turnout was 58.7%,
compared with 72.0% in the previous general election. 10
On 22 May 1998 voters were asked in a referendum whether they
supported the Good Friday Agreement (the Belfast Agreement). 71.1%
of voters supported the Agreement. The turnout was 81.1%, compared
to 67.1% in the 1997 General Election the year before. 11
8.6 London (May 1998)
Voters in London were asked in a referendum on 7 May 1998 about the
establishment of a Greater London Authority: “Are you in favour of the
Government’s proposals for a Greater London Authority made up of an
elected Mayor and separately elected authority?”
72.0% of voters were in favour. The ‘Yes’ vote was in the majority in all
32 London boroughs and the City of London. Turnout was 34.1%. 12
10
11
12
Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
Ibid
Ibid
Referendum in Wales
2011 (%)
% Yes vote
% No vote
Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff
Carmarthens…
Ceredigion
Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Isle of Anglesey
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouths…
Neath Port…
Newport
Pembrokeshire
Powys
Rhondda…
Swansea
Torfaen
Vale of…
Wrexham
Wales
0%
50%
100%
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 84
8.7 North East England (November 2004)
On 4 November 2004, voters in the North East were asked, “Should
there be an elected regional assembly for the North East region?” The
proposal was rejected, with 77.9% of voters voting “No”. Turnout was
47.2%. Over 70% of voters opposed a regional assembly in all of the
region’s 23 local authorities (as they existed then). 13
8.8 Alternative Vote (May 2011)
A referendum was held on 5 May 2011 on whether the UK should
adopt the Alternative Vote system (AV) for voting in parliamentary
elections. Voters were asked, “At present, the UK uses the 'first past the
post' system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the
'alternative vote' system be used instead?” The change to AV was
rejected; 67.9% of voters were opposed compared to 32.1% in favour.
The turnout was 42.0%.
Table 35: Results of the referendum on the Alternative Vote, 5
May 2011
Yes
Votes
% vote
No
Votes
Alternative Vote
referendum in 2011 (%)
% Yes vote
% vote
Total vote
Turnout
England
Wales
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
4,824,357
325,349
713,813
289,088
30.9%
34.6%
36.4%
43.7%
10,774,735
616,307
1,249,375
372,706
69.1%
65.4%
63.6%
56.3%
15,599,092
941,656
1,963,188
661,794
40.7%
41.5%
50.4%
55.2%
Northern…
UK Total
6,152,607
32.1%
13,013,123
67.9%
19,165,730
42.0%
UK Total
Source: House of Commons Library RP11/44, Alternative Vote Referendum 2011
13
Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-2006
% No vote
Scotland
0%
50%
100%
85 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
9. Appendix A: Voting systems
and electoral geographies
used in UK elections
9.1 General Elections
Currently there are 650 Westminster parliamentary constituencies. Each
constituency elects a single Member to the House of Commons using
the First Past the Post system (FPTP). Voters select their preferred
candidate and the candidate who receives the most votes is elected. The
number of constituencies is not fixed and can change.
General Election cycle:
Every five years or more frequently
In the event of vote of no confidence
Next Election: May 2020
9.2 Local government elections
England and Wales
Voters in local authority wards elect councillors using First Past the Post.
Some wards elect multiple councillors at a time, in which case electors
can vote for more than one candidate (including candidates from
different parties); the candidates who receive the highest numbers of
votes are elected.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Councillors are elected using Single Transferable Vote, so that multiple
councillors will be elected per local authority ward. Voters rank
candidates according to preference. In order to be elected, candidates
must obtain above a certain threshold of votes; if a candidate achieves
the threshold then their surplus votes are redistributed based on voters’
next preferred candidates. If no candidate achieves the threshold, then
the candidate with fewest votes is eliminated and their votes
redistributed to voters’ next preferred candidate. The process is
repeated until the required number of members are elected.
9.3 European Parliament Elections
Members are elected to the European Parliament from twelve UK
regions, comprising Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the nine
English regions.
In Great Britain, MEPs are elected from each region using a closed Party
List system: electors vote for their preferred party and cannot specify a
preferred candidate. Parties receive seats in proportion to votes won
and determine the order in which their candidates are elected. Prior to
1999, MEPs in Great Britain were elected by First Past the Post, from
constituencies formed by aggregating several Westminster
parliamentary seats. In Northern Ireland, MEPs are elected using the
Single Transferable Vote.
European Parliament Election
cycle:
Every five years
Next Election: 2019
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 86
9.4 Elections to devolved parliaments and
assemblies
Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly are conducted using the
Single Transferable Vote. Assembly constituencies are the same as
Westminster Parliamentary constituencies. Currently there are eighteen
constituencies, each returning six Members.
Elections to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and
London Assembly use the Additional Member System. In each institution
there are a set number of constituency members and a set number of
regional members. The regional seats are intended to align the
distribution of seats more closely to the distribution of votes. Voters are
given two ballots. One ballot is used to vote for a constituency member,
elected using First Past the Post. The other (regional) ballot is used to
vote for a closed party list of candidates. Once the constituency
members are elected, the regional seats are allocated between parties
based on their vote share in the regional ballot and the number of
constituency seats they won in the region.
Next devolved legislatures
Election: May 2021
There are 73 Scottish Parliament constituencies, across eight Scottish
Parliament regions. Each region returns seven Members of the Scottish
Parliament (MSPs) so there are 56 regional MSPs alongside the 73
constituency MSPs. Scottish Parliament constituencies are not the same
as Westminster parliamentary constituencies.
Members of the National Assembly for Wales are elected from 40
constituencies across five regions. Four regional Assembly Members
(AMs) are elected for each region, so there are 20 regional AMs in
addition to the 40 constituency AMs. Currently Assembly constituencies
are the same as Westminster parliamentary constituencies, but the
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 removed the
automatic link between the two sets of boundaries. 14
The London Assembly elects fourteen constituency Members and eleven
regional Members using a single London-wide region.
9.5 Mayoral Elections
The Mayor of London and other local authority mayors in England are
elected using the Supplementary Vote system. Voters choose their first
and second preference candidates. If a candidate receives a majority of
first preference votes, then he or she is elected; if not, the two
candidates who received the most first preference votes go through to a
second round. The other candidates are eliminated, and any second
preference votes for the two remaining candidates are distributed
accordingly. The candidate who receives the most votes at the end of
this process is elected.
14
The National Archives – legislation.gov.uk
Mayoral Election cycle:
Every four years
Next Election:
Depending on the first election date
Next London Mayor Election:
May 2020
87 UK Election Statistics: 1918-2017
9.6 Further information
Results of individual elections can be found in relevant House of
Commons Library research papers. Analyses of results from the most
recent elections to various institutions can be found in the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
General Election 2015
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP-7186
General Election 2010
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/RP10-36
European Parliament elections 2014
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/RP14-32
National Assembly for Wales elections: 2016
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP-7594
Scottish Parliament elections: 2016
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP- 7599
Northern Ireland Assembly elections: 2016
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP-7575
Local elections 2016
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP-7596
London elections 2016
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP-7598
Election results : UK
http://www.parliament.uk/topics/Election-results-UK.htm
Further information on elected mayors, voting systems used for different
UK elections, and characteristics of Members elected to the House of
Commons and other institutions can be found in the following Library
briefing papers:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Directly-elected mayors
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN05000
Voting systems in the UK
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN04458
Social background of Members of Parliament
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/CBP-7483
Women in politics and government
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN01250
Women in public life, the professions and the boardroom
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN05170
Ethnic minorities in politics and government
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN01156
Number CBP7529, 23 April 2017 88
The House of Commons Library research service provides MPs and their staff
with the impartial briefing and evidence base they need to do their work in
scrutinising Government, proposing legislation, and supporting constituents.
As well as providing MPs with a confidential service we publish open briefing
papers, which are available on the Parliament website.
Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in these publically
available research briefings is correct at the time of publication. Readers should
be aware however that briefings are not necessarily updated or otherwise
amended to reflect subsequent changes.
If you have any comments on our briefings please email [email protected].
Authors are available to discuss the content of this briefing only with Members
and their staff.
If you have any general questions about the work of the House of Commons
you can email [email protected].
Disclaimer - This information is provided to Members of Parliament in support
of their parliamentary duties. It is a general briefing only and should not be
relied on as a substitute for specific advice. The House of Commons or the
author(s) shall not be liable for any errors or omissions, or for any loss or
damage of any kind arising from its use, and may remove, vary or amend any
information at any time without prior notice.
BRIEFING PAPER
Number CBP7529, 23 April
2017
The House of Commons accepts no responsibility for any references or links to,
or the content of, information maintained by third parties. This information is
provided subject to the conditions of the Open Parliament Licence.