1970 United Kingdom general election in England

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The 1970 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 18 June 1970 to elect 630 members of the House of Commons, of which 511 constituencies were in England.

1970 United Kingdom general election in England
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
  1966 18 June 1970 February 1974  

All 511 English seats in the House of Commons
256 seats needed for English majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Golda Meir and Edward Heath cropped (cropped).jpg Harold Wilson (1967).jpg
Lib
Leader Edward Heath Harold Wilson Jeremy Thorpe
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Leader since 28 July 1965 14 February 1963 18 January 1967
Leader's seat Bexley Huyton North Devon
Last election219 seats, 42.7%285 seats, 48.0%6 seats, 21.3%
Seats won2922162
Seat changeIncrease2.svg73Decrease2.svg69Decrease2.svg4
Percentage48.3%43.5%7.9%
SwingIncrease2.svg5.6%Decrease2.svg4.6%Decrease2.svg1.1%

In England, the Conservative Party led by Edward Heath scored a decisive victory by winning 292 seats over the incumbent Labour Party led by Prime Minister Harold Wilson which was restricted to 216 seats. Overall, the Conservative Party won 330 seats in the House of Commons while Labour won 288 seats.

This was the first general election to be held after the passage of the Representation of the People Act, thereby enabling citizens gain the eligibility to vote from the age of 18 (previously, it was 21).

Result Table

PartySeats wonNet change in seatsTotal votes (in millions)VoteshareChange in voteshare
Conservative292Increase2.svg7311.2848.3%Increase2.svg5.6%
Labour216Decrease2.svg6910.1343.4%Decrease2.svg4.6%
Liberal2Decrease2.svg41.857.9%Decrease2.svg1.1%
Parliament seats
Conservative
57.14%
Labour
42.27%
Liberal
0.39%

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References

  1. Pilling, Sam; Cracknell, Richard (18 August 2021). "UK Election Statistics: 1918-2021: A Century of Elections" (PDF). House of Commons Library.
  2. "Heath: The victory few predicted", BBC News,
  3. "1970: Heath's surprise victory", BBC News
  4. Richard Rose (1970). "Voting Trends Surveyed". The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. p. 31.