United Kingdom general election records

Last updated

In the United Kingdom, general elections occur at least every five years. About 650 constituencies return a member of Parliament. Prior to 1945, electoral competition in the United Kingdom exhibited features which make meaningful comparisons with modern results difficult. Hence, unless otherwise stated, records are based on results since the 1945 general election, and earlier exceptional results are listed separately.

Contents

Glossary

For comparison purposes the following definitions have been adopted.

Numerical records

For more information about what is meant by the term "swing", see Swing (politics)

National swings

Seat swings

Largest fall in percentage share of vote

A party's share of the vote at a general election is not always matched at subsequent general elections, but given the five-year maximum term of a Parliament since 1911, reductions of 10% or more (on the national level) or around 30% or more (in individual constituencies) are unusual.

National

Decrease Decrease2.svgPartyElection
19.9 Conservative 2024
15.1 Liberal Democrats 2015
11.9 Liberal 1924
11.6 Conservative 1945
10.8 UKIP 2017
7.9 Labour 2019

Constituency

Decrease Decrease2.svgPartyConstituencyElection
65.1 Irish Parliamentary West Mayo 1918
60.6 Ind. Labour Party Glasgow Bridgeton 1950
53.1 UUP North Down 1979
45.8 Labour Merthyr Tydfil 1970
45.7 Labour Blyth 1974 Feb [b]
44.0 Conservative Clacton 2024 [b]
43.4 Conservative South West Norfolk 2024 [b]
43.0 Conservative Boston and Skegness 2024 [b]
41.5 UUP North Antrim 1970
41.2 Conservative Great Yarmouth 2024 [b]
40.5 Conservative South Basildon and East Thurrock 2024 [b]
39.8 UUP Belfast North 2001
39.7 Labour Blaenau Gwent 2005
39.7 Conservative North Shropshire 2024 [b]
39.3 Labour Blackburn 2024 [b]
38.6 Conservative Amber Valley 2024 [b]
38.4 Conservative Castle Point 2024 [b]
37.9 Conservative South Holland and the Deepings 2024 [b]
37.4 Ind. Labour Party Merthyr 1935
36.8 UKIP Clacton 2017
36.2 Labour Dewsbury and Batley 2024 [b]
36.0 Conservative Basildon and Billericay 2024 [b]
35.9 Conservative Rayleigh and Wickford 2024 [b]
35.8 Liberal Democrats Brent Central 2015 [3]
35.0 UUP Lagan Valley 2005
34.7 Respect Bradford West 2015
34.7 Labour Glasgow North East 2015 [3]
34.5 Labour West Dunbartonshire 2015 [3]
34.1 Labour Leicester South 2024 [b]
33.9 Labour Birmingham Perry Bar 2024 [b]
33.4 Conservative Maldon 2024 [b]
33.0 Ind. Labour Party Glasgow Shettleston 1950
32.7 Labour Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 2015 [3]
32.4 Conservative North East Cambridgeshire 2024 [b]
31.9 Conservative Waveney Valley 2024 [b]
31.7 Labour Glenrothes 2015 [3]
31.6 Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1959
31.5 Conservative North Herefordshire 2024 [b]
31.2 Labour Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 2015 [3]
31.2 Liberal Democrats Sheffield Central 2015 [3]
31.1 Liberal Democrats Dunfermline and West Fife 2015 [3]
31.0 Conservative Ashfield 2024 [b]
30.8 Conservative Westmorland and Lonsdale 2024 [b]
30.5 Conservative Ashford 2024 [b]
30.5 Liberal Democrats Hereford and South Herefordshire 2015 [3]
30.5 Democratic Labour Lincoln 1979
30.3 Liberal Democrats Edinburgh South 2015 [3]
30.0 UUP North Down 2010 [b]

Other parties

The Scottish National Party and Democratic Unionist Party have never lost 30% or more of the vote in a single constituency.

Decrease Decrease2.svgPartyConstituencyElection
27.0 NI Conservatives North Down 1997
26.0 SNP Western Isles 1987
25.3 DUP Belfast West 1979

Largest increase in percentage share of vote

These records detail the change in the share of the vote by parties when compared to the same constituency in the previous general election. In some cases, such as Brent East in 2005 for the Liberal Democrats, the figures should be framed by the context of a by-election in that constituency between the two elections.

Increase Increase2.svgPartyConstituencyElection
74.1 Labour Glasgow Gorbals 1945 [c]
43.9 SNP Glasgow North East 2015 [3]
43.8 Liberal Dundee West 1951
42.9 Liberal Democrats North Shropshire 2024 [d] [b]
41.3 DUP Lagan Valley 2005
41.2 SNP Glasgow North 2015 [3]
40.8 SNP Glasgow South West 2015 [3]
39.8 SNP Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 2015 [3]
39.6 SNP Dunfermline and West Fife 2015 [3]
39.3 SNP Glasgow North West 2015 [3]
38.9 SNP West Dunbartonshire 2015 [3]
38.3 SNP Motherwell and Wishaw 2015 [3]
38.2 SNP Glenrothes 2015 [3]
37.9 SNP Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 2015 [3]
37.6 SNP Inverclyde 2015
36.9 Liberal Democrats Brent East 2005
36.5 SNP Rutherglen and Hamilton West 2015
36.1 SNP Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 2015
36.1 Labour Glasgow Shettleston 1950
35.9 Alliance North Down 2019
35.9 Liberal Democrats Honiton and Sidmouth 2024 [b]
35.0 SNP Glasgow Central 2015
34.7 SNP Glasgow South 2015
34.2 SNP Aberdeen North 2015
34.1 SNP Central Ayrshire 2015
33.9 Green North Herefordshire 2024 [b]
33.0 SNP Dundee West 2015
33.0 SNP Ross, Skye and Lochaber 2015
32.8 SNP Paisley and Renfrewshire South 2015
32.6 SNP East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 2015
32.2 SNP Glasgow East 2015
31.7 SNP East Renfrewshire 2015
31.7 SNP Paisley and Renfrewshire North 2015
31.6 UUP Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1959
31.4 SNP Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 2015
31.3 Labour East Renfrewshire 2024 [b]
31.3 SNP Edinburgh North and Leith 2015
31.3E SDLP Belfast South 2019
31.0 SNP Livingston 2015
30.9 Labour Falkirk 2024 [b]
30.8 SNP Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock 2015
30.8 SNP Edinburgh South West 2015
30.6 SNP Dundee East 1974 Feb [b]
30.6 Green Bristol Central 2024 [b]
30.4 SNP Airdrie and Shotts 2015
30.3 Labour Bristol West 2017
30.0 SNP Midlothian 2015

Other parties

Increase Increase2.svgPartyConstituencyElection
29.6 UKIP Heywood and Middleton 2015
29.0 Conservative Gordon 2017
24.2 Unity Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1970
23.7 Republican Labour Belfast West 1966

Largest winning share of the vote

The five largest shares of the vote won by any candidate, since 1918, are as follows:

CandidatePartyConstituencyElection% Share
George Currie UUP North Down 195998.0 [1] : 104 
George Currie UUP North Down 195596.9
Knox Cunningham UUP South Antrim 195995.1
Phelim O'Neill UUP North Antrim 195994.9
Will Thorne Labour Plaistow 191894.9

Largest winning share of the vote by general election

CandidatePartyConstituencyElection% Share
Dan Carden Labour Labour Liverpool Walton 2024 70.6
Dan Carden Labour Labour Liverpool Walton 2019 84.7
Dan Carden Labour Labour Liverpool Walton 2017 85.7 [4]

Largest number of votes

The largest number of votes cast for a single party nationally in a general election was 14,094,116 for the Conservatives under John Major in 1992, [5] although this resulted in a parliamentary majority of just 21 seats.

The most votes received by a single individual in a general election was Sir Cooper Rawson who polled 75,205 votes when being reelected as MP for Brighton in 1931. Brighton was a two-member constituency with a larger than average electorate. The most votes received by an individual in a single-seat constituency was 69,762 for Reginald Blair in Hendon in 1935. [1] : 101 

Largest majority

The largest majority received by an individual is also Sir Cooper Rawson, re-elected with a majority of 62,253 (35.2% of votes) at Brighton in 1931. [1] : 101  The largest majority received by a woman is 38,823 (71.4% of votes) by the Countess of Iveagh elected MP for Southend in 1931.

The largest majorities received by the winning party at a general election are as follows: [6]

MajorityPartyElectionLeader
492 National 1931 Ramsay MacDonald
209 Conservative 1924 Stanley Baldwin
179 Labour 1997 Tony Blair
174 Labour 2024 Keir Starmer
167 Labour 2001 Tony Blair
145 Labour 1945 Clement Attlee
144 Conservative 1983 Margaret Thatcher

Lowest winning share of the vote

All general election victors receiving less than 30% of the vote since 1945 onwards.

NamePartyConstituencyElection% Share
Alasdair McDonnell SDLP Belfast South 2015 24.5 [3]
Russell Johnston Liberal Democrats Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber 1992 26.0
Terry Jermy Labour South West Norfolk 2024 26.7
Frank Privett Conservative Portsmouth Central 1922 26.8 [1] : 103 
Adnan Hussain Independent Blackburn 2024 27.0
John McQuade DUP Belfast North 1979 27.6
Gregory Campbell DUP East Londonderry 2024 27.9
Jim Allister TUV North Antrim 2024 28.3
David Reed Conservative Exmouth and Exeter East 2024 28.7
Sammy Wilson DUP East Antrim 2024 28.9
Kevin McKenna Labour Sittingbourne and Sheppey 2024 29.1
Ben Lake Plaid Cymru Ceredigion 2017 29.2
Simon Wright Liberal Democrats Norwich South 2010 29.4
Steve Witherden Labour Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr 2024 29.4
David Chadwick Liberal Democrats Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe 2024 29.5
John Cooper Conservative Dumfries and Galloway 2024 29.6
C. W. Crook Conservative East Ham North 1922 29.7
Annabelle Ewing SNP Perth 2001 29.7
Alan Reid Liberal Democrats Argyll and Bute 2001 29.9

Lowest share of the vote

Major parties less than 1% of the vote

Since 1918:

 % shareCandidatePartyConstituencyElection
0.1Paul Shea NI Conservatives Belfast West 2015
0.1Hannah Westropp NI Conservatives South Down 2024
0.2Samantha Rayner NI Conservatives Newry and Armagh 2024
0.2Stephen Lynch NI Conservatives West Tyrone 2024
0.3Lucille Nicholson NI Conservatives Mid Ulster 2015
0.4 Hamish Badenoch NI Conservatives Foyle 2015
0.4Barry Hetherington NI Conservatives Strangford 2024
0.4Robert Rigby NI Conservatives Newry and Armagh 2015
0.4Amandeep Singh Bhogal NI Conservatives Upper Bann 2015
0.4 Claire-Louise Leyland NI Conservatives West Tyrone 2015
0.5Claire Scull NI Conservatives East Londonderry 2024
0.6Clare Salier NI Conservatives Belfast South 2017
0.7 Felicity Buchan NI Conservatives South Down 2015
0.7Gary McLelland Liberal Democrats Glasgow East 2015 [3]
0.8Eileen Baxendale Liberal Democrats Glasgow North East 2015 [3]
0.8Karen Roberts Liberal Democrats Rhondda 2017
0.8Liz St Clair-Legge NI Conservatives East Londonderry 2017
0.9Flo Clucas Liberal Democrats West Bromwich West 2017
0.9Ben France Liberal Democrats Dudley North 2017
0.9Carol Freeman NI Conservatives Antrim North 2015
0.9Brian Price NI Conservatives Upper Bann 1997
0.9Cameron Sullivan Liberal Democrats Blaenau Gwent 2017

The Conservatives' worst vote outside Northern Ireland was 1.1% for A. Seaton in Pontypridd in 1918.

Labour's worst vote was 2.2% for Samuel McLaren in Glasgow Bridgeton in 1935 and in 2010 for Jonathan Todd in Westmorland and Lonsdale.

Candidates winning fewer than ten votes

Candidates in general elections since 1918 who won fewer than ten votes:

VotesCandidatePartyConstituencyElection
1Catherine Taylor-Dawson Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket Cardiff North 2005 [7]
3 Bobby Smith Give Me Back Elmo Maidenhead 2017 [8]
5Martin Kyslun Independent West Derbyshire 2005 [7]
5 William Tobin Independent Uxbridge and South Ruislip 2019 [9]
7Dorian VanbraamRenaissance Democrat Putney 1997 [10]
7Andres Mendoza Communist League Islington North 2017 [11]
8Bobby SmithGive Me Back ElmoUxbridge and South Ruislip2019 [12]

Both W. M. Somerville and John Magee in Drogheda at the 1852 United Kingdom general election received no votes [13] and George Griffith in Bewdley at the 1874 United Kingdom general election received one vote. [14] However, in the pre-secret ballot era, some candidates stood at the hustings but for various reasons did not contest the poll, and hence could be recorded with no or few votes although in effect they were not standing. Examples include George J. Harney at Tiverton at the 1847 United Kingdom general election (no votes), William Johnston in Downpatrick at the 1857 United Kingdom general election (one vote), Humphrey Brown at the 1859 Tewkesbury by-election (no votes) and Dr Frederick R. Lees at the 1860 Ripon by-election (no votes). [15]

Smallest majorities

Vote MajorityCandidatePartyConstituencyElection
0 John Edmund Wentworth Addison Conservative Ashton-under-Lyne 1886 [e]
1 Henry Duke Conservative Exeter 1910 [f]
2 Abraham Flint National Labour Ilkeston 1931 [1] : 101 

Since 1945

Vote MajorityCandidatePartyConstituencyElection
2 Stephen Gethins SNP North East Fife 2017
2 Mark Oaten Liberal Democrats Winchester 1997 [g]
3 Gwynoro Jones Labour Carmarthen 1974 Feb
3 Harmar Nicholls Conservative Peterborough 1966 [1] : 101 
4 Michelle Gildernew Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone 2010
4 George Ward Conservative Worcester 1945 [1] : 101 
6 Eric Gandar Dower Unionist Caithness and Sutherland 1945 [1] : 101 
7 Derek Spencer Conservative Leicester South 1983
7 Dennis Hobden Labour Brighton Kemptown 1964 [1] : 101 
9 Paul Tyler Liberal Bodmin 1974 Feb
10 Peter Emery Conservative Reading 1964
10 Lester Hutchinson Labour Manchester Rusholme 1945
11 Anthony Meyer Conservative Eton and Slough 1964
12 Adrian Sanders Liberal Democrats Torbay 1997
12 John Jackson Conservative South East Derbyshire 1959
13 Ernle Money Conservative Ipswich 1970
14 Julian Amery Conservative Preston North 1964
15 David Pinto-Duschinsky Labour Hendon 2024
15 John Foster Conservative Northwich 1945
16 Edward Shackleton Labour Preston South 1951
18 Neil Duncan-Jordan Labour Poole 2024
19 Walter Sweeney Conservative Vale of Glamorgan 1992
20 Emma Dent Coad Labour Kensington 2017
20 Richard Holden Conservative Basildon and Billericay 2024
21 John Hollingworth Conservative Birmingham All Saints 1959
21 Ken Hargreaves Conservative Hyndburn 1983
21 Pete Wishart SNP Perth and North Perthshire 2017
22 Ian Austin Labour Dudley North 2017
22 Harmar Nicholls Conservative Peterborough 1974 Feb
22 Margaret Bain SNP East Dunbartonshire 1974 Oct [h]
25 Jack Beattie Labour Belfast West 1951
27 William Molloy Labour Ealing North 1964
27 Byron Davies Conservative Gower 2015
28 Walter Robert Dempster Perkins Conservative Stroud and Thornbury 1950
29 Robert Atkins Conservative Preston North 1979
30 Paul Farrelly Labour Newcastle-under-Lyme 2017
30 George Thompson SNP Galloway 1974 Oct

Notes:

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Notional swing on new boundaries.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 New boundaries were in place for the election.
  3. ↑ The Labour candidate George Buchanan, had held the seat as an Independent Labour candidate with 75% of the vote at the previous election, while the official Labour candidate had less than 6%.
  4. ↑ The seat had been won by the Liberal Democrats in a by-election; their vote share increased by 5.7% between the by-election and the 2024 election.
  5. ↑ At the election, the sitting Conservative Member, John Wentworth Addison, tied with his Liberal opponent, A.B. Rowley, on 3,049 votes each. The returning officer, acting under the law at the time, gave a casting vote to Addison, giving him an effective majority of one. [1] : 103 
  6. ↑ At the election, the Liberal candidate, Harold St. Maur was declared elected by a majority of 4 votes, but on petition, after a lengthy hearing and several recounts at the High Court, the previous Conservative Member Henry Duke was declared elected by a single vote. [1] : 103 
  7. ↑ The 1997 general election result was declared void, and at the subsequent by-election the Liberal Democrat majority swelled to over 20,000 votes.
  8. ↑ As well as being the smallest majority at this election only 429 votes separated the top three candidates.

Most seats won by party (1945–present)

The election given is the first time they reached this number. Many of the smaller parties have had the same number of seats in numerous elections. Table is sorted by seats, and then by alphabetical order.

SeatsPartyElection % of Seats
418 Labour 199763.6%
397 Conservative 198361.1%
72 Liberal Democrats 202411.1%
56 SNP 20158.6%
21 National Liberal 19553.3%
17 Liberal 19832.6%
12 UUP 19591.9%
10 DUP 20171.54%
8 Independent 19451.3%
7 Sinn Féin 20171.1%
6 SDP 19830.92%
5 Reform UK 20240.77%
4 Green 20240.65%
4 Plaid Cymru 19920.62%
4 SDLP 19920.62%
3 Ind. Labour Party 1945
3 Vanguard Feb. 1974
2 Communist 1945
2 Ind. Conservative 1945
2 Independent Labour 1945
2 Independent Liberal 1945
2National1945
2National Independent1945
2 Nationalist 1945
2 Unity 1970
1 Alliance 2010
1 Common Wealth 1945
1 Democratic Labour Feb. 1974
1 Independent Health Concern 2001
1 Ind. Nationalist 1951
1 Independent Progressive 1945
1 Ind. Republican Oct. 1974
1 Ind. Unionist 1979
1 Irish Labour 1951
1 Protestant Unionist 1970
1 Republican Labour 1966
1 Respect 2005
1 TUV 2024
1 UK Unionist 1997
1 UKIP 2015
1 UPUP 1983
1 UUUP 1979

Most recounts

Highest turnout

Highest turnouts in any general election since 1918:

Lowest turnout

All turnouts below 35% from 1918 onwards:

ConstituencyElectionTurnout (%)
Lambeth Kennington 191829.7 [7]
Birmingham Deritend 191830.7
Bethnal Green North East 191831.2
Birmingham Duddeston 191832.4
Limehouse 191833.4
Liverpool Riverside 200134.1
Aberdeenshire and East Kincardineshire 191834.2

Until 2001, the lowest turnout after 1918 was 37.4% in Orkney and Shetland in 1922.

Most candidates

Any number of candidates can be nominated for election under current UK electoral law. The only restrictions are that a candidate must be a Commonwealth or Irish citizen, not legally disqualified, with the valid nomination of ten electors from the constituency. Candidates must pay a £500 deposit which is only refunded if the candidate wins 5% or more of the votes cast.

The election with the largest number of candidates was the 2024 general election, with 4,515. [16]

There have been 24 occasions when there were more than ten candidates on a single ballot in a general election. Large numbers of candidates are common in London seats and in the seat of the incumbent Prime Minister (marked in bold in the below list).

CandidatesConstituencyElectionIncumbent
15 Sedgefield 2005 Tony Blair [7]
13 Richmond and Northallerton 2024 Rishi Sunak
13 Maidenhead 2017 Theresa May
13 Uxbridge and South Ruislip 2015None
12 Ealing Southall 2024None
12 Holborn and St Pancras 2024 Keir Starmer
12 Oxford East 2024 Anneliese Dodds
12 Uxbridge and South Ruislip 2019 Boris Johnson
12 Witney 2015 David Cameron
12 Hackney South and Shoreditch 2010 Meg Hillier
12 Luton South 2010None
11 Finchley 1983 Margaret Thatcher [17]
11 Isle of Wight 2010 Andrew Turner
11 Bethnal Green and Bow 2010None
11 Camberwell and Peckham 2010 Harriet Harman
11 Bethnal Green and Bow 2015 Rushanara Ali
11 Camberwell and Peckham 2015 Harriet Harman
11 Hackney South and Shoreditch 2015 Meg Hillier
11 Thanet South 2015None
11 Bethnal Green and Stepney 2024 Rushanara Ali
11 Cities of London and Westminster 2024None
11 Dover and Deal 2024None
11 Leeds North East 2024 Fabian Hamilton
11 Slough 2024 Tan Dhesi

Before 1983, the consecutive records were 6 candidates in Paddington North in 1918, [18] 7 in Tottenham in February 1974 and 9 in Devon North in 1979.

Fewest candidates

The general election with the fewest candidates was 1931, where only 1,292 candidates stood – with the National Government, the major parties did not stand against each other in many seats. Since 1945, the election with the fewest candidates is 1951, with 1,376. [19]

The last four seats to be uncontested at a general election were Armagh, Londonderry, North Antrim and South Antrim, at the 1951 general election. The last seats in Great Britain to be uncontested were Liverpool Scotland and Rhondda West, at the 1945 general election.

Three seats were contested only by Labour and Conservative candidates at the 1979 general election: Birmingham Handsworth, Dudley West and Salford East.

Buckingham was the only seat contested by only three candidates at the 2015 general election. Traditionally, the Speaker of the House of Commons is not opposed by major parties, so the only opposition to John Bercow was candidates from the Green Party and from UKIP. However, in the 2017 United Kingdom general election, there were 21 seats with only three candidates and in 2019 there were 20. At the 2024 general election, there were no seats with fewer than five candidates. [20]

Seats changing hands

Largest number of seats changing hands

Smallest number of seats changing hands

Candidate records

Durable general election candidates

A selection of politicians who have contested seats in at least thirteen general elections are listed. Additionally, Howling Laud Hope has contested 10 general elections as of 2024, but has never won a seat.

NamePartiesContestsSuccessfulFirstLastNotes
Winston Churchill Liberal, Conservative 1614 1900 1959 Stood in five by-elections, first in 1899
Charles Pelham Villiers Liberal, Liberal Unionist 1515 1835 1895
Kenneth Clarke Conservative 1513 1964 2017
Edward Heath Conservative 1414 1950 1997
T. P. O'Connor Irish Nationalist 1414 1885 1929
Dennis Skinner Labour 1413 1970 2019
Peter Tapsell Conservative 1413 1959 2010 Also stood in 1957 by-election
Gerald Kaufman Labour 1412 1955 2015 Did not stand 1964 or 1966
Manny Shinwell Labour 1412 1918 1966 Also stood in 1928 by-election
Peter Bottomley Conservative 1411 1974 Feb 2024 Also stood in 1975 by-election
Michael Foot Labour 1411 1935 1987 Also stood in 1960 by-election
David Winnick Labour 1410 1964 2017 Did not stand February 1974
David Lloyd George Liberal 1313 1892 1935 Also stood in 1890 by-election
Edward Turnour Conservative 1313 1906 1950 Also stood in 1904 by-election
Tony Benn Labour 1312 1951 1997 Stood in four by-elections, first in 1950
Margaret Beckett Labour 1311 1974 Feb 2019

MPs defeated at consecutive general elections

On rare occasions, an MP has been defeated at a general election, returned at a by-election, only to be defeated again at the subsequent general election. Shirley Williams is distinguished by achieving this while in two different parties.

Notes:

Former MPs unsuccessful at subsequent general elections

Attempts

It is unusual for a defeated MP to pursue more than a couple of attempts at re-election.

Notes:

  • a in various seats
  • b in the same seat
  • c two previous seats and another
  • d one previous seat and another
  • e one previous seat and others

Interval

Attempts at a comeback usually occur almost immediately. Those who succeeded after further general elections include:

YearsCandidateYear of defeatYear of re-election
17 Paul Tyler 1974 October 1992
14 Dan Norris 2010 2024
13 Walter Ayles 1931 1945
George Isaacs
Somerville Hastings
Jennie Lee
Leah Manning
Lucy Noel-Buxton
13 Jonathan Evans 1997 2010

Future MPs unsuccessful at previous general elections

It is unusual for a candidate who has been unsuccessful on more than a couple of occasions to finally win a seat.

Among women, namely:

Former MPs making a comeback at a general election

Shortest-serving general election victors

For a comprehensive list of MPs with total service of less than 365 days see List of United Kingdom MPs with the shortest service

Since 1945

CandidatePartyConstituencyYearDays
Alfred Dobbs Labour Smethwick 194511
John Sunderland Labour Preston 19451221
John Whittaker Labour Heywood and Radcliffe 19451371
Philip Clarke Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone 19551523x
Thomas Mitchell Sinn Féin Mid-Ulster 19551523x
Barry McElduff Sinn Féin West Tyrone 20172224
Harry West UUP Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1974 Feb2242
James Godfrey MacManaway UUP Belfast West 19502383
Harry Harpham Labour Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough 20152731
Judith Chaplin Conservative Newbury 19923161
Peter Law Independent Blaenau Gwent 20053551

Pre-1945

CandidatePartyConstituencyYearDays
Thomas Higgins Irish Parliamentary Galway North 190601
James Annand Liberal East Aberdeenshire 1906161
Joseph Nicholas Bell Labour Newcastle East 1922321
Harry Wrightson Conservative Leyton West 1918321
Hugh Anderson Irish Unionist Londonderry North 1918664
Pierce McCan Sinn Féin East Tipperary 1918681x
Alexander Theodore Gordon Unionist Aberdeen and Kincardine Central 1918681
Charles Mathew Labour Whitechapel and St. George's 1922851
Robert Climie Labour Kilmarnock 19291261b
George Henry Williamson Conservative Worcester 19061283
Harold St. Maur Liberal Exeter 1910-111293
John Thom Unionist Dunbartonshire 19311424b
Richard Mathias Liberal Cheltenham 1910-111443
George Hillman Conservative Wakefield 19311441
John Barker Liberal Maidstone 19001473a
Edward Clarke Conservative City of London 19061504b
Frederick Guest Liberal East Dorset 19101543a
Eugene O'Sullivan Irish Parliamentary East Kerry 19101703
David MacDonald Unionist Bothwell 19181761
Thomas Agar-Robartes Liberal Bodmin 19061833a
Herbert Sparkes Conservative Tiverton 19221881
Hilton Philipson National Liberal Berwick-on-Tweed 19221973
Armine Wodehouse Conservative Saffron Walden 19002001
Frederick Rutherfoord Harris Conservative Monmouth 19002103a
Moreton Frewen All-for-Ireland Cork North-East 1910-112204
Arthur Willey Conservative Leeds Central 19222291
Ellis Ellis-Griffith Liberal Carmarthen 19232524b
William Ward Conservative Wednesbury 19312735b
Alfred Holland Labour Clay Cross 19352901
Charles Harvey Dixon Conservative Rutland and Stamford 19223111b
Arthur Henniker-Hughan Unionist Galloway 19243401
George Spero Labour Fulham West 19293414b
Martin Morris Irish Unionist Galway Borough 19003425

Notes

  • 1 died
  • 2 defeated at next general election
  • 3 disqualified
  • 4 resigned
  • 5 succeeded to the Peerage
  • a returned to Parliament at a subsequent election
  • b had served previously as an MP
  • x elected on abstentionist tickets, and serving jail sentences at the time, so the calculated length of service is somewhat theoretical.

Youngest general election victors

Babies of the House elected at general elections

See Baby of the House of Commons

Youngest to leave the House

NamePartyElection of LeaveAgeNotes
Thomas Teevan UUP 1951241
Edward Stanley Conservative 1918242 (re-elected 1922)
Patrick Joseph Whitty Irish Parliamentary 1918242
Henry Harrison Irish Parliamentary 1892241
Stuart Donaldson SNP 2017251
Arthur Evans Liberal 1923251 (re-elected 1924 as Conservative)
Denis Shipwright Conservative 1923251
Joseph Sweeney Sinn Féin 1922252x
John Esmonde Irish Parliamentary 1918253
Bernadette Devlin McAliskey Independent Socialist 1974 Feb261
Jennie Lee Labour 1931261 (re-elected 1945)
Frank Owen Liberal 1931261
Hugh Lucas-Tooth Conservative 1929261 (re-elected 1945)
Bryan Ricco Cooper Irish Unionist 1910 Dec261
John Wodehouse Liberal 1910 Jan263
Christopher Ward Conservative 1970271
Liam Mellows Sinn Féin 1922272x
David Reed Labour 1974 Feb282
Mhairi Black SNP 2024293
Nicola Richards Conservative 2024293
Andrew Mackay Conservative 1979291 (re-elected 1983)
Michael Ancram Conservative 1974 Oct291 (re-elected 1979)
Margo MacDonald SNP 1974 Feb291
Charles Rhys Conservative 1929291 (re-elected 1931)
Dehenna Davison Conservative 2024303
Kirstene Hair Conservative 2019301
Pamela Nash Labour 2015301
Owen Carron Sinn Féin 1983301x
Helene Hayman Labour 1979301
John Ryan Labour 1979301
Graham Tope Liberal 1974 Feb301
Stanley Henig Labour 1970301
John Profumo Conservative 1945301
Noel Lindsay Conservative 1935301
W. E. D. Allen New Party 1931303
Arthur Evans Conservative 1929303 (re-elected 1931)
Esmond Harmsworth Conservative 1929303
Notes:
1 Defeated
2 Constituency abolished
3 Retired
x did not take his seat

Oldest to lose their seats

AgeCandidatePartyConstituencyElection
87 Dennis Skinner Labour Bolsover 2019
83 David Winnick Labour Walsall North 2017
80 Charles William Bowerman Labour Deptford 1931
79 Peter Bottomley Conservative Worthing West 2024
77 Thomas Dyke Acland Liberal Wellington 1886
76 Arthur Shirley Benn Conservative Sheffield Park 1935
76 Frank Smith Labour Nuneaton 1931
76 Edward Evans Labour Lowestoft 1959
76 Cecil Walker UUP Belfast North 2001
75 James Sexton Labour St Helens 1931
75 Fenner Brockway Labour Eton and Slough 1964
75 Syd Bidwell Independent Labour Ealing Southall 1992
75 Richard Taylor Health Concern Wyre Forest 2010
75 Marion Fellows SNP Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke 2024
74 Henry Blundell-Hollinshead-Blundell Conservative Ince 1906
74 George Edwards Labour South Norfolk 1924
74 Enoch Powell UUP South Down 1987
74 Peggy Fenner Conservative Medway 1997
74 Tom Clarke Labour Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 2015
74 Michael Fabricant Conservative Lichfield 2024
73 James Fergusson Conservative Manchester North East 1906
73 Robert Hobart Liberal New Forest 1910 Jan
73 James Hindle Hudson Labour Ealing North 1955
72 George Edwards Labour South Norfolk 1922
72 Robert Aske National Liberal Newcastle upon Tyne East 1945
72 Albert Stubbs Labour Cambridgeshire 1950
72 Caroline Ganley Labour Battersea South 1951
71 John Cobbold Conservative Ipswich 1868
71 Sir Mark MacTaggart-Stewart Conservative Kirkcudbrightshire 1906
71 Arthur Strauss Conservative Paddington North 1918
71 Sir William Middlebrook Liberal Leeds South 1922
71 Sir Davison Dalziel Conservative Brixton 1923
71 Ben Tillett Labour Salford North 1931
711 David Hardie Labour Glasgow Rutherglen 1931
71 Leo Amery Conservative Birmingham Sparkbrook 1945
71 Henry Guest Conservative Plymouth Drake 1945
71 Rhodes Boyson Conservative Brent North 1997
71 Gordon Birtwistle Liberal Democrats Burnley 2015
71 Giles Watling Conservative Clacton 2024
71 Vince Cable Liberal Democrats Twickenham 2015
70 Marshall Stevens Conservative Eccles 1922
70 Thomas Jewell Bennett Conservative Sevenoaks 1923
70 Charles Wilson Conservative Leeds Central 1929
70 John Potts Labour Barnsley 1931
70 Jonah Walker-Smith Conservative Barrow in Furness 1945
70 Dryden Brook Labour Halifax 1955
70 Charles William Gibson Labour Clapham 1959
70 Sir Samuel Storey Conservative Stretford 1966
70 Hugh Jenkins Labour Putney 1979
70 Dudley Smith Conservative Warwick and Leamington 1997
70 James Hill Conservative Southampton Test 1997
1Based on Hardie's earliest estimated birth year of "c. 1860", although some biographers cite a date as late as 27 January 1871, making him only 60 years old at time of that election. [22]

Oldest general election victors

At first election

Possibly the oldest known first-time seat winner was Bernard Kelly (born 1808) who was aged 77 when he became the first MP for the then new seat of South Donegal in Ireland at the 1885 general election. He died aged reportedly 78 on 1 January 1887. Others:

AgeCandidateElection
75 Caleb Wright 1885
741 Sir George Harrison 1885
74 Frank Smith 1929
73 William Beadel 1885
73 Ashton Lister 1918
71 Robert Williams 1807
71 Jim Allister 2024
71Sir John Elley 1835
70–712 John Fleming 1818
70 James Caulfeild 1852
70 Frank James 1892
70 Samuel Young 1892
703 Robert Cameron 1895
704 George Walker 1945
705 Piara Khabra 1992
69 William Cobbett 1832
69 Robert Brooks 1859
69 Robert Stickney Blaine 1885
69Sir Robert Hobart 1906
69Sir William Peter Griggs 1918
69Sir George Andreas Berry 1922
69 Alfred Smith 1929
68 Sir William Earle Welby 1802
68 Frank Hornby 1931
68 William Nicol 1859
68 William Raeburn 1918
68Sir Alfred Waldron Smithers 1918
68 Ethel Bentham 1929
68 Marie Rimmer 2015
68 Mick Whitley 2019
67 George Williams 1832
67 Sir George Berkeley 1852
67 William Henry Sykes 1857
67 William John Lysley 1859
67 Spencer Charrington 1885
67 Henry Howe Bemrose 1895
67 Sir Maurice Dockrell 1918
67 Edwin Perkins 1922
67 Andrew Gilzean 1945
67 Albert Stubbs 1945
67 John McQuade 1979
67 Ernest Roberts 1979
67 Roger Mullin 2015
67 Jo Gideon 2019
66-67 John Forster FitzGerald 1852
66 Rupert Lowe 2024
66 William Beckett 1841
66 Sir Benjamin Guinness 1865
66 Dadabhai Naoroji 1892
66 William Beale 1906
66 George Henry Faber 1906
66 David Sanders Davies 1918
66 Henry Foreman 1918
66 Marshall Stevens 1918
66 Peter Prinsley 2024
66 Albert Edward Jacob 1924
66 Sir Frederick Mills 1931
66 William Allan Reid 1931
66 Richard Taylor 2001
66 Gordon Birtwistle 2010
66 Glyn Davies 2010
66 Marion Fellows 2015
65 Patricia Ferguson 2024
65 William Moffat 1802
65 James Simmons 1806
65 Peter Rainier 1807
65 Thomas Bernard 1874
65 Hugh Law 1874
65 Alfred Lafone 1886
65 Robert Pearce 1906
65 Alfred Jephcott 1918
65 Alexander Sprot 1918
65 Joseph Leckie 1931
65 Caroline Ganley 1945
65 Mervyn Wheatley 1945
65 George Kerevan 2015
65 Maureen Burke 2024
1 Exact birth date not known but Harrison was reportedly this age when he died 5 days after the general election closed and before he took his seat.
2 Exact birth date not known but Fleming, who was brought up as an adopted orphan, is usually stated to have been born in 1747.
3 Exact birthdate not known but Cameron is normally stated to have been born in 1825 and was reportedly this age at election.
4 Exact birthdate not known but Walker is normally stated to have born in 1874 and was reportedly this age at election.
5 Khabra's exact age has been the subject of some disagreement. He claimed a birth year of 1924, which would have made him 67 years old at first election, but his marriage certificate gives a birth year of 1921, and it is this figure which has been used above.

At last election

1 Davies was suspected of being considerably older than he claimed. There is evidence to suggest he was born in 1879, not 1886; if true, this would indicate he was 90 at his last election.
2 Keene's birthdate is given as "c. 1731" in reference works though he was reportedly 90 years old on his death in February 1822. On this the figure is based. Unopposed return, his last contested election was in 1802 when aged 70–71.
Note: All men aged 79 or over since 1945 and over 85 since 1900 are listed, as are all women aged 70 or over.

Returning to the house after a gap

A contender for the longest gap prior to returning at a general election was possibly Henry Drummond (1786–1860), who returned to the House of Commons in the 1847 general election as member for West Surrey, after a near 35-year absence, though aged only 60. He was previously MP for Plympton Erle from 1810 to 1812.

Others, who returned at older ages than Drummond's:

First women general election victors

Notes:

y had entered parliament in by-election 1919 z had entered parliament in by-election 1921

First ethnic minority general election victors

First general election victors from specific religions

When the UK Parliament was established in 1801, non-Anglicans were prevented from taking their seats as MPs under the Test Act 1672. However, Methodists took communion at Anglican churches until 1795, and some continued to do so, and many Presbyterians were prepared to accept Anglican communion, thus ensuring that members of these creeds were represented in the Parliament. [23] Some Unitarians were also elected.

The first Roman Catholic general election victors in the UK Parliament were at the 1830 general election. They included Daniel O'Connell and James Patrick Mahon in Clare.

The first Quaker general election victor was Edward Pease at the 1832 general election.

The first Moravian general election victor was Charles Hindley at the 1835 general election.

Lionel de Rothschild was the first Jewish general election victor at the 1847 general election. He was not permitted to take his seat until the passage of the Jews Relief Act 1858.

The first Catholic Apostolic general election victor was Henry Drummond also at the 1847 election.

The first Baptist general election victor was George Goodman at the 1852 general election.

The first Congregationalist general election victor was Samuel Morley at the 1865 general election.

The first declared atheist to win a general election was Charles Bradlaugh at the 1880 general election. He was not permitted to take his seat in that parliament, but was elected again at the 1885 general election and allowed to take the oath.

Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Parsi general election victor at the 1892 general election.

Piara Khabra became the first Sikh general election victor at the 1992 general election.

Terry Rooney became the first Mormon general election victor at the 1992 general election (previously taking his seat at a by-election in 1990).

The first Muslim general election victor was Mohammed Sarwar at the 1997 general election.

The first Hindu general election victor was Shailesh Vara at the 2005 general election.

The first Buddhist general election victor was Suella Braverman as Suella Fernandes at the 2015 general election.

General elections losers awarded seats on disqualification of winner

Lord Robert Grosvenor: Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 1955

Two or more sitting MPs contest general election

It is of course common for former (defeated) MPs to seek re-election, often in their old constituencies, especially if they are marginal or bellwether seats. What is quite unusual is for two MPs both sitting in the same parliament to seek re-election in the same seat. This usually occurs by reason of boundary changes or party splits.

ElectionConstituencyMPPartyNotes
2024 Alloa and Grangemouth Kenny MacAskill Alba Both candidates were elected in 2019 for the SNP, but MacAskill defected to Alba. Neither won re-election, with the seat being won by Brian Leishman for Labour.
John Nicolson SNP
Clwyd East James Davies Con Both candidates were elected as Conservatives, but Roberts was suspended and ran as an independent. Neither won re-election, with the seat being won by Labour.
Rob Roberts Ind
Hitchin Bim Afolami Con
Alistair Strathern Lab
Honiton and Sidmouth Simon Jupp Con
Richard Foord Lib Dem
North Shropshire Helen Morgan * Lib Dem
Simon Baynes Con
Tamworth Sarah Edwards * Lab
Eddie Hughes Con
2019 Altrincham and Sale West Graham Brady * Con Smith was elected in 2017 for Labour, but had defected to the Liberal Democrats.
Angela Smith Lib Dem
Wokingham John Redwood * Con Both candidates were elected in 2017 for the Conservatives, but Lee had since defected to the Liberal Democrats.
Phillip Lee Lib Dem
Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer * Con Berger was elected in 2017 for Labour, but had since defected to the Liberal Democrats.
Luciana Berger Lib Dem
Kensington Emma Dent Coad* Lab Gyimah was elected for the Conservatives, but then defected to the Liberal Democrats. Neither incumbent won re-election, with the seat being won by the Conservatives.
Sam Gyimah Lib Dem
2010 Poplar and Limehouse Jim Fitzpatrick Lab
George Galloway Respect
Brent Central Dawn Butler Lab
Sarah Teather Lib Dem
2005 Dumfries and Galloway Russell Brown Lab
Peter Duncan Con
Bethnal Green and Bow Oona King* Lab Both candidates were elected in 2001 for Labour, but Galloway had since been expelled from the party and founded Respect.
George Galloway Respect
2001 Brentwood and Ongar Eric Pickles * Con Bell contested the seat over allegations the Conservative branch was infiltrated by a local church, after unseating Neil Hamilton in 1997 over corruption allegations. [24]
Martin Bell Ind
1992 Glasgow Garscadden Donald Dewar * Lab Both candidates were elected in 1987 for Labour, but Douglas defected to the SNP.
Dick Douglas SNP
1987 South Hams Willie Hamilton Lab Hamilton was nominated for South Hams while intending to retire from parliament as the MP for Central Fife.
Anthony Steen * Con
1983 Meriden Iain Mills * Con
John Sever Lab
Islington North Michael O'Halloran* Independent Labour Grant and O'Halloran both defected to the SDP from Labour. Grant was selected as the SDP candidate and O'Halloran ran as Independent Labour. The seat was won by Labour.
John Grant SDP
Southwark and Bermondsey Simon Hughes Lib
John Tilley Lab
Crosby Shirley Williams* SDP
Malcolm Thornton Con
Glasgow Hillhead Roy Jenkins * SDP
Neil Carmichael Lab
1974 Feb Bradford West John Wilkinson* Con
Edward Lyons Lab
Blyth Eddie Milne * Independent Labour Both candidates were elected in 1970 for Labour, but Milne was deselected and ran as an independent.
Ivor Richard Lab
Plymouth Devonport Joan Vickers* Con
David Owen Lab
Brentford and Isleworth Michael Barnes Lab
Barney Hayhoe Con
Paddington Arthur Latham Lab
Nicholas Scott Con
1955 Grantham Joseph Godber * Con
Woodrow Wyatt Lab
Reading Ian Mikardo Lab
Frederic Bennett Con
Bradford North William Taylor* National Liberal
Maurice Webb Lab
1950 Carmarthen Rhys Hopkin Morris * Lib
Lynn Ungoed-Thomas Lab
Renfrewshire West Thomas Scollan* Lab
John Maclay National Liberal
Glasgow Kelvingrove John Lloyd Williams* Lab
Walter Elliot Unionist
Newport Peter Freeman* Lab
Ivor Thomas Con
Sudbury and Woodbridge John Hare Con
Roland Hamilton Lab
Stafford and Stone Hugh Fraser Con
Stephen Swingler Lab
Newark Sidney Shephard* Con
George Deer Lab
Carlton Kenneth Pickthorn Con
Florence Paton Lab
Thurrock Leslie Solley* Independent Labour Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Solley was suspended from the party and ran for the Labour Independent Group.
Hugh Delargy Lab
Walthamstow West Clement Attlee Lab Hutchinson was suspended from the party and ran for the Labour Independent Group. Neither MP was the incumbent in this seat.
Lester Hutchinson Independent Labour
Walsall William Wells* Lab
John Barlow National Liberal
Poole Mervyn Wheatley Con
Evelyn King Lab
Middlesbrough East Alfred Edwards* Con Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Edwards had since defected to the Conservatives.
Hilary Marquand Lab
Liverpool West Derby David Maxwell Fyfe Con
Bertie Kirby Lab
Gateshead East Arthur Moody Lab Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Zilliacus was suspended from the party (and had also left the Labour Independent Group) and ran as an independent.
Konni Zilliacus Ind
Exeter John Maude * Con Horabin was elected in 1945 for the Liberals but had defected to Labour. He moved constituency to avoid campaigning against former colleagues.
Thomas Horabin Lab
Blackburn West Ralph Assheton Con
John Edwards Lab
Stepney Walter Edwards Lab
Philip Piratin Communist
Shoreditch and Finsbury Ernest Thurtle Lab Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Platts-Mills was suspended from the party and ran for the Labour Independent Group.
John Platts-Mills Independent Labour
1945 Lewisham East Assheton Pownall* Con
Herbert Morrison Lab
St Marylebone Alec Cunningham-Reid* Ind. Conservative Both candidates were elected in 1935 for the Conservatives, but two competing local Conservative Associations nominated different candidates.
Wavell Wakefield Con
Putney Hugh Linstead * Con Acland was elected in 1935 for the Liberals, but had since defected to the Common Wealth Party.
Richard Acland Common Wealth
Harrow West Norman Bower Con
Hugh Lawson Common Wealth
Stratford West Ham Thomas Groves* Ind Groves was elected in 1935 for Labour but not reselected and ran as an independent. Neither MP won reelection, with the seat being held for Labour by Henry Nicholls.
Redvers Michael Prior Con
Mossley Austin Hopkinson* National
George Woods Lab

Frequency and duration records

Longest period without a general election

The longest possible duration of a Parliament is currently five years; prior to the Parliament Act 1911, it was seven years. All period of six years or more between general elections are listed:

9 years, 7 months and 21 days: 1935 – 1945
8 years: December 1910 – 1918
6 years: 1820 – 1826
6 years: 1841 – 1847
6 years: 1859 – 1865
6 years: 1874 – 1880
6 years: 1886 – 1892

Shortest period between general elections

All periods of less than a year between general elections are listed:

7 months: November 1806 – June 1807
7 months: November/December 1885 – July 1886
7 months and 12 days: February – October 1974
8 months: September 1830 – April/May/June 1831
10 months: December 1923 – October 1924
11 months: January – December 1910

Longest continuous governments

This details the longest continuous government of each of the parties that have been in power.

PartyAppointedRemovedDuration
Conservative 4 May 1979 2 May 1997 17 years, 11 months and 28 days
Labour 2 May 1997 11 May 2010 13 years and 9 days
Liberal 5 December 1905 25 May 1915 9 years, 5 months and 20 days
Coalition government a 24 August 1931 26 July 1945 13 years, 11 months and 2 days

a The parties making up the National Government changed throughout this period

Election days

Currently, all British Parliamentary elections are invariably held on a Thursday. The last general election not held on a Thursday was the 1931 election, which was held on Tuesday 27 October. Prior to this, it was common to hold general elections on any day of the week (other than Sunday), and until the 1918 general election, polling (and the declaration of results) was held over a period of several weeks.

Suspended elections

On rare occasions, polling in an individual constituency may be suspended, usually as a result of the death of a candidate. The last occasion was at Thirsk and Malton in 2010, where polling was delayed for three weeks owing to the death of the UKIP candidate.

Previous examples occurred at

Causes of general elections

Loss of a vote of confidence

New Prime Minister seeks a mandate

Prime Minister without a working majority seeks to gain one

Prime Minister's choice of date

Parliament had run its course

Collapse of cooperation within Government

End of World War

Miscellaneous records

Incumbents fall directly from first place to fourth place

ConstituencyElectionLosing partyGaining party
Ashfield 20241 Conservative Reform UK
Walsall and Bloxwich 2024 Conservative Labour
Norwich South 2015 Liberal Democrats Labour
Belfast North 20012 UUP DUP
Peckham 19313 Labour Conservative
1 Sitting Conservative MP defected to Reform UK and won re-election.
2 UUP had been unopposed by DUP at previous elections.
3 Sitting Labour MP stood instead for the Independent Labour Party and took second place.

Incumbents fall directly from first place to third place

ConstituencyElectionLosing partyGaining party
Amber Valley 2024 Conservative Labour
Bangor Aberconwy 2024 Conservative Labour
Blackpool South 2024 Conservative Labour
Basildon South and East Thurrock 2024 Conservative Reform UK
Bridgend 2024 Conservative Labour
Caerfyrddin 2024 Conservative Plaid Cymru
Dover and Deal 2024 Conservative Labour
Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes 2024 Conservative Labour
Great Yarmouth 2024 Conservative Reform UK
Hazel Grove 2024 Conservative Liberal Democrats
Hull West and Haltemprice 2024 Conservative Labour
Leigh and Atherton 2024 Conservative Labour
Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr 2024 Conservative Labour
Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor 2024 Conservative Labour
Spen Valley 2024 Conservative Labour
Stoke-on-Trent Central 2024 Conservative Labour
Telford 2024 Conservative Labour
Thurrock 2024 Conservative Labour
Wakefield and Rothwell 2024 Conservative Labour
Whitehaven and Workington 2024 Conservative Labour
Ashfield 2019 Labour Conservative
Clacton 2017 UKIP Conservative
Southport 2017 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Bristol West 2015 Liberal Democrats Labour
Brent Central 2015 Liberal Democrats Labour
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 2015 Liberal Democrats SNP
Dumfries and Galloway 2015 Labour SNP
Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine 2015 Liberal Democrats SNP
Bristol North West 2010 Labour Conservative
Colne Valley 2010 Labour Conservative
Watford 2010 Labour Conservative
Belfast South 2005 UUP SDLP
Conwy 1997 Conservative Labour
Aberdeen South 1997 Conservative Labour
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 1997 Liberal Democrats Labour
Stockton South 19831 Labour SDP
Plymouth Devonport 19831 Labour SDP
Caithness and Sutherland 19831 Labour SDP
Erith and Crayford 19831 Labour Conservative
Renfrew West and Inverclyde 19831 Labour Conservative
Southampton Itchen 19831 Labour Conservative
Clwyd South West 19831 Labour Conservative
West Hertfordshire 1983 Labour Conservative
Stevenage 1983 Labour Conservative
East Dunbartonshire 1979 SNP Labour
North Down 1979 2 UUP Ind. Unionist
Mid Ulster 1974 Feb Unity Vanguard
Bolton West 1964 Liberal Labour
Glasgow Bridgeton 1950 3 Ind. Labour Party Labour
Rugby 1950 Independent Labour
Hammersmith North 1950Independent Labour Labour
Grantham 1950 Independent Conservative
Cheltenham 1950 Independent Conservative
Stepney 1950 Communist Labour
West Fife 1950 Communist Labour
Caithness and Sutherland 1945 Liberal Unionist
1 The sitting Labour MP had defected to the SDP in 1981.
2 The sitting Ulster Unionist Party MP had defected to sit as an Independent Unionist.
3 The sitting Independent Labour Party MP had defected to Labour.

Outgoing Government gains seats

When there is a decisive change in electoral sentiment, a tiny number of seats will not only buck the trend by not moving as expected, but may actually move in the opposite direction. Only elections that saw a change of government are listed, since it is fairly common for a few seats to move in divergent directions when an incumbent government is re-elected; 2005 was an exception to this case, when the Labour party scored no gains.

Italics indicates seat was regained after having been lost in a previous by-election

ConstituencyElectionGaining PartyLosing Party
Leicester East 2024 Conservative Labour
Bethnal Green and Bow 2010 Labour Respect
Blaenau Gwent 2010 Labour Independent
Chesterfield 2010 Labour Liberal Democrats
Dunfermline and West Fife 2010 Labour Liberal Democrats
Glasgow East 2010 Labour SNP
Christchurch 1997 Conservative Liberal Democrats
Glasgow Cathcart 1979 Labour Conservative
Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire 1979 Labour SNP
East Dunbartonshire 1979 Labour SNP
Carmarthen 1979 Labour Plaid Cymru
Ashfield 1979 Labour Conservative
Birmingham Stechford 1979 Labour Conservative
Walsall North 1979 Labour Conservative
Workington 1979 Labour Conservative
Berwick and East Lothian 1974 Feb Conservative Labour
East Dunbartonshire 1974 Feb Conservative Labour
Upminster 1974 Feb Conservative Labour
Ipswich 1974 Feb Conservative Labour
North West Norfolk 1974 Feb Conservative Labour
Ripon 1974 Feb Conservative Liberal
Sutton and Cheam 1974 Feb Conservative Liberal
Bromsgrove and Redditch 1974 Feb Conservative Labour
Colne Valley 1970 Labour Liberal
Birmingham Ladywood 1970 Labour Liberal
Swindon 1970 Labour Conservative
Oldham West 1970 Labour Conservative
Dudley 1970 Labour Conservative
Acton 1970 Labour Conservative
Walthamstow West 1970 Labour Conservative
Glasgow Pollok 1970 Labour Conservative
Hamilton 1970 Labour SNP
Carmarthen 1970 Labour Plaid Cymru
Birmingham Perry Barr 1964 Conservative Labour
Eton and Slough 1964 Conservative Labour
Smethwick 1964 Conservative Labour
South West Norfolk 1964 Conservative Labour
South Dorset 1964 Conservative Labour
Anglesey 1951 Labour Liberal
Merioneth 1951 Labour Liberal
Caithness and Sutherland 1945 Conservative Liberal
Berwick upon Tweed 1945 Conservative Liberal
Caernarvon 1945 Conservative Liberal
Isle of Ely 1945 Conservative Liberal
Barnstaple 1945 Conservative Liberal
Wallasey 1945 Conservative Independent
Skipton 1945 Conservative Common Wealth
Birmingham King's Norton 1929 Conservative Labour
Midlothian and Peebles Northern 1929 Conservative Labour
Lancaster 1929 Conservative Liberal

Incoming Government loses seats

Notes: In 2010 the Conservatives entered government as the largest party in a coalition and in 2015 they went from being part of a coalition to being a majority government in their own right.
In 2017 the Conservatives entered government without an overall majority and in 2019 they went from having a minority government to being a majority government in their own right.

In 2010 the Liberal Democrats entered government as a junior partner in a coalition.

Italics indicates seat was previously lost at a by-election and not regained by the incoming government at a general election

ConstituencyElectionLosing PartyGaining Party
Birmingham Perry Barr 2024 Labour Independent
Blackburn 2024 Labour Independent
Bristol Central 2024 Labour Green
Dewsbury and Batley 2024 Labour Independent
Islington North 2024 Labour Independent
Leicester East 2024 Labour Conservative
Leicester South 2024 Labour Independent
Enfield North 2015 Conservative Labour
Ealing Central and Acton 2015 Conservative Labour
Lancaster and Fleetwood 2015 Conservative Labour
Dewsbury 2015 Conservative Labour
Wolverhampton South West 2015 Conservative Labour
Brentford and Isleworth 2015 Conservative Labour
City of Chester 2015 Conservative Labour
Wirral West 2015 Conservative Labour
Eastbourne 2010 Conservative Liberal Democrats
Wells 2010 Conservative Liberal Democrats
Solihull 2010 Conservative Liberal Democrats
Dunfermline and West Fife 2010 Liberal Democrats Labour
Chesterfield 2010 Liberal Democrats Labour
Camborne and Redruth 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Cornwall South East 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Harrogate and Knaresborough 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Hereford and South Herefordshire 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Montgomeryshire 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Newton Abbot 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Oxford West and Abingdon 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Richmond Park 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Romsey and Southampton North 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Truro and Falmouth 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Winchester 2010 Liberal Democrats Conservative
Glasgow Cathcart 1979 Conservative Labour
Berwick and East Lothian 1974 Feb Labour Conservative
East Dunbartonshire 1974 Feb Labour Conservative
Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire 1974 Feb Labour SNP
Dundee East 1974 Feb Labour SNP
Blyth 1974 Feb Labour Independent Labour
Lincoln 1974 Feb Labour Democratic Labour
Cardigan 1974 Feb Labour Liberal
Colne Valley 1974 Feb Labour Liberal
Rochdale 1974 Feb Labour Liberal
North Antrim 1970 UUP DUP
Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1970 UUP Unity
Mid Ulster 1970 UUP Unity
Birmingham Perry Barr 1964 Labour Conservative
Eton and Slough 1964 Labour Conservative
Smethwick 1964 Labour Conservative
South West Norfolk 1964 Labour Conservative
Belfast West 1951 UUP Irish Labour
Carmarthen 1945 Labour Liberal
Mile End 1945 Labour Communist
Birmingham King's Norton 1929 Labour Conservative
Bethnal Green North East 1929 Labour Liberal
Newcastle East 1929 Labour Liberal
Motherwell 1924 Conservative Labour
Barrow-in-Furness 1924 Conservative Labour
Lincoln 1924 Conservative Labour
Liverpool West Toxteth 1924 Conservative Labour
Birmingham King's Norton 1924 Conservative Labour
Bilston 1924 Conservative Labour
Peckham 1924 Conservative Labour
London University 1924 Conservative Independent
Ayr Burghs 1906 Liberal Conservative
Barkston Ash 1906 Liberal Conservative
Govan 1906 Liberal Conservative
Hastings 1906 Liberal Conservative
Maidstone 1906 Liberal Conservative
Oswestry 1906 Liberal Conservative
Rye 1906 Liberal Conservative
St Albans 1906 Liberal Conservative
St Andrews Burgh 1906 Liberal Conservative
Whitby 1906 Liberal Conservative
North Lonsdale 1906 Liberal Liberal Unionist

Seats gained from fourth place*

Seats gained from third place*

Notes:
* only includes examples of genuine three-or-more party competition; does not include seats gained as a result of pacts
1 sitting member had defected from UUP to DUP
2 Liberal Democrats had won a by-election in predecessor constituency in which Labour finished second
3 by-election gain confirmed at general election.
4 SDP candidate ran for the Alliance in seat with strong Liberal tradition.

General election victors had not contested previous election

It is unusual for a party that had not contested the seat at the previous election to win it. Since the major mainland parties now routinely contest all seats, except the Speaker's, such rare victories tend to come from independents or splinter-parties.

Notes:

Incumbent party did not contest

The rare occasions where the party which won the previous election did not contest the seat. Independent candidates are not included, nor Speakers of the House of Commons. Cases where candidates were suspended from their parties after nominations closed (meaning they still appeared on the ballot under the name of their former party) are also not counted. Also excluded are occasions where the party had merged into an organisation which did contest the election, such as when the Social Democratic Party and Liberal Party formed the Liberal Democrats, or the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party merged into the Ulster Unionist Party.

ElectionConstituencyIncumbent partyNotes
1997 North Down UPUP Sole UPUP MP had died and party had subsequently collapsed. The UK Unionist Party had won the 1995 by-election, meaning the UPUP were no longer incumbents in 1997.
1983 Mid Ulster UUUP UUUP had dissolved and former MP stood down.
1974 February Belfast West Republican Labour MP had defected to the Social Democratic and Labour Party and RLP had dissolved.
1959 Caithness and Sutherland Unionist Stood aside for Independent Unionist David Robertson.
1955 Fermanagh and Tyrone Nationalist Stood aside for Sinn Féin candidate.
1950 Chelmsford Common Wealth MP had defected to Labour and party decided not to contest any further elections.
1950 Glasgow Camlachie Ind. Labour Party MP had defected to Labour, then the ILP had performed badly in the 1948 by-election.

Major party did not run

Not including instances where major parties did not run in seats contested by the Speaker.

Conservative

Labour

Liberal Democrats

Liberal Party (pre-Liberal Democrats)

2: As part of the Unite to Remain pact, the Liberal Democrats stood aside in favour of Green (2G), Plaid Cymru (2P) and independent (2I) candidates in some seats.

Victories by minor parties

Victories by independent and minor party candidates since 1945, not including the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru or Northern Ireland parties. For a complete list, see the list of UK minor party and independent MPs elected.

ElectionMemberPartyConstituency
2024 Siân Berry Green Brighton Pavilion
Ellie Chowns Green North Herefordshire
Carla Denyer Green Bristol Central
Adrian Ramsay Green Waveney Valley
Lee Anderson Reform UK C Ashfield
Nigel Farage Reform UK Clacton
Rupert Lowe Reform UK Great Yarmouth
James McMurdock Reform UK Basildon South and East Thurrock
Richard Tice Reform UK Boston and Skegness
Shockat Adam Independent Leicester South
Jeremy Corbyn Independent L Islington North
Adnan Hussain Independent Blackburn
Ayoub Khan Independent Birmingham Perry Barr
Iqbal Mohamed Independent Dewsbury and Batley
2019 Caroline Lucas Green Brighton Pavilion
2017 Caroline Lucas Green Brighton Pavilion
2015 Caroline Lucas Green Brighton Pavilion
Douglas Carswell UKIP C Clacton
2010 Caroline Lucas Green Brighton Pavilion
2005 Richard Taylor Kidderminister Health Concern Wyre Forest
George Galloway Respect Party L Bethnal Green and Bow
Peter Law Independent L Blaenau Gwent
2001 Richard Taylor Kidderminister Health Concern Wyre Forest
1997 Martin Bell Independent Tatton
1974 Feb Dick Taverne Democratic Labour L Lincoln
Eddie Milne Independent Labour L Blyth
1970 S. O. Davies Independent Labour L Merthyr Tydfil
1959 David Robertson Independent Conservative C Caithness and Sutherland
1950 John MacLeod Independent Liberal and Conservative Ross and Cromarty
1945 John MacLeod Independent Liberal Ross and Cromarty

Independent candidates winning 10% or more

Independent candidates who did not win, but took 10% or more of the vote in their constituency

ConstituencyElectionCandidateVotesPercentagePositionNotes
Batley and Spen 2019Paul Halloran6,43212.23
Beaconsfield 2019 Dominic Grieve 16,76529.02Previously represented the seat for the Conservatives
Bethnal Green and Stepney 2024 Ajmal Masroor 14,20730.52
Birkenhead 2019 Frank Field 7,28517.22Previously represented the seat for Labour
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley 2024Shakeel Afsar7,14217.22
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley 2024Mohammad Hafeez6,15914.83
Birmingham Ladywood 2024Akhmed Yakoob12,13733.22Endorsed by the Workers Party of Britain
Bradford South 2024Rehiana Ali3,34510.15
Bradford West 2017 Salma Yaqoob 6,34513.93
Bradford West 2024Muhammed Islam11,01729.72
Buckingham 2017Scott Raven5,63810.73Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow
Chingford and Woodford Green 2024 Faiza Shaheen 12,44525.73Candidate for Labour in 2019 and was selected in 2022 to stand but was deselected after the election was announced.
Chorley 2019Mark Brexit-Smith9,43923.72Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle. Selected as a Brexit Party candidate, ran as an independent after the party withdrew
Ealing Southall 2001 Avtar Lit 5,76412.33
East Devon 2015 Claire Wright 13,14024.02
East Devon 2017 Claire Wright 21,27035.22
East Devon 2019 Claire Wright 25,86940.42
East Ham 2024Tahir Mirza6,70717.72
Fermanagh and South Tyrone 2001Jim Dixon6,84313.24
Fermanagh and South Tyrone 2010 Rodney Connor 21,30041.52Supported by the DUP and UUP
Fylde 2015Mike Hill5,16611.94
Hereford and South Herefordshire 2017Jim Kenyon5,56011.03
Heywood and Middleton North 2024Chris Furlong4,34911.74Endorsed by the Green Party of England and Wales
Holborn and St Pancras 2024 Andrew Feinstein 7,31218.92
Ilford North 2024Leanne Mohamad15,11932.22
Leicester East 2024 Claudia Webbe 5,53211.84Previously represented the seat for Labour. Endorsed by the Workers Party.
Middlesbrough 2019Antony High4,54814.23
Nelson and Colne 1966Patrick Downey5,11713.73The candidate was the uncle of Lesley Anne Downey, a victim in the Moors murders case, who stood against Labour candidate and opponent to capital punishment, Sydney Silverman on a pro-hanging platform.
Preston 2024 Michael Lavalette 8,71521.82
Sedgefield 2005 Reg Keys 4,25210.34Standing against the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair
South Holland and the Deepings 2024Mark Le Sage5,03110.94
South West Hertfordshire 2019 David Gauke 15,91926.02Previously represented the seat for the Conservatives
South West Norfolk 2024James Bagge6,28214.24
West Bromwich West 1997Richard Silvester8,54623.32Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd
West Tyrone 2005 Kieran Deeny 11,90527.42

Minor parties' other strong performance

Minor parties without representation in Parliament which won 10% or more of the votes cast:

PartyConstituencyElectionCandidateVotesPercentagePositionNotes
Alliance Belfast East 1983 Oliver Napier 9,37324.13
Alliance Belfast East 1987 John Alderdice 10,57432.12
Alliance Belfast East 1992 John Alderdice 10,65029.82
Alliance Belfast East 1997 Jim Hendron 9,28823.83
Alliance Belfast East 2001 David Alderdice 5,83215.83
Alliance Belfast East 2005 Naomi Long 15,44336.02The highest vote share ever achieved by a party with no MPs.
Alliance Belfast East 2017 Naomi Long 3,74612.23
Alliance Belfast South 1983 David Cook 8,94523.92
Alliance Belfast South 1987 David Cook 6,96321.32
Alliance Belfast South 1992John Montgomery5,05415.03
Alliance Belfast South 1997 Steve McBride 5,11212.94
Alliance Belfast South 2017 Paula Bradshaw 7,94618.23
Alliance East Antrim 1983 Seán Neeson 7,62020.03
Alliance East Antrim 1987 Seán Neeson 8,58225.62
Alliance East Antrim 1992 Seán Neeson 9,13223.33
Alliance East Antrim 1997 Seán Neeson 6,92920.22
Alliance East Antrim 2001John Matthews4,48312.53
Alliance East Antrim 2005 Seán Neeson 4,86915.33
Alliance East Antrim 2017 Stewart Dickson 5,95015.62
Alliance Lagan Valley 1983 Seamus Close 4,59311.33
Alliance Lagan Valley 1987 Seamus Close 5,72813.82
Alliance Lagan Valley 1992 Seamus Close 6,20712.72
Alliance Lagan Valley 1997 Seamus Close 7,63517.22
Alliance Lagan Valley 2001 Seamus Close 7,62416.62
Alliance Lagan Valley 2005 Seamus Close 4,31610.13
Alliance Lagan Valley 2017Aaron McIntyre4,99611.13
Alliance North Antrim 1987Gareth Williams5,14012.43
Alliance North Down 1983 John Cushnahan 9,01522.12
Alliance North Down 1987 John Cushnahan 7,93219.43
Alliance North Down 1992 Addie Morrow 6,61114.73
Alliance North Down 1997 Oliver Napier 7,55420.73
Alliance South Antrim 1983 Gordon Mawhinney 4,61211.93
Alliance South Antrim 1987 Gordon Mawhinney 5,80816.02
Alliance South Antrim 1992John Blair5,24412.43
Alliance South Antrim 1997 David Ford 4,66811.63
Alliance Strangford 1983 Addie Morrow 6,17115.83
Alliance Strangford 1987 Addie Morrow 7,55320.32
Alliance Strangford 1992 Kieran McCarthy 7,58516.93
Alliance Strangford 1997 Kieran McCarthy 5,46713.13
Alliance Strangford 2017 Kellie Armstrong 5,69314.72
Ashfield Ind. Ashfield 2019 Jason Zadrozny 13,49827.62
Ashfield Ind. Ashfield 2024 Jason Zadrozny 6,27615.73
Brexit Party Barnsley Central 2019Victoria Felton11,23330.42
Brexit Party Barnsley East 2019Jim Ferguson11,11229.22
Brexit Party Bassetlaw 2019Debbie Soloman5,36610.63
Brexit Party Blaenau Gwent 2019Richard Taylor6,21520.62
Brexit Party Blaydon 2019Michael Robinson5,83312.83
Brexit Party Caerphilly 2019 Nathan Gill 4,49011.24
Brexit Party Chesterfield 2019John Scotting4,77110.63
Brexit Party Cynon Valley 2019Rebecca Rees-Evans3,04510.13
Brexit Party Doncaster Central 2019Surjit Duhre6,84216.53
Brexit Party Doncaster North 2019Andy Stewart8,29420.43
Brexit Party North Durham 2019Peter Telford4,69311.13
Brexit Party Don Valley 2019Paul Whitehurst6,24713.73
Brexit Party Easington 2019Julie Maughan6,74419.53
Brexit Party Hartlepool 2019 Richard Tice 10,60325.83
Brexit Party Hemsworth 2019Waj Ali5,93013.53
Brexit Party Houghton and Sunderland South 2019Kevin Yuill6,16515.53
Brexit Party Kingston upon Hull East 2019Marten Hall5,76417.83
Brexit Party Kingston upon Hull North 2019Derek Abram4,77113.93
Brexit Party Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle 2019 Michelle Dewberry 5,63818.03
Brexit Party Islwyn 2019 James Wells 4,83414.13
Brexit Party Jarrow 2019Richard Leslie Monaghan4,17210.03
Brexit Party Makerfield 2019Ross Wright5,81713.13
Brexit Party Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 2019David Jones3,60411.23
Brexit Party North Durham 2019Peter Telford4,69311.13
Brexit Party North Tyneside 2019Andrew Husband5,25410.43
Brexit Party Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford 2019Deneice Florence-Jukes8,03216.63
Brexit Party Rhondda 2019John Watkins3,73312.64
Brexit Party Rother Valley 2019Allen Cowles6,26412.93
Brexit Party Rotherham 2019Paul Hague6,12517.23
Brexit Party Sheffield South East 2019Kirk Kus4,47810.73
Brexit Party South Shields 2019Glenn Michael Thompson6,44617.03
Brexit Party St Helens North 2019Malcolm Webster5,39611.33
Brexit Party St Helens South and Whiston 2019Daniel Oxley5,35310.63
Brexit Party Sunderland Central 2019Viral Parikh5,04711.63
Brexit Party Torfaen 2019David Thomas5,74215.43
Brexit Party Washington and Sunderland West 2019Howard Brown5,43914.53
Brexit Party Wentworth and Dearne 2019Stephen Cavell7,01916.93
Brexit Party Wigan 2019William Molloy5,95913.23
BNP Barking 2005 Richard Barnbrook 4,91616.93
BNP Barking 2010 Nick Griffin 6,62014.83
BNP Burnley 2001Steve Smith4,15111.34
BNP Burnley 2005Len Starr4,00310.15
BNP Dewsbury 2005David Exley5,06613.14
BNP Oldham West and Royton 2001 Nick Griffin 6,55216.43
BNP Rotherham 2010Marlene Guest3,90610.44
Buckinghamshire Campaign for Democracy Buckingham 2010 John Stevens 10,33121.42Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow
Burnley First Burnley 2005Harry Brooks5,78614.83
Green Brighton Pavilion 2005 Keith Taylor 9,57122.03
Green Lewisham Deptford 2005 Darren Johnson 3,36711.44
Green Norwich South 2010 Adrian Ramsay 7,09514.94
Ind. Network Slough 2024Azhar Chohan11,01925.52
Liberal Liverpool West Derby 2001 Steve Radford 4,60114.92
Liberal Liverpool West Derby 2005 Steve Radford 3,60611.83
National Democrats West Bromwich West 1997Steve Edwards4,18111.43Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd
NHA Wyre Forest 2015 Richard Taylor 7,22114.64Taylor had served as MP for the constituency from 2001 to 2010
NHA South West Surrey 2017 Louise Irvine 12,09320.02
Newham Independents West Ham and Beckton 2024Sophia Naqvi7,18019.82
NI Labour Belfast East 1974 Oct David Bleakley 8,12214.13
Orkney and Shetland Movement Orkney and Shetland 1987John Goodlad3,09514.54
People Before Profit Belfast West 2015 Gerry Carroll 6,79819.22Represented in the Dáil
People Before Profit Belfast West 2017 Gerry Carroll 4,13210.23Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Dáil
People Before Profit Belfast West 2019 Gerry Carroll 6,19416.03Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Dáil
People Before Profit Belfast West 2024 Gerry Carroll 5,04812.72Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Dáil
People's Justice Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath 2001Shafaq Hussain4,77013.03
PUP Belfast East 2001 David Ervine 3,66910.04
PUP Belfast South 1997 David Ervine 5,68714.43
Protestant Unionist Belfast North 1987 George Seawright 5,67115.43
Real Unionist North Down 1987 Bob McCartney 14,46735.42
Scottish Militant Labour Glasgow Pollok 1992 Tommy Sheridan 6,28719.32
Scottish Socialist Glasgow Pollok 1997 Tommy Sheridan 3,63911.13
Socialist Labour Glasgow North East 2005Doris Kelly4,03614.23Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin
Scottish Green Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 2024Amanda Grimm4,66910.23
Scottish Green Edinburgh North and Leith 2024Kayleigh O'Neill5,41710.93
Scottish Green Glasgow North 2024Iris Duane4,23312.23
Scottish Green Glasgow South 2024Niall Christie5,55413.13
TUV North Antrim 2010 Jim Allister 7,11416.82
UKIP Buckingham 2010 Nigel Farage 8,41017.43Standing against the then Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow
UKIP South Staffordshire 2005Malcolm Hurst2,67510.44Polling day delayed following death of Liberal Democrat candidate from original ballot.
Workers Party Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North 2024James Giles9,08926.62
Workers Party Birmingham Yardley 2024 Jody McIntyre 10,58229.32
Workers Party Blackburn 2024 Craig Murray 7,10518.33
Workers Party Bolton South and Walkden 2024Jack Khan4,67312.73
Workers Party Derby South 2024 Chris Williamson 5,20513.93
Workers Party Gorton and Denton 2024Amir Burney3,76610.34
Workers Party Luton North 2024Waheed Akbar3,91410.15
Workers Party Manchester Rusholme 2024Mohhamed Bilal3,66012.63
Workers Party Oldham East and Saddleworth 2024Shanaz Siddique4,64711.14
Workers Party Peterborough 2024Amjad Hussain5,05112.14
Workers Party Rochdale 2024 George Galloway 11,58729.22Galloway had served as MP for the constituency from February to May 2024

Miscellaneous notable results

Party wipeouts

Elections at which a party represented in Commons stood candidates but lost all of its seats. Parties that did not run any candidates, or whose MPs had all left and joined other parties prior to the election, are not counted.

  • 2024: Alba (2 seats)S, Workers' Party (1 seat)B
  • 2019: The Independent Group for Change (5 seats)S
  • 2017: SDLP (3 seats), UUP (2 seats), UKIP (1 seat)
  • 2015: Alliance (1 seat), Respect (1 seat)B
  • 2010: Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern (1 seat), Respect (1 seat), UUP (1 seat)
  • 2001: UK Unionist Party (1 seat)
  • 1992: Sinn Féin (1 seat)
  • 1979: Scottish Labour Party (2 seats)S
  • 1974 Oct: Democratic Labour (1 seat)
  • 1974 Feb: Unity (2 seats)
  • 1955: Sinn Féin (2 seats), Irish Labour (1 seat)
  • 1950: Communist Party of Great Britain (2 seats), Irish Labour (1 seat)S
S: Formed by a party split over the course of that parliament.
B: Seat won at a by-election, not the previous general election.

In 1997, the Conservatives saw a complete wipeout in Scotland and Wales, but won seats in England. The Welsh Liberal Democrats lost all their seats in 2015. The Welsh Conservatives once again saw a wipeout in 2024.

In some cases, party splits have led MPs to run as independents in groups that are not considered full-fledged parties. The Independents (2 MPs in 2019), Independent Social Democrats (3 MPs in 1992) and the Labour Independent Group (4 MPs in 1950) are examples of independent groupings with several members that were wiped out at general election.

Party leaders or deputy leaders losing their seats

ConstituencyElectionMPPositionParty
Alloa and Grangemouth 2024 Kenny MacAskill Deputy leader Alba
North Down 2024 Stephen Farry Deputy leader Alliance
Rochdale 2024 George Galloway Leader Workers Party
East Dunbartonshire 2019 Jo Swinson Leader Liberal Democrats
Broxtowe 2019 Anna Soubry Leader Change UK
Belfast North 2019 Nigel Dodds 1Deputy leader DUP
Moray 2017 Angus Robertson Deputy leader SNP
Belfast East 2015 Naomi Long Deputy leader Alliance
Bradford West 2015 George Galloway Leader Respect
Belfast East 2010 Peter Robinson Leader DUP
Upper Bann 2005 David Trimble Leader UUP
North Down 2001 Robert McCartney Leader UK Unionist
Belfast West 1992 Gerry Adams Leader Sinn Féin
Glasgow Govan 1992 Jim Sillars Deputy Leader SNP
Dundee East 1987 Gordon Wilson Leader SNP
Carmarthen 1979 Gwynfor Evans Leader Plaid Cymru
Cornwall North 1979 John Pardoe Deputy Leader Liberal
Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1974 October Harry West Leader UUP
Belper 1970 George Brown Deputy Leader Labour
Carmarthen 1970 Gwynfor Evans Leader Plaid Cymru
Huddersfield West 1964 Donald Wade Deputy Leader Liberal
Anglesey 1951 Megan Lloyd George Deputy Leader Liberal
Caithness and Sutherland 1945 Archibald Sinclair Leader Liberal
Edinburgh Leith 1945 Ernest Brown Leader National Liberal
Darwen 1935 Herbert Samuel Leader Liberal
Seaham 1935 Ramsay MacDonald Leader National Labour
Burnley 1931 Arthur Henderson Leader Labour
Manchester Platting 1931 John Robert Clynes Deputy Leader Labour
Paisley 1924 H. H. Asquith Leader Liberal
East Fife 1918 H. H. Asquith Leader Liberal
East Mayo 1918 John Dillon Leader Irish Parliamentary
Manchester East 1906 Arthur Balfour Leader Conservative
West Ham South 1895 Keir Hardie Leader Ind. Labour Party
Londonderry City 1892 Justin McCarthy 2Leader Irish National Federation
South West Lancashire 1868 William Ewart Gladstone 3Leader Liberal
1: Dodds was leader of the DUP at Westminster.
2: McCarthy was defeated in Londonderry City, the seat for which he had sat in the previous Parliament. He also stood in North Longford, where he was elected.
3: Gladstone was defeated in South West Lancashire, the seat for which he had sat in the previous Parliament. He also stood in Greenwich, where he was elected.

Incumbent Cabinet members losing their seats

ConstituencyElectionMPPositionParty
Portsmouth North 2024 Penny Mordaunt Leader of the House of Commons Conservative
Chichester 2024 Gillian Keegan Secretary of State for Education Conservative
Welwyn Hatfield 2024 Grant Shapps Secretary of State for Defence Conservative
Cheltenham 2024 Alex Chalk Secretary of State for Justice Conservative
Melksham and Devizes 2024 Michelle Donelan Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Conservative
Ely and East Cambridgeshire 2024 Lucy Frazer Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Conservative
Monmouthshire 2024 David TC Davies Secretary of State for Wales Conservative
Forest of Dean 2024 Mark Harper Secretary of State for Transport Conservative
Banbury 2024 Victoria Prentis Attorney General for England and Wales Conservative
Plymouth Moor View 2024 Johnny Mercer Minister of State for Veterans' Affairs Conservative
Mid Dorset and North Poole 2024 Michael Tomlinson Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration Conservative
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 2015 Danny Alexander Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liberal Democrats
Kingston and Surbiton 2015 Ed Davey Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Liberal Democrats
Twickenham 2015 Vince Cable Secretary of State for Business and Trade Liberal Democrats
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 1997 Ian Lang Secretary of State for Business and Trade Conservative
Edinburgh Pentlands 1997 Malcolm Rifkind Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Conservative
Stirling 1997 Michael Forsyth Secretary of State for Scotland Conservative
Enfield Southgate 1997 Michael Portillo Secretary of State for Defence Conservative
Kettering 1997 Roger Freeman Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Conservative
Braintree 1997 Tony Newton Leader of the House of Commons Conservative
Bristol West 1997 William Waldegrave Chief Secretary to the Treasury Conservative
Bath 1992 Chris Patten Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Conservative
Hertford and Stevenage 1979 Shirley Williams Secretary of State for Education and Science Labour
Moray and Nairn 1974 February Gordon Campbell Secretary of State for Scotland Conservative
Gloucester 1970 John Diamond Chief Secretary to the Treasury Labour
Doncaster 1964 Anthony Barber Minister of Health Conservative
Norwich South 1964 Geoffrey Rippon Minister of Public Works Conservative
Shipley 1950 Arthur Creech Jones Secretary of State for the Colonies Labour
Bournemouth East and Christchurch 1945 Brendan Bracken First Lord of the Admiralty Conservative
Crewe 1945 Donald Somervell Home Secretary Conservative
Stockton-on-Tees 1945 Harold Macmillan Secretary of State for Air Conservative
Cardiff East 1945 James Grigg Secretary of State for War Conservative
Birmingham Sparkbrook 1945 Leo Amery Secretary of State for India and Burma Conservative
Bassetlaw 1935 Malcolm MacDonald Secretary of State for the Colonies National Labour
Seaham 1935 Ramsay MacDonald Leader of the House of Commons National Labour
Birmingham Erdington 1929 Arthur Steel-Maitland Minister of Labour Conservative
Bradford East 1924 Fred Jowett First Commissioner of Works Labour
Salford South 1923 Anderson Montague-Barlow Minister of Labour Conservative
Bridgwater 1923 Robert Sanders Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Conservative
Taunton 1922 Arthur Griffith-Boscawen 2 Minister of Health Conservative
1: Walker was defeated in Smethwick in the 1964 election. He was still appointed as Foreign Secretary and fought the 1965 Leyton by-election which he lost, resigning from Cabinet as a result.
2: Griffith-Boscawen was appointed Minister of Agriculture and subsequently lost the 1921 Dudley by-election. He returned to Parliament in the 1921 Taunton by-election and was promoted to Minister of Health. Subsequently in the 1922 election, he lost his Taunton seat and was unsuccessful in returning to Parliament in the 1923 Mitcham by-election

Former Prime Ministers losing their seats

ConstituencyElectionPrime MinisterParty
South West Norfolk 2024 Liz Truss Conservative
Seaham 1935 Ramsay MacDonald National Labour
Paisley 1924 H. H. Asquith Liberal
East Fife 1918 H. H. Asquith Liberal
Manchester East 1906 Arthur Balfour Conservative

First general elections for a new political party

Listed below parties which have returned MPs, either at the listed election or a later one.

Asterisked – first election where party fielded candidates but MPs elected at later general election. Otherwise all parties listed returned MPs at first contested election.

Last general elections for defunct political parties

Listed below are parties which had returned MPs and which ceased to exist after the listed election:

* After the Liberal Party and SDP merged to form the Liberal Democrats, some members opposed to the merger formed new parties, the continuation Liberal Party and continuation Social Democratic Party. These parties are legally distinct from their predecessors and have never won a seat in Parliament.

General elections following electoral developments

Participation in, and outcome of, general elections can be influenced by changes in electoral law or practice.

  • women (aged 21 upwards) were eligible only to stand and (aged 30 upwards) were enfranchised
  • all adult males (aged 21 upwards) were enfranchised
  • polling was held on single day
  • postal voting (for armed forces personnel) was allowed
  • established a unified householder franchise
  • comprehensively redistributed parliamentary seats, abolishing many rotten boroughs
  • established 21 years as the youngest age of candidacy (reduced to 18 in 2006)

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Craig, F. W. S. (1968). British Parliamentary Election Statistics 1918–1968 . Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. p.  20. ISBN   0900178000.
  2. ↑ Election 2015: SNP wins 56 of 59 seats in Scots landslide BBC News 8 May 2015
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Tim Carr, The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015
  4. ↑ "Labour now has all 10 of the safest seats in UK, House of Commons analysis reveals". The Independent. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Election Statistics: UK 1918–2017". House of Commons Library. 23 April 2017. p. 12. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Keate, Noah (3 July 2024). "UK election: Top 5 biggest landslides since 1900". Politico. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, British electoral facts (Parliamentary Research Services)
  8. ↑ "Maidenhead parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. BBC.
  9. ↑ "Uxbridge & South Ruislip parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. BBC.
  10. ↑ "Putney [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net.
  11. ↑ "Islington North parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. BBC.
  12. ↑ "Uxbridge & South Ruislip parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. BBC.
  13. ↑ "1852 General Election - Drogheda". UK general election results 1832-2019. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "1874 General Election - Bewdley". UK general election results 1832-2019. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Ball, Stephen (11 September 2013). "A Victorian paradox explained: popular candidates with no votes". The Victorian Commons. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "2024 UK general election candidate summary". democracyclub.org.uk. 12 June 2024. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  17. ↑ Research Paper 05/33: General Election 2005 Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine , House of Commons Library
  18. ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1968). British Parliamentary Election Statistics 1918–1968 . Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. p.  65. ISBN   0900178000.
  19. ↑ "UK Election Statistics: 1918-2023: A century of elections". House of Commons Library. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ↑ "2024 UK general election candidate summary". democracyclub.org.uk. 12 June 2024. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  21. ↑ MacAskill, Ewen; Ratcliffe, Rebecca (8 May 2015). "Mhairi Black: the 20-year-old who beat a Labour heavyweight". The Guardian.
  22. ↑ James Keir Hardie 1856–1915 Archived 25 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine at Hunting Dead
  23. ↑ Chris Pond, Parliament and Religious Disabilities Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ "Martin Bell to run for MP again". BBC News. 8 December 2000. Retrieved 14 August 2012.

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