The 1970 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 18 June 1970. It resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, which defeated the governing Labour Party under Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The Liberal Party, under its new leader Jeremy Thorpe, lost half its seats. The Conservatives, including the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), secured a majority of 30 seats. This general election was the first in which people could vote from the age of 18, after passage of the Representation of the People Act the previous year, and the first UK election in which party affiliations of candidates were put on the ballots.
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first to be held after a full term of a majority Labour government. The general election was held on Thursday 23 February 1950, and was also the first to be held following the abolition of plural voting and university constituencies. The government's lead over the Conservative Party shrank dramatically, and Labour was returned to power but with an overall majority significantly reduced from 146 to just 5. There was a 2.8% national swing towards the Conservatives, who gained 90 seats. Labour called another general election the following year, which the Conservative Party won, returning Churchill to government after six years in opposition.
On 23 July 2004, the member of parliament for Hartlepool, in England, Peter Mandelson (Labour), was nominated as the United Kingdom's new European Commissioner for Trade. On 8 September, he accepted the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, thereby disqualifying himself from Parliament, and causing a by-election. Polling took place on 30 September.
A safe seat is an electoral district which is regarded as fully secure, for either a certain political party, or the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both. With such seats, there is very little chance of a seat changing hands because of the political leanings of the electorate in the constituency concerned or the popularity of the incumbent member. This contrasts with a marginal seat in which a defeat for the seat holder is considered possible. In systems where candidates must first win the party's primary election or preselection, the phrase "tantamount to election" is often used to describe winning the dominant party's nomination for a safe seat.
Manchester Central is a parliamentary constituency in Greater Manchester created in 1974. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2012 by Lucy Powell of the Labour Party and Co-operative Party. Powell currently serves as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council.
Croydon Central was a constituency created in 1974 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2017 until its abolition for the 2024 general election by Labour MP Sarah Jones. The seat bucked the trend in national results in 2019, with Labour holding the seat with a slightly increased majority.
The 2005 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 5 May 2005, to elect 646 members to the House of Commons. The governing Labour Party led by Prime Minister Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, with Blair becoming the second Labour leader after Harold Wilson to form three majority governments. However, its majority fell to 66 seats; the majority it won four years earlier had been of 167 seats. The UK media interpreted the results as an indicator of a breakdown in trust in the government, and especially in Blair.
Kensington is a former constituency in Greater London which first existed between 1974 and 1997 and was recreated in 2010. It was replaced by the Kensington and Bayswater constituency, first contested at the 2024 general election.
Paddington South was a Parliamentary constituency in London which returned one Member of Parliament. It was a compact urban area, but predominantly wealthy, and was most famously represented by Lord Randolph Churchill during the latter part of his career.
The 1994 Monklands East by-election was held on 30 June 1994, following the death of the Leader of the Labour Party John Smith, Member of Parliament (MP) for Monklands East in Scotland, on 12 May.
The 1982 Beaconsfield by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 27 May 1982 for the House of Commons constituency of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire.
On 1 March 1979 a by-election was held for the House of Commons constituency of Clitheroe in Lancashire. It was won by the Conservative Party candidate David Waddington.
The 1930 Bromley by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 2 September 1930 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bromley in north-west Kent.
The 1967 West Derbyshire by-election for the British House of Commons took place on 23 November 1967. It was caused by the resignation of Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Aidan Crawley to become Chairman of London Weekend Television where he remained until 1973. The seat was retained for the Conservatives by James Scott-Hopkins with a majority of 10,623 over the Liberal candidate Aza Pinney. Labour's Robin Corbett came third with 5,284 and an Independent, Robert Goodall, was fourth with 1,496 votes - losing his deposit.
The 1940 Battersea North by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 17 April 1940 for the British House of Commons constituency of Battersea North in the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea.
The 1968 Bassetlaw by-election was a parliamentary by-election for the constituency of Bassetlaw held on 31 October 1968. It was caused by the death of the former Labour Member of Parliament, Fred Bellenger.
A 1963 by-election for the UK parliament constituency of Dumfriesshire was held on 12 December 1963, after the sitting MP, Niall Macpherson, was elevated to the peerage as Lord Drumalbyn. Macpherson had been elected in 1959 as a National Liberal and Unionist, the latter label being that used by Conservatives in Scotland at this time. Macpherson had first been elected as a National Liberal in 1945. At the last election Macpherson had polled over 58% of the votes cast in a two-way fight against a Labour candidate and gaining a majority of 7,430 votes.
An election to the County Council of London took place on 3 April 1952. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having three votes in the three-member seats. The Labour Party made substantial gains and greatly increased its majority.
An election to the County Council of London took place on 7 April 1949. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having three votes in the three-member seats. The Conservative Party made substantial gains, achieving the same number of seats as the Labour Party. However, Labour held the chair of the council, and was thus able to retain control.
An election to the County Council of London took place on 4 March 1937. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. The Labour Party made gains, increasing their majority over the Municipal Reform Party.