Our elections place a big emphasis on winners and losers. When you look at the numbers the picture isn't quite so clear.

The startling fact of the elections in the 2000s has been their low turnout – around 60 per cent, compared to a norm of 75 per cent for most of the post-war period. Labour won both elections with comfortable parliamentary majorities despite, in 2005, a lack of public enthusiasm for the government and only 35 per cent of the popular vote.

Some general trends are als clear  from the statistics. The most dramatic has been the decline of the combined vote share of the Labour and Conservative parties from around 90 per cent for most elections between 1945 and 1970 to under 70 per cent in 2005. The proportion of MPs from other parties has risen, but not in line with the proportion of votes. Another trend has been for lower turnout – it was around 80 per cent in the 1950s, but only around 60 per cent in the last two elections.

 

2000s

The startling fact of the elections in the 2000s has been their low turnout – around 60 per cent, compared to a norm of 75 per cent for most of the post-war period. Labour won both elections with comfortable parliamentary majorities despite, in 2005, a lack of public enthusiasm for the government and only 35 per cent of the popular vote.

June 2001

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	10,724,895	40.7	412	62.5
Conservative	8,357,622	31.7	166	25.2
Liberal Democrats	4,812,833	18.3	52	7.9
S.N.P.	464,305	1.8	5	0.8
Plaid Cymru	195,892	0.7	4	0.6
UKIP	390,575	1.5	--	--
Green	166,487	0.6	--	--
Scottish Socialist Party	72,279	0.3	--	--
Socialist Alliance	60,496	0.2	--	--
S.L.P.	57,536	0.2	--	--
N. Irish Parties	810,374	3.1	18	2.7
Others	255,504	0.9	2	0.3
Totals:	26,368,798	100.0	659	100.0

May 2005

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	9,566,618	35.2	356	55.1
Conservative	8,785,941	32.4	198	30.7
Liberal Democrats	5,985,414	22.0	62	9.6
D.U.P.	241,856	0.9	9	1.4
S.N.P.	412,267	1.5	6	0.9
Sinn Fein	174,530	0.7	5	0.8
Plaid Cymru	174,838	0.6	3	0.5
S.D.L.P.	125,626	0.5	3	0.5
U.U.P.	127,414	0.5	1	0.2
Respect	68,094	0.3	1	0.2
Independent	18,739	0.1	1	0.2
UKIP	605,973	2.2	--	--
Green	257,695	1.0	--	--
BNP	192,746	0.7	--	--
Scottish Socialist Party	43,514	0.2	--	--
Veritas	40,481	0.1	--	--
Alliance	28,291	0.1	--	--
Scottish Greens	25,760	0.1	--	--
Liberal	19,068	0.1	--	--
Others	252,466	0.8	1	0.2
Totals:	27,148,975	100.0	646	100.0

 

1990s

The two elections of the 1990s were very different. In 1992 the Conservatives won a narrow overall majority, although their lead in votes over Labour was quite large. In 1997 Labour won a massive landslide and the Liberal Democrats won more than double their seats of 1992, despite a lower share of the vote. The decade saw the development of tactical voting against the Conservatives and the resulting growth in anti-Conservative bias in the electoral system.

 

April 1992

April 1992

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,559,735	34.4	271	41.6
Conservative	14,092,891	41.9	336	51.6
Liberal Democrats	5,999,384	17.8	20	3.1
Green	170,083	0.5	--	--
Plaid Cymru	154,439	0.5	4	0.6
S.N.P.	629,552	1.9	3	0.5
N. Irish Parties	740,485	2.2	17	2.6
Others	266,124	0.8	--	--
Totals:	33,612,693	100.0	651	100.0

May 1997

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,530,748	43.3	418	63.3
Conservative	9,600,470	30.7	165	25.0
Liberal Democrats	5,231,519	16.7	46	7.0
S.N.P.	616,540	2.0	6	0.9
Plaid Cymru	161,030	0.5	4	0.6
Referendum	811,829	2.6	--	--
UK Independent	106,011	0.3	--	--
Green	64,991	0.2	--	--
S.L.P.	52,098	0.2	--	--
N. Irish Parties	780,920	2.5	18	2.7
Others	326,670	1.0	2	0.3
Totals:	31,282,826	100.0	659	100.0

 

1980s

The two elections of the 1980s saw the Conservatives win landslide majorities, although based only on the support of around 42 per cent of those voting. The SDP-Liberal Alliance was particularly harshly treated by the electoral system, with over a quarter of the vote in 1983 resulting in only 3.5 per cent of seats. The case for electoral reform steadily gained ground within the Labour Party.

June 1983

June 1983

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	8,456,934	27.6	209	32.2
Conservative	13,012,316	42.4	397	61.1
Liberal/SDP	7,780,949	25.4	23	3.5
Communist	11,606	0.0	--	--
Plaid Cymru	125,309	0.4	2	0.3
S.N.P.	331,975	1.1	2	0.3
N. Irish Parties	764,925	2.5	17	2.6
Others	187,125	0.6	--	--
Totals:	30,671,137	100.0	650	100.0

June 1987

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	10,029,807	30.8	229	35.2
Conservative	13,760,583	42.3	376	57.8
Liberal/SDP	7,341,633	22.6	22	3.4
Green	89,753	0.3	--	--
Plaid Cymru	123,599	0.4	3	0.5
S.N.P.	416,473	1.3	3	0.5
N. Irish Parties	730,152	2.2	17	2.6
Others	37,578	0.1	--	--
Totals:	32,529,578	100.0	650	100.0

1970s

The 1970s were dubbed the ‘decade of dealignment’ by academic Ivor Crewe, and with good reason. Turnout fell in 1970 to a then alarming low of 72 per cent. Voting behaviour in different parts of the country started to diverge. Polls found fewer voters who were loyal to the parties. In February 1974, the shares of the vote for both main parties fell dramatically and the Liberals and Nationalists gained. However, this big movement in votes was not reflected in seats, and despite winning 19 per cent of the vote in February 1974 the Liberals had only 14 seats. At a national level, Labour had slightly more seats in a hung parliament, although the Conservatives had more votes. The two-party system never recovered its hold on the electorate, although its continuing dominance of parliament fuelled the campaign for electoral reform.

June 1970

May 1970

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,208,758	43.1	288	45.7
Conservative	13,145,123	46.4	330	52.4
Liberal	2,117,035	7.5	6	0.9
Communist	37,970	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	175,016	0.6	--	--
S.N.P.	306,802	1.1	1	0.2
Others*	354,094	1.2	5	0.8
Totals:	28,344,798	100.0	630	100.0

February 1974

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,645,616	37.2	301	47.4
Conservative	11,872,180	37.9	297	46.8
Liberal	6,059,519	19.3	14	2.2
Communist	32,743	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	171,374	0.5	2	0.3
S.N.P.	633,180	2.0	7	1.1
N. Irish Parties	717,626	2.3	12	1.9
Others	207,924	0.7	2	0.3
Totals:	31,340,164	100.0	635	100.0

October 1974

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,457,079	39.2	319	50.2
Conservative	10,462,565	35.8	277	43.6
Liberal	5,346,704	18.3	13	2.0
Communist	17,426	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	166,321	0.6	3	0.5
S.N.P.	839.617	2.9	11	1.7
N. Irish Parties	702,094	2.4	12	1.9
Others	197,298	0.7	--	0.1
Totals:	29,189,104	100.0	635	100.0

May 1979

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,532,218	36.9	269	42.4
Conservative	13,697923	43.9	339	53.4
Liberal	4,313,804	13.8	11	1.7
Communist	16,858	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	132,544	0.4	2	0.3
S.N.P.	504,259	1.6	2	0.3
N. Irish Parties	695,887	2.2	12	1.9
Others	327,869	1.1	--	--
Totals:	31,221,362	100.0	635	100.0

1960s

Labour won both the elections of the 1960s – with a narrow majority in 1964 and a big win in 1966. The 1964 election saw a considerable rise in Liberal Party support, with its – incomplete – set of candidates winning 11 per cent of the national vote, which would have translated proportionally into perhaps 50 or 60 seats rather than the 9 they actually won.

October 1964

October 1964

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,205,808	44.1	317	50.3
Conservative	12,002,642	43.4	304	48.3
Liberal	3,099,283	11.2	9	1.4
Communist	46,442	0.2	--	--
Plaid Cymru	69,507	0.3	--	--
S.N.P.	64,044	0.2	--	--
Others	169,422	0.6	--	--
Totals:	27,657,148	100.0	630	100.0

March 1966

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,096,629	48.0	364	57.8
Conservative	11,418,455	41.9	253	40.1
Liberal	2,327,457	8.5	12	1.9
Communist	62,092	0.2	--	--
Plaid Cymru	61,071	0.2	--	--
S.N.P.	128,474	0.5	--	--
Others	170,569	0.6	1	0.2
Totals:	27,264,747	100.0	630	100.0

 

1950s

The 1950's marked the high point of the two-party system. The Conservatives and Labour dominated parliamentary representation and the popular vote. Turnout was consistently high, exceeding 80 per cent in 1950 and 1951. The Liberals did not fight every seat - in 1951 and 1955 they contested little over 100 seats, and many constituencies were ‘straight fights’ between Labour and Conservative. In the 1951 election, the Conservatives won an overall majority despite polling fewer votes than Labour. In 1955 the Conservatives came as close as any party since the war to having a majority of votes cast. Voting behaviour in the 1950s tended to be stable and class-based.

 Feburary 1950

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,266,176	46.1	315	50.4
Conservative	12,492,404	43.4	298	47.7
Liberal	2,621,487	9.1	9	1.4
Communist	91,765	0.3	--	--
Plaid Cymru	17,580	0.1	--	--
S.N.P.	9,708	0.0	--	--
Others	272,004	0.9	3	0.5
Totals:	28,771,124	99.9	625	100.0

October 1951

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,948,883	48.8	295	47.2
Conservative	13,718,199	48.0	321	51.3
Liberal	730,546	2.5	6	0.9
Communist	21,640	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	10,920	0.0	--	--
S.N.P.	7,299	0.0	--	--
Others	159,107	0.6	3	0.6
Totals:	28,596,594	100.0	625	100.0

May 1955

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,405,254	46.4	277	44.0
Conservative	13,310,891	49.7	345	54.8
Liberal	722,402	2.7	6	0.9
Communist	33,144	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	45,119	0.2	--	--
S.N.P.	12,112	0.0	--	--
Others	230,804	0.9	2	0.3
Totals:	26,759,729	100.0	578	100.0

October 1959

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,216,172	43.8	258	40.9
Conservative	13,750,875	49.4	365	57.9
Liberal	1,640,760	5.9	6	0.9
Communist	30,896	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	77,571	0.3	--	--
S.N.P.	21,738	0.1	--	--
Others	124,640	0.4	1	0.3
Totals:	27,862,652	100.0	630	100.0

1940s

The 1945 election was the first for nearly 10 years, because of the prolongation of Parliament during the war. Several new seats were created in areas of population growth but most boundaries dated back to 1918. It was the first overall majority Labour had ever won, and until 1997 it was Labour’s high tide in terms of seats.

May 1945

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,967,746	47.7	393	61.4
Conservative	9,972,010	39.7	210	32.8
Liberal	2,252,430	9.0	12	1.9
Communist	102,780	0.4	2	0.3
Plaid Cymru	16,017	0.1	--	--
S.N.P.	30,595	0.1	--	--
Others	753,617	3.0	23	3.6
Totals:	25,095,195	100.0	640	100.0

Elections for the House of Commons take place at least every five years. Each constituency returns a single member of parliament (MP) using the ‘First Past the Post’ system. The following tables summarise the outcomes of all general elections since 1945.

Some general trends are apparent from the statistics. The most dramatic has been the decline of the combined vote share of the Labour and Conservative parties from around 90 per cent for most elections between 1945 and 1970 to under 70 per cent in 2005. The proportion of MPs from other parties has risen, but not in line with the proportion of votes. Another trend has been for lower turnout – it was around 80 per cent in the 1950s, but only around 60 per cent in the last two elections.

The overall figures cannot show other trends, such as the polarisation of major party support that took place particularly between 1964 and 1992. In 1955 the Conservatives had six of Liverpool’s nine MPs – and Labour had two of rural Norfolk’s allocation of four. But the results must be a starting point for discussion of the way the British electoral system operates.

The startling fact of the elections in the 2000s has been their low turnout – around 60 per cent, compared to a norm of 75 per cent for most of the post-war period. Labour won both elections with comfortable parliamentary majorities despite, in 2005, a lack of public enthusiasm for the government and only 35 per cent of the popular vote.

 

2000s

The startling fact of the elections in the 2000s has been their low turnout – around 60 per cent, compared to a norm of 75 per cent for most of the post-war period. Labour won both elections with comfortable parliamentary majorities despite, in 2005, a lack of public enthusiasm for the government and only 35 per cent of the popular vote.

June 2001

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	10,724,895	40.7	412	62.5
Conservative	8,357,622	31.7	166	25.2
Liberal Democrats	4,812,833	18.3	52	7.9
S.N.P.	464,305	1.8	5	0.8
Plaid Cymru	195,892	0.7	4	0.6
UKIP	390,575	1.5	--	--
Green	166,487	0.6	--	--
Scottish Socialist Party	72,279	0.3	--	--
Socialist Alliance	60,496	0.2	--	--
S.L.P.	57,536	0.2	--	--
N. Irish Parties	810,374	3.1	18	2.7
Others	255,504	0.9	2	0.3
Totals:	26,368,798	100.0	659	100.0

May 2005

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	9,566,618	35.2	356	55.1
Conservative	8,785,941	32.4	198	30.7
Liberal Democrats	5,985,414	22.0	62	9.6
D.U.P.	241,856	0.9	9	1.4
S.N.P.	412,267	1.5	6	0.9
Sinn Fein	174,530	0.7	5	0.8
Plaid Cymru	174,838	0.6	3	0.5
S.D.L.P.	125,626	0.5	3	0.5
U.U.P.	127,414	0.5	1	0.2
Respect	68,094	0.3	1	0.2
Independent	18,739	0.1	1	0.2
UKIP	605,973	2.2	--	--
Green	257,695	1.0	--	--
BNP	192,746	0.7	--	--
Scottish Socialist Party	43,514	0.2	--	--
Veritas	40,481	0.1	--	--
Alliance	28,291	0.1	--	--
Scottish Greens	25,760	0.1	--	--
Liberal	19,068	0.1	--	--
Others	252,466	0.8	1	0.2
Totals:	27,148,975	100.0	646	100.0

 

1990s

The two elections of the 1990s were very different. In 1992 the Conservatives won a narrow overall majority, although their lead in votes over Labour was quite large. In 1997 Labour won a massive landslide and the Liberal Democrats won more than double their seats of 1992, despite a lower share of the vote. The decade saw the development of tactical voting against the Conservatives and the resulting growth in anti-Conservative bias in the electoral system.

 

April 1992

April 1992

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,559,735	34.4	271	41.6
Conservative	14,092,891	41.9	336	51.6
Liberal Democrats	5,999,384	17.8	20	3.1
Green	170,083	0.5	--	--
Plaid Cymru	154,439	0.5	4	0.6
S.N.P.	629,552	1.9	3	0.5
N. Irish Parties	740,485	2.2	17	2.6
Others	266,124	0.8	--	--
Totals:	33,612,693	100.0	651	100.0

May 1997

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,530,748	43.3	418	63.3
Conservative	9,600,470	30.7	165	25.0
Liberal Democrats	5,231,519	16.7	46	7.0
S.N.P.	616,540	2.0	6	0.9
Plaid Cymru	161,030	0.5	4	0.6
Referendum	811,829	2.6	--	--
UK Independent	106,011	0.3	--	--
Green	64,991	0.2	--	--
S.L.P.	52,098	0.2	--	--
N. Irish Parties	780,920	2.5	18	2.7
Others	326,670	1.0	2	0.3
Totals:	31,282,826	100.0	659	100.0

 

1980s

The two elections of the 1980s saw the Conservatives win landslide majorities, although based only on the support of around 42 per cent of those voting. The SDP-Liberal Alliance was particularly harshly treated by the electoral system, with over a quarter of the vote in 1983 resulting in only 3.5 per cent of seats. The case for electoral reform steadily gained ground within the Labour Party.

June 1983

June 1983

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	8,456,934	27.6	209	32.2
Conservative	13,012,316	42.4	397	61.1
Liberal/SDP	7,780,949	25.4	23	3.5
Communist	11,606	0.0	--	--
Plaid Cymru	125,309	0.4	2	0.3
S.N.P.	331,975	1.1	2	0.3
N. Irish Parties	764,925	2.5	17	2.6
Others	187,125	0.6	--	--
Totals:	30,671,137	100.0	650	100.0

June 1987

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	10,029,807	30.8	229	35.2
Conservative	13,760,583	42.3	376	57.8
Liberal/SDP	7,341,633	22.6	22	3.4
Green	89,753	0.3	--	--
Plaid Cymru	123,599	0.4	3	0.5
S.N.P.	416,473	1.3	3	0.5
N. Irish Parties	730,152	2.2	17	2.6
Others	37,578	0.1	--	--
Totals:	32,529,578	100.0	650	100.0

1970s

The 1970s were dubbed the ‘decade of dealignment’ by academic Ivor Crewe, and with good reason. Turnout fell in 1970 to a then alarming low of 72 per cent. Voting behaviour in different parts of the country started to diverge. Polls found fewer voters who were loyal to the parties. In February 1974, the shares of the vote for both main parties fell dramatically and the Liberals and Nationalists gained. However, this big movement in votes was not reflected in seats, and despite winning 19 per cent of the vote in February 1974 the Liberals had only 14 seats. At a national level, Labour had slightly more seats in a hung parliament, although the Conservatives had more votes. The two-party system never recovered its hold on the electorate, although its continuing dominance of parliament fuelled the campaign for electoral reform.

June 1970

May 1970

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,208,758	43.1	288	45.7
Conservative	13,145,123	46.4	330	52.4
Liberal	2,117,035	7.5	6	0.9
Communist	37,970	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	175,016	0.6	--	--
S.N.P.	306,802	1.1	1	0.2
Others*	354,094	1.2	5	0.8
Totals:	28,344,798	100.0	630	100.0

February 1974

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,645,616	37.2	301	47.4
Conservative	11,872,180	37.9	297	46.8
Liberal	6,059,519	19.3	14	2.2
Communist	32,743	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	171,374	0.5	2	0.3
S.N.P.	633,180	2.0	7	1.1
N. Irish Parties	717,626	2.3	12	1.9
Others	207,924	0.7	2	0.3
Totals:	31,340,164	100.0	635	100.0

October 1974

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,457,079	39.2	319	50.2
Conservative	10,462,565	35.8	277	43.6
Liberal	5,346,704	18.3	13	2.0
Communist	17,426	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	166,321	0.6	3	0.5
S.N.P.	839.617	2.9	11	1.7
N. Irish Parties	702,094	2.4	12	1.9
Others	197,298	0.7	--	0.1
Totals:	29,189,104	100.0	635	100.0

May 1979

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,532,218	36.9	269	42.4
Conservative	13,697923	43.9	339	53.4
Liberal	4,313,804	13.8	11	1.7
Communist	16,858	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	132,544	0.4	2	0.3
S.N.P.	504,259	1.6	2	0.3
N. Irish Parties	695,887	2.2	12	1.9
Others	327,869	1.1	--	--
Totals:	31,221,362	100.0	635	100.0

1960s

Labour won both the elections of the 1960s – with a narrow majority in 1964 and a big win in 1966. The 1964 election saw a considerable rise in Liberal Party support, with its – incomplete – set of candidates winning 11 per cent of the national vote, which would have translated proportionally into perhaps 50 or 60 seats rather than the 9 they actually won.

October 1964

October 1964

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,205,808	44.1	317	50.3
Conservative	12,002,642	43.4	304	48.3
Liberal	3,099,283	11.2	9	1.4
Communist	46,442	0.2	--	--
Plaid Cymru	69,507	0.3	--	--
S.N.P.	64,044	0.2	--	--
Others	169,422	0.6	--	--
Totals:	27,657,148	100.0	630	100.0

March 1966

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,096,629	48.0	364	57.8
Conservative	11,418,455	41.9	253	40.1
Liberal	2,327,457	8.5	12	1.9
Communist	62,092	0.2	--	--
Plaid Cymru	61,071	0.2	--	--
S.N.P.	128,474	0.5	--	--
Others	170,569	0.6	1	0.2
Totals:	27,264,747	100.0	630	100.0

 

1950s

The 1950's marked the high point of the two-party system. The Conservatives and Labour dominated parliamentary representation and the popular vote. Turnout was consistently high, exceeding 80 per cent in 1950 and 1951. The Liberals did not fight every seat - in 1951 and 1955 they contested little over 100 seats, and many constituencies were ‘straight fights’ between Labour and Conservative. In the 1951 election, the Conservatives won an overall majority despite polling fewer votes than Labour. In 1955 the Conservatives came as close as any party since the war to having a majority of votes cast. Voting behaviour in the 1950s tended to be stable and class-based.

 Feburary 1950

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,266,176	46.1	315	50.4
Conservative	12,492,404	43.4	298	47.7
Liberal	2,621,487	9.1	9	1.4
Communist	91,765	0.3	--	--
Plaid Cymru	17,580	0.1	--	--
S.N.P.	9,708	0.0	--	--
Others	272,004	0.9	3	0.5
Totals:	28,771,124	99.9	625	100.0

October 1951

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	13,948,883	48.8	295	47.2
Conservative	13,718,199	48.0	321	51.3
Liberal	730,546	2.5	6	0.9
Communist	21,640	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	10,920	0.0	--	--
S.N.P.	7,299	0.0	--	--
Others	159,107	0.6	3	0.6
Totals:	28,596,594	100.0	625	100.0

May 1955

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,405,254	46.4	277	44.0
Conservative	13,310,891	49.7	345	54.8
Liberal	722,402	2.7	6	0.9
Communist	33,144	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	45,119	0.2	--	--
S.N.P.	12,112	0.0	--	--
Others	230,804	0.9	2	0.3
Totals:	26,759,729	100.0	578	100.0

October 1959

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	12,216,172	43.8	258	40.9
Conservative	13,750,875	49.4	365	57.9
Liberal	1,640,760	5.9	6	0.9
Communist	30,896	0.1	--	--
Plaid Cymru	77,571	0.3	--	--
S.N.P.	21,738	0.1	--	--
Others	124,640	0.4	1	0.3
Totals:	27,862,652	100.0	630	100.0

1940s

The 1945 election was the first for nearly 10 years, because of the prolongation of Parliament during the war. Several new seats were created in areas of population growth but most boundaries dated back to 1918. It was the first overall majority Labour had ever won, and until 1997 it was Labour’s high tide in terms of seats.

May 1945

Party	Votes	%Votes	Seats	%Seats
Labour	11,967,746	47.7	393	61.4
Conservative	9,972,010	39.7	210	32.8
Liberal	2,252,430	9.0	12	1.9
Communist	102,780	0.4	2	0.3
Plaid Cymru	16,017	0.1	--	--
S.N.P.	30,595	0.1	--	--
Others	753,617	3.0	23	3.6
Totals:	25,095,195	100.0	640	100.0