Elections in England
There are five types of elections in England: elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elections to the devolved London Assembly, local council elections, metro mayor elections, and the Police and crime commissioner elections, in addition to by-elections for each aforementioned election. Elections are held on Election Day, which is conventionally a Thursday. Since the passing of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 for UK general elections, all five types of elections are held after fixed periods, though early elections to the UK parliament can occur in certain situations. The three electoral systems used for elections in England are: first-past-the-post (for UK elections and local elections, though individual local authorities are able to move to STV under recent legislation), the additional member system (for Mayor and London Assembly elections) and the supplementary vote (for Police and Crime Commissioner elections; although proposals by the UK Government to change Assembly, Mayor and PCC elections to FPTP have been made).[1]
This article is part of a series within UK politics on the |
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UK Parliament
Since 1918, the Conservative Party has predominantly received the most English votes in UK general elections, winning a plurality 21 times out of 28. The other seven elections (1945, 1950, 1951, 1966, October 1974, 1997 and 2001) saw the popular vote in England being won by the Labour Party.[2]
1918
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 315 | N/A | 65.0 | ~3,140,000 | 39.5 | N/A | |||
Liberal | 107 | 22.1 | ~2,140,000 | 26.4 | |||||
Labour | 42 | 8.7 | ~1,810,000 | 22.5 | |||||
Other parties | 21 | 2.5 | ~690,000 | 8.5 | |||||
485 | 100 | ~8,050,000 | 100 |
1922
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 307 | N/A | ![]() |
63.3 | ~4,810,000 | 41.1 | N/A | ||
Labour | 95 | ![]() |
19.6 | ~3,370,000 | 28.8 | ||||
Liberal | 75 | ![]() |
15.5 | ~3,210,000 | 27.2 | ||||
Other parties | 8 | ![]() |
1.6 | ~310,000 | 2.5 | ||||
485 | N/A | 100 | ~11,700,000 | 100 |
1923
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 221 | N/A | ![]() |
45.6 | ~4,730,000 | 39.8 | N/A | ||
Labour | 138 | ![]() |
28.5 | ~3,550,000 | 29.7 | ||||
Liberal | 123 | ![]() |
25.4 | ~3,570,000 | 29.9 | ||||
Other parties | 3 | ![]() |
0.62 | ~70,000 | 0.6 | ||||
485 | N/A | 100 | ~11,930,000 | 100 |
1924
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 347 | N/A | ![]() |
71.5 | ~6,460,000 | 47.7 | N/A | ||
Labour | 109 | ![]() |
22.4 | ~4,470,000 | 32.8 | ||||
Liberal | 19 | ![]() |
3.9 | ~3,390,000 | 17.6 | ||||
Other parties | 10 | ![]() |
1.9 | ~250,000 | 0.6 | ||||
485 | N/A | 100 | ~13,560,000 | 100 |
1929
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Labour | 226 | N/A | ![]() |
46.6 | ~6,850,000 | 36.9 | N/A | ||
Conservative | 221 | ![]() |
45.5 | ~7,180,000 | 38.8 | ||||
Liberal | 35 | ![]() |
7.2 | ~4,340,000 | 23.6 | ||||
Other parties | 3 | ![]() |
2.0 | ~130,000 | 0.7 | ||||
485 | N/A | 100 | ~18,500,000 | 100 |
1931
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 436 | N/A | ![]() |
89.9 | ~11,480,000 | 63.3 | N/A | ||
Labour | 29 | ![]() |
5.98 | ~7,180,000 | 30.2 | ||||
Liberal | 19 | ![]() |
3.91 | ~1,040,000 | 6.0 | ||||
Other parties | 1 | ![]() |
0.2 | ~100,000 | 0.5 | ||||
485 | N/A | 100 | ~18,080,000 | 100 |
1935
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 357 | N/A | ![]() |
73.6 | ~9,990,000 | 54.5 | N/A | ||
Labour | 116 | ![]() |
23.9 | ~7,050,000 | 38.5 | ||||
Liberal | 11 | ![]() |
2.26 | ~1,110,000 | 6.3 | ||||
Other parties | 1 | ![]() |
0.2 | ~120,000 | 0.7 | ||||
485 | N/A | 100 | ~18,270,000 | 100 |
1945
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Labour | 331 | N/A | ![]() |
64.9 | ~9,970,000 | 48.5 | N/A | ||
Conservative | 167 | ![]() |
32.7 | ~8,270,000 | 40.2 | ||||
Liberal | 5 | ![]() |
0.98 | ~1,910,000 | 9.4 | ||||
Other parties | 7 | ![]() |
1.37 | ~380,000 | 1.9 | ||||
510 | N/A | 100 | ~20,540,000 | 100 |
1950
Party | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Labour | 251 | N/A | ![]() |
46.1 | ~11,050,000 | 48.5 | N/A | ||
Conservative | 253 | ![]() |
43.8 | ~10,500,000 | 40.2 | ||||
Liberal | 2 | ![]() |
0.98 | ~2,250,000 | 9.4 | ||||
Other parties | 0 | ![]() |
1.37 | ~160,000 | 1.9 | ||||
506 | N/A | 100 | ~23,950,000 | 100 |
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
February 1974
October 1974
1979
1983
Party[3] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 362 | N/A | N/A | ![]() |
69.2 | 11,711,519 | 46.0 | ![]() | |
Labour | 148 | N/A | N/A | ![]() |
28.3 | 6,862,422 | 26.8 | ![]() | |
Alliance | 13 | N/A | N/A | ![]() |
2.5 | 6,714,957 | 26.4 | ![]() | |
Other parties | 0 | N/A | N/A | ![]() |
— | 183,748 | 0.7 | ![]() | |
25,472,646 | 72.5 |
1987
Party[4] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 358 | 9 | 13 | ![]() |
68.5 | 12,546,186 | 46.2 | ![]() | |
Labour | 155 | 13 | 6 | ![]() |
29.6 | 8,006,466 | 29.5 | ![]() | |
Alliance | 10 | 2 | 5 | ![]() |
1.9 | 6,467,350 | 23.8 | ![]() | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 113,520 | 0.4 | ![]() | |
27,133,522 | 75.4 | ![]() |
1992
Party[5] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 319 | 1 | 40 | ![]() |
60.9 | 12,796,772 | 45.5 | ![]() | |
Labour | 195 | 40 | 0 | ![]() |
37.2 | 9,551,910 | 33.9 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 10 | 4 | 4 | ![]() |
1.9 | 5,398,293 | 19.2 | ![]() | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 401,531 | 1.4 | ![]() | |
28,148,506 | 78.0 |
1997
Party[6] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Labour | 328 | 133 | 1 | ![]() |
62.0 | 11,347,882 | 43.5 | ![]() | |
Conservative | 165 | 0 | 159 | ![]() |
31.2 | 8,780,881 | 33.7 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 34 | 26 | 1 | ![]() |
6.4 | 4,677,565 | 18.0 | ![]() | |
Referendum | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 746,624 | 2.9 | N/A | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 103,521 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 69,464 | 0.3 | ![]() | |
Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 60,013 | 0.2 | ![]() | |
Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 44,516 | 0.2 | ![]() | |
Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 44,114 | 0.2 | N/A | |
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 35,181 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Natural Law | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 25,958 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Independent Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 24,447 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Speaker | 1 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 24,447 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Ind. Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 18,667 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Prolife Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 13,890 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 42,020 | 0.2 | N/A | |
26,058,712 | 71.5 | ![]() |
2001
Party[7] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Labour | 323 | 1 | 6 | ![]() |
61.1 | 9,056,824 | 41.4 | ![]() | |
Conservative | 165 | 8 | 8 | ![]() |
31.2 | 7,705,870 | 35.2 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 40 | 8 | 2 | ![]() |
8.1 | 4,246,853 | 19.4 | ![]() | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 374,775 | 1.7 | ![]() | |
Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 158,173 | 0.7 | ![]() | |
Independent | 0 | 0 | 1 | ![]() |
— | 79,559 | 0.4 | ![]() | |
Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 55,295 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 51,299 | 0.2 | ![]() | |
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 46,851 | 0.2 | ![]() | |
Health Concern | 1 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 28,487 | 0.1 | N/A | |
Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 13,302 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 53,474 | 0.2 | N/A | |
21,870,762 | 59.1 | ![]() |
2005
Party[8] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Labour | 286 | 0 | 37 | ![]() |
54.1 | 8,043,461 | 35.4 | ![]() | |
Conservative | 194 | 32 | 3 | ![]() |
36.7 | 8,116,005 | 35.7 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 47 | 12 | 5 | ![]() |
8.9 | 5,201,286 | 22.9 | ![]() | |
Respect | 1 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 67,422 | 0.3 | ![]() | |
Health Concern | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 18,739 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.0 | 592,417 | 2.6 | ![]() | |
Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.0 | 251,051 | 1.1 | ![]() | |
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.0 | 189,570 | 0.8 | ![]() | |
Veritas | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.0 | 39,044 | 0.2 | New | |
Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.0 | 17,547 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Others | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.0 | 177,343 | 0.8 | N/A | |
22,713,855 | 61.0 | ![]() |
2010
Party[9] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 297 | 95 | 4 | ![]() |
55.7 | 9,908,169 | 39.5 | ![]() | |
Labour | 191 | 2 | 89 | ![]() |
35.8 | 7,042,398 | 28.1 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 43 | 8 | 12 | ![]() |
8.1 | 6,076,189 | 24.2 | ![]() | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 866,633 | 3.5 | ![]() | |
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 532,333 | 2.1 | ![]() | |
Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 258,954 | 1.0 | ![]() | |
English Democrat | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 64,826 | 0.3 | ![]() | |
Respect | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 33,251 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Speaker | 1 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 22,860 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Health Concern | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 16,150 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Christian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15,841 | 0.1 | N/A | |
National Front | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10,400 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8,404 | 0.0 | N/A | |
Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4,368 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 224,341 | 0.9 | ![]() | |
25,085,097 | 65.5 | ![]() |
2015
Party[10] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 318 | 32 | 11 | ![]() |
59.7 | 10,483,261 | 40.9 | ![]() | |
Labour | 206 | 21 | 6 | ![]() |
38.6 | 8,087,684 | 31.6 | ![]() | |
UKIP | 1 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 3,611,367 | 14.1 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 6 | 0 | 37 | ![]() |
1.1 | 2,098,404 | 8.2 | ![]() | |
Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 1,073,242 | 4.2 | ![]() | |
Speaker | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 34,617 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 32,868 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
National Health Action | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 20,210 | 0.1 | New | |
Respect | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 9,989 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Yorkshire First | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 6,811 | 0.0 | New | |
English Democrat | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 6,431 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
CISTA | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 4,569 | 0.0 | New | |
Monster Raving Loony | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 3,432 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
CPA | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 3,260 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 1,667 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Class War | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 526 | 0.0 | New | |
Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 127,133 | 0.5 | ![]() | |
25,571,204 | 65.9 | ![]() |
2017
Party[11] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 296 | 8 | 30 | ![]() |
55.5 | 12,344,901 | 45.4 | ![]() | |
Labour | 227 | 27 | 6 | ![]() |
42.6 | 11,390,099 | 41.9 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 8 | 5 | 3 | ![]() |
1.5 | 2,121,810 | 7.8 | ![]() | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 1 | ![]() |
— | 557,390 | 2.1 | ![]() | |
Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 506,969 | 1.9 | ![]() | |
Speaker | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 34,299 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Yorkshire | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 20,958 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
National Health Action | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 16,119 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
CPA | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 5,869 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 4,642 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Monster Raving Loony | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 3,733 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Women's Equality | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 3,066 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
English Democrat | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 1,913 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Pirate | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 1,875 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Workers Revolutionary | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 771 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
SDP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 321 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Others | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 151,054 | 0.6 | ![]() | |
Total | 533 | 27,165,789 | Turnout | 69.1 |
2019
Party[12] | Seats | Votes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Gains | Losses | Net +/- | % seats | Total votes | % votes | Change | ||
Conservative | 345 | 52 | 3 | ![]() |
64.7 | 12,710,845 | 47.2 | ![]() | |
Labour | 180 | 1 | 48 | ![]() |
33.7 | 9,152,034 | 34.0 | ![]() | |
Liberal Democrats | 7 | 2 | 3 | ![]() |
1.3 | 3,340,835 | 12.4 | ![]() | |
Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
0.2 | 819,751 | 3.0 | ![]() | |
Brexit Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 545,172 | 2.0 | ![]() | ||
Yorkshire | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 29,201 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 18,891 | 0.1 | ![]() | |
Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 10,876 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Change UK | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 10,006 | 0.0 | new | |
Monster Raving Loony | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 9,394 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
CPA | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 6,246 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Animal Welfare | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 3,086 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
SDP | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 3,000 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
English Democrat | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 1,987 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Libertarian | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 1,375 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Workers Revolutionary | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 524 | 0.0 | ![]() | |
Advance | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 351 | 0.0 | new | |
Others | 0 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
— | 246,094 | 0.9 | ![]() | |
26,909,668 | 67.4 | ![]() |
Note: the above figures include the Speaker being counted in the Labour totals, despite the Speaker being non-partisan.
London mayor
The mayor of London is elected by the supplementary vote method for a fixed term of four years, with elections taking place in May. As with most elected posts in the United Kingdom, there is a deposit (in this case of £10,000), which is returnable on the candidate's winning of at least 5% of the first-choice votes cast.
See also
References
- Woodcock, Andrew (16 March 2021). "Priti Patel under fire over plan to change voting system for London mayor". The Independent. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- Pilling, Sam; Cracknell, Richard (18 August 2021). "UK Election Statistics: 1918-2021: A Century of Elections" (PDF). House of Commons Library. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- "GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS, 9 JUNE 1983" (PDF). 1984. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- "GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS, 11 JUNE 1987" (PDF). 1989. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- "GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS, 9 APRIL 1992" (PDF). 1993. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- "General election results 1 May 1997". 9 May 1997. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- Morgan, Bryn (12 June 2021). "General election results, 7 June 2001" (PDF): 12. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
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: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - "Election 2005 | Results | England". BBC News. 10 May 2005. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- "Election 2010 Results England". BBC News.
- Election 2015 Results England BBC News
- "England Results". BBC News.
- "Results of the 2019 General Election in England". BBC News.