United Kingdom general election records

Largest 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, reductions of 20% or more are unusual.

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.

Largest winning share of the vote

Largest share of the vote won by any candidate, since 1918:

• George Currie, Ulster Unionist, North Down, 1959: 98.0%^[5]
• George Currie, Ulster Unionist, North Down, 1955: 96.9%
• Knox Cunningham, Ulster Unionist, South Antrim, 1959: 95.1%
• Phelim O'Neill, Ulster Unionist, North Antrim, 1959: 94.9%
• Will Thorne, Labour, Plaistow, 1918: 94.9%

Lowest winning share of the vote

All general election victors receiving less than 33.33% of the vote are listed. The list is complete from 1945 onwards. Seats with more than one member are omitted.

Lowest share of the vote

Smallest majorities

• 0 votes: John Edmund Wentworth Addison, Conservative, Ashton-under-Lyne, 1886 ¹
• 1 vote: Henry Duke, Conservative, Exeter, December 1910 ²
• 2 votes: Abraham Flint, National Labour, Ilkeston, 1931^[6]

Since 1945

• 2 votes: Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife, 2017
• 2 votes: Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat, Winchester, 1997 ³
• 3 votes: Gwynoro Jones, Labour, Carmarthen, February 1974
• 3 votes: Harmar Nicholls, Conservative, Peterborough, 1966^[6]
• 4 votes: Michelle Gildernew, Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 2010
• 4 votes: George Ward, Conservative, Worcester, 1945^[6]
• 6 votes: Eric Gandar Dower, Conservative, Caithness and Sutherland, 1945^[6]
• 7 votes: Derek Spencer, Conservative, Leicester South, 1983
• 7 votes: Dennis Hobden, Labour, Brighton Kemptown, 1964^[6]
• 9 votes: Paul Tyler, Liberal, Bodmin, February 1974
• 10 votes: Peter Emery, Conservative, Reading, 1964
• 10 votes: Lester Hutchinson, Labour, Manchester Rusholme, 1945
• 11 votes: Anthony Meyer, Conservative, Eton and Slough, 1964
• 12 votes: Adrian Sanders, Liberal Democrat, Torbay, 1997
• 12 votes: John Jackson, Conservative, South East Derbyshire, 1959
• 13 votes: Ernle Money, Conservative, Ipswich, 1970
• 14 votes: Julian Amery, Conservative, Preston North, 1964
• 15 votes: John Foster, Conservative, Northwich, 1945
• 16 votes: Edward Shackleton, Preston South, 1951
• 19 votes: Walter Sweeney, Conservative, Vale of Glamorgan, 1992
• 20 votes: Emma Dent Coad, Labour, Kensington, 2017
• 20 votes: John Hollingworth, Conservative, Birmingham All Saints, 1959
• 21 votes: Ken Hargreaves, Conservative, Hyndburn, 1983
• 21 votes: Pete Wishart, SNP, Perth and North Perthshire, 2017.
• 22 votes: Ian Austin, Labour, Dudley North, 2017
• 22 votes: Harmar Nicholls, Conservative, Peterborough, February 1974
• 22 votes: Margaret Bain, SNP, East Dunbartonshire, October 1974⁴
• 25 votes: Jack Beattie, Irish Labour, Belfast West, 1951
• 27 votes: William Molloy, Labour, Ealing North, 1964
• 27 votes: Byron Davies, Conservative, Gower, 2015
• 28 votes: Walter Robert Dempster Perkins, Conservative, Stroud and Thornbury, 1950
• 29 votes: Robert Atkins, Conservative, Preston North, 1979
• 30 votes: Paul Farrelly, Labour, Newcastle-under-Lyme, 2017
• 30 votes: George Thompson, SNP, Galloway, October 1974

Notes:

• ¹ 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.^[7]
• ² 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.^[7]
• ³ The 1997 general election result was declared void, and at the subsequent by-election the Liberal Democrat majority swelled to over 20,000 votes.
• ⁴ As well as being the smallest majority at this election only 429 votes separated the top three candidates.

Highest turnout

Highest turnouts in any general election since 1918:

• Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 1951: 93.4%^[8]
• Darwen, 1924: 92.7%^[8]

Lowest turnout

All turnouts below 35% from 1918 onwards:

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.

Fourteen constituencies have seen more than ten candidates stand in a general election:

The two cases from before 2010 were both the constituency of the Prime Minister. Before 1983, the consecutive records were 6 candidates in Paddington North in 1918,^[14] 7 in Tottenham in February 1974 and 9 in Devon North in 1979.

Fewest candidates

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 mainland seats 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 UK general election, there were 21 seats with only three candidates, all in England.

Durable general election candidates

A selection of politicians who have contested seats in at least thirteen general elections are listed:

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.

• George Galloway, 2010^b and 2015
• William McCrea, 1997^b and 2001^a
• Shirley Williams, 1979 and 1983
• Christopher Addison, 1931 and 1935
• Arthur Henderson, 1918, 1922 and 1923^b

Notes:

• ^a returned to Parliament at a subsequent general election
• ^b returned to Parliament at a subsequent by-election

Former MPs unsuccessful at subsequent general elections

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.

• Roger Mullin, elected for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath in 2015, after standing in South Ayrshire in February 1974 and October 1974, Kirkcaldy in 1987, Paisley North in a byelection in 1990 and in 1992.
• David Ward, elected for Bradford East in 2010, after standing in Bradford North in 1992, 2001 and 2005 (and a by-election in 1990).
• Alasdair McDonnell, elected for Belfast South in 2005, after standing in 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2001 (and a by-election in 1982), and previously in North Antrim in 1970.
• Gregory Campbell, elected for East Londonderry in 2001, after standing in 1997, and previously in Foyle in 1983, 1987 and 1992.
• Martin McGuinness, elected for Mid Ulster in 1997, after standing in Foyle in 1983, 1987 and 1992.
• Michael Ward, elected for Peterborough in October 1974, after standing in February 1974, 1970 and 1966.
• Tommy Lewis, elected for Southampton in 1929, after standing in 1918, 1922, 1923 and 1924.
• Frank Smith, elected for Nuneaton in 1929, after standing in 1924, and in various other constituencies in 1923, 1922, 1918, 1910, 1895 and 1892 (and also two by-elections in 1909 and one in 1894).
• Edwin Scrymgeour, elected for Dundee in 1922, after standing in January 1910, December 1910 and 1918 (and also in the 1908 and 1917 by-elections).
• Daniel Zeichner, elected for Cambridge in 2015, after standing in 2010, and previously in Mid Norfolk in 2005, 2001 and 1997.

Former MPs making a comeback at a general election

• 2017: Vince Cable, Ed Davey, David Drew, Michelle Gildernew, Zac Goldsmith, John Grogan, Stephen Lloyd, Tony Lloyd, Esther McVey, Chris Ruane, Jo Swinson, Chris Williamson
• 2015: Boris Johnson, Joan Ryan, Dawn Butler, Rob Marris, Alex Salmond
• 2010: John Cryer, Geraint Davies, Jonathan Evans, Chris Leslie, Stephen Twigg
• 2005: David Evennett, Christopher Fraser, William McCrea, Malcolm Rifkind
• 2001: Henry Bellingham, Alistair Burt, Derek Conway, Charles Hendry, Greg Knight, Andrew Mitchell, Bob Spink
• 1997: Gerry Adams, Christopher Chope, Alan Clark, Frank Doran, Huw Edwards, Michael Fallon, Ronnie Fearn, Mike Hancock, Sylvia Heal, Gerald Howarth, Ashok Kumar, Richard Livsey, Humfrey Malins, John Maples, Francis Maude, Jonathan Sayeed, John Smith
• 1992: Michael Ancram, Bryan Davies, Warren Hawksley, John Horam, Gerry Malone, Piers Merchant, Richard Ottaway, Nick Raynsford, John Spellar, Derek Spencer, Iain Sproat, Mark Robinson, Paul Tyler
• 1987: Bob Cryer, Margaret Ewing, John Garrett, Bruce Grocott, Joan Lestor, Jim Marshall, Ann Taylor, Andrew Welsh, Audrey Wise
• 1983: Margaret Beckett, Robin Corbett, Bryan Gould, Edward Loyden, Andrew MacKay, Max Madden, Brian Sedgemore
• 1979: Michael Ancram, Sydney Chapman, David Clark, Eric Cockeram, Ednyfed Hudson Davies, Terry Davis, Dick Douglas, Peggy Fenner, Peter Griffiths, John Gummer, Barry Henderson, James Hill, John Wilkinson, David Winnick
• October 1974: Donald Anderson, Jeremy Bray, Gwynfor Evans, Robert Hicks, Evan Luard, John Mackintosh, Fergus Montgomery, Enoch Powell, Nicholas Scott, Keith Speed
• February 1974 Ronald Atkins, Gwyneth Dunwoody, John Ellis, David Ennals, Ioan Evans, Winifred Ewing, Gerald Fowler, Frank Hooley, Sydney Irving, Colin Jackson, John Lee, Eric Moonman, Stanley Newens, Christopher Price, Gwilym Roberts, Arnold Shaw, Frederick Silvester, Richard Wainwright, Alan Lee Williams, Michael Winstanley
• 1970: William Clark, Albert Cooper, Julian Critchley, Charles Curran, Patrick Duffy, Anthony Fell, Edward Gardner, Alan Glyn, Alan Green, Patricia Hornsby-Smith, Geoffrey Howe, James Kilfedder, Martin McLaren, Anthony Meyer, Peter Thomas, Richard Thompson, David Walder, Montague Woodhouse
• 1966: Richard Body, Peter Tapsell

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

Youngest general election victors

• Mhairi Black, Scottish National Party, elected in 2015 aged 20 years 237 days.^[15]

Youngest to leave the House

• Thomas Leslie Teevan 1951, aged 24 ¹
• Edward Stanley 1918, aged 24 ² (re-elected 1922)
• Patrick Joseph Whitty 1918, aged 24 ²
• Henry Harrison 1892, aged 24 ¹
• Joseph Sweeney 1922, aged 25 ^2x
• Arthur Evans 1923, aged 25 ¹ (re-elected 1924)
• Denis Shipwright 1923, aged 25 ¹
• John Esmonde 1918, aged 25 ³
• Stuart Donaldson 2017, aged 25 ¹
• Frank Owen 1931, aged 26 ¹
• John Wodehouse Jan 1910, aged 26 ³
• Hugh Lucas-Tooth 1929, aged 26 ¹ (re-elected 1945)
• Bryan Ricco Cooper Dec 1910, aged 26 ¹
• Bernadette Devlin McAliskey February 1974, aged 26 ¹
• Jennie Lee 1931, aged 26 ¹ (re-elected 1945)
• Liam Mellows 1922, aged 27 ^2x
• Christopher Ward 1970, aged 27 ¹
• Hugh Lucas-Tooth 1929, aged 28 ¹ (re-elected 1945)
• David Reed February 1974, aged 28 ²
• Michael Ancram October 1974, aged 29 ¹ (re-elected 1979)
• Charles Rhys 1929, aged 29 ¹ (re-elected 1931)
• Andrew Mackay 1979, aged 29 ¹ (re-elected 1983)
• Margo MacDonald February 1974, aged 29 ¹
• Pamela Nash 2015, aged 30 ¹
• Helene Hayman 1979, aged 30 ¹
• John Ryan 1970, aged 30 ¹
• Graham Tope February 1974, aged 30 ¹
• Owen Carron 1983, aged 30 ^1x
• Arthur Evans 1929, aged 30 ³ (re-elected 1931)
• W.E.D. Allen 1931, aged 30 ³
• Stanley Henig 1970, aged 30 ¹
• Esmond Harmsworth 1929, aged 30 ³

Notes:

¹ Defeated

² Constituency abolished

³ Retired

^x did not take his seat

Oldest to lose their seats

¹Based on Hardie's earliest estimated birth year of "ca.1860", although some biographers cite a date as late as 27 January 1871, making him only 60 years old at time of that election.^[16]

Oldest general election victors

First women general election victors

• Constance Markievicz, Dublin St Patrick's, 1918 - but did not take her seat.
• Nancy Astor, Plymouth Sutton,^y and Margaret Wintringham, Louth,^z 1922 - both first to take their seats after a general election.

Notes:

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

First ethnic minority general election victors

• Dadabhai Naoroji, Finsbury Central, 1892
• Mancherjee Bhownagree, Bethnal Green, 1895 and 1900
• Shapurji Saklatvala, Battersea North, 1922 and 1924

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.^[17] 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 1832–33 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 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.

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.

• Poplar and Limehouse, 2010: Jim Fitzpatrick^* and George Galloway
• Brent Central, 2010: Dawn Butler and Sarah Teather^*
• Dumfries and Galloway, 2005: Russell Brown^* and Peter Duncan
• Bethnal Green and Bow, 2005: Oona King and George Galloway^*
• Brentwood and Ongar, 2001: Eric Pickles^* and Martin Bell
• Glasgow Garscadden, 1992: Donald Dewar^* and Dick Douglas
• South Hams, 1987: Anthony Steen^* and Willie Hamilton¹
• Meriden, 1983: Iain Mills^* and John Sever
• Islington North, 1983: John Grant and Michael O'Halloran
• Southwark and Bermondsey, 1983: Simon Hughes^* and John Tilley
• Crosby, 1983: Shirley Williams and Malcolm Thornton^*
• Glasgow Hillhead, 1983: Roy Jenkins^* and Neil Carmichael
• Bradford West, February 1974: John Wilkinson and Edward Lyons^*
• Blyth, February 1974: Eddie Milne^* and Ivor Richard
• Plymouth Devonport, February 1974: Joan Vickers and David Owen^*
• Brentford and Isleworth, February 1974: Michael Barnes and Barney Hayhoe^*
• Paddington, February 1974: Arthur Latham^* and Nicholas Scott
• Grantham, 1955: Joseph Godber^* and Woodrow Wyatt
• Reading, 1955: Ian Mikardo^* and Frederic Bennett
• Bradford North, 1955: William Taylor^* and Maurice Webb
• Carmarthen, 1950: Rhys Hopkin Morris^* and Lynn Ungoed-Thomas
• Renfrewshire West, 1950: John Maclay^* and Thomas Scollan
• Glasgow Kelvingrove, 1950: Walter Elliot^* and John Lloyd Williams
• Newport, 1950: Peter Freeman^* and Ivor Thomas
• Sudbury and Woodbridge, 1950: John Hare^* and Roland Hamilton
• Stafford and Stone, 1950: Hugh Fraser^* and Stephen Swingler
• Newark, 1950: George Deer^* and Sidney Shephard
• Carlton, 1950: Kenneth Pickthorn^* and Florence Paton
• Thurrock, 1950: Hugh Delargy^* and Leslie Solley
• Walthamstow West, 1950: Clement Attlee^* and Lester Hutchinson
• Walsall, 1950: William Wells^* and John Barlow
• Poole, 1950: Mervyn Wheatley^* and Evelyn King
• Middlesbrough East, 1950: Hilary Marquand^* and Alfred Edwards
• Liverpool West Derby, 1950: David Maxwell Fyfe^* and Bertie Kirby
• Gateshead East, 1950: Arthur Moody^* and Konni Zilliacus
• Exeter, 1950: John Maude^* and Thomas Horabin
• Blackburn West, 1950: Ralph Assheton^* and John Edwards
• Stepney, 1950: Walter Edwards^* and Philip Piratin
• Shoreditch and Finsbury, 1950: Ernest Thurtle^* and John Platts-Mills
• Lewisham East, 1945: Assheton Pownall and Herbert Morrison^*
• St. Marylebone, 1945: Alec Cunningham-Reid and Wavell Wakefield^*
• Putney, 1945: Hugh Linstead^* and Richard Acland
• Harrow West, 1945: Norman Bower^* and Hugh Lawson
• Stratford West Ham, 1945: Thomas Groves and Redvers Michael Prior
• Mossley, 1945: Austin Hopkinson and George Woods^*

Notes: ¹after announcing his retirement as member for Central Fife, long-serving Scottish Labour MP Willie Hamilton obtained his party's nomination in the hopeless prospect of South Hams in southern England. Hamilton insisted that he knew local parties often found themselves without candidates shortly before nominations closed, and was offering because it would help them out of difficulty; however by standing again and being "defeated" he qualified for an additional allowance.

^* Winner

Longest period without a general election

The longest possible duration of a Parliament is currently five years. All period of six years or more between general elections are listed:

10 years: 1935 - 1945

8 years: December 1910 - 1918

6 years: 1812 - 1818

6 years: 1820 - 1826

6 years: 1841 - 1847

6 years: 1859 - 1865

6 years: 1868 - 1874

6 years: 1874 - 1880

6 years: 1886 - 1892

6 years: 1900 - 1906

Shortest period between general elections

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

7 months: November 1806 - June 1807

7 months: November/December 1885 - July 1886

8 months: September 1830(?) - April/May/June 1831

8 months: February - October 1974

10 months: December 1923 - October 1924

11 months: January - December 1910

Longest period without a change in government

The longest continuous Conservative government was in office for almost 18 years, between 4 May 1979 and 2 May 1997.

The longest continuous Labour government was in office for over 13 years, between 2 May 1997 and 11 May 2010.

The longest continuous Liberal government was in office for over 9 years, between 5 December 1905 and 25 May 1915.

The longest continuous coalition government was in office for almost 14 years, between 24 August 1931 and 26 July 1945, although its components changed significantly during that 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.

Loss of a vote of confidence

• 1979
• 1924

New Prime Minister seeks a mandate

• 2017
• 1955
• 1935
• 1931
• 1923

Prime Minister without a working majority seeks to gain one

• October 1974
• 1966
• 1951

Prime Minister's choice of date

• 2017 (approved by a motion of the House of Commons under the provisions of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011)
• 2005
• 2001
• 1987
• 1983
• February 1974
• 1970
• 1959
• 1950
• 1929

Parliament had run its course

• 2015
• 2010
• 1997
• 1992
• 1964

Collapse of cooperation within Government

• 1922

End of World War

• 1945
• 1918

Incumbents fall directly from first place to fourth place

¹ UUP had been unopposed by DUP at previous elections.

Incumbents fall directly from first place to third place

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.

Incoming Government loses seats

Seats gained from fourth place^*

• Argyll and Bute, 2015 gained by SNP from the Liberal Democrats
• Edinburgh West, 2015 gained by SNP from the Liberal Democrats
• Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, 1997 gained by Labour from the Liberal Democrats
• Ceredigion and Pembroke North, 1992 gained by Plaid Cymru from the Liberals

Seats gained from third place^*

• Aberdeen South, 2017 gained by the Conservatives from the SNP
• Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, 2017 gained by the Conservatives from the SNP
• East Renfrewshire, 2017 gained by the Conservatives from the SNP
• Gordon, 2017 gained by the Conservatives from the SNP
• Ochil and South Perthshire, 2017 gained by the Conservatives from the SNP
• Portsmouth South, 2017 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Stirling, 2017 gained by the Conservatives from the SNP
• Cambridge, 2015 gained by Labour from the Liberal Democrats
• Belfast East, 2010 gained by Alliance from the DUP
• Brighton Pavilion, 2010 gained by the Greens from Labour
• Watford, 2010 gained by the Conservatives from Labour
• Camborne and Redruth, 2010 gained by the Conservatives from the Liberal Democrats
• Falmouth and Camborne, 2005 gained by the Liberal Democrats from Labour
• Leeds North West, 2005 gained by the Liberal Democrats from Labour
• Lagan Valley, 2005 gained by the DUP from the UUP ¹
• West Tyrone, 2001 gained by Sinn Féin from the UUP
• Sittingbourne and Sheppey, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Shrewsbury and Atcham, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• St. Albans, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Oldham East and Saddleworth, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives ²
• Leeds North West, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Hastings and Rye, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Falmouth and Camborne, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Conwy, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Bristol West, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Aberdeen South, 1997 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Mid Ulster, 1997 gained by Sinn Féin from the DUP
• Cambridge, 1992 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Plymouth Devonport, 1992 gained by Labour from the SDP
• Clwyd South West, 1987 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Edinburgh South, 1987 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Strathkelvin and Bearsden, 1987 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Renfrew West and Inverclyde, 1987 gained by Labour from the Conservatives
• Colne Valley, 1983 gained by the Liberals from Labour
• Leeds West, 1983 gained by the Liberals from Labour
• Southwark and Bermondsey, 1983 gained by the Liberals from Labour ³
• Liverpool Mossley Hill, 1983 gained by the Liberals from the Conservatives
• Ross, Cromarty and Skye, 1983 gained by the SDP from the Conservatives ⁴
• East Dunbartonshire, 1979 gained by Labour from the SNP
• Lincoln, 1979 gained by the Conservatives from Labour
• East Dunbartonshire, October 1974 gained by the SNP from the Conservatives
• Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire, February 1974 gained by the SNP from Labour
• Isle of Wight, February 1974 gained by the Liberals from the Conservatives
• Ross and Cromarty, 1970 gained by the Conservatives from the Liberals
• Ross and Cromarty, 1964 gained by the Liberals from the National Liberals

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.

• Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 2015, Ulster Unionist Tom Elliot
• Blaenau Gwent, 2005: Independent Peter Law
• Bethnal Green and Bow, 2005: Respect, George Galloway
• Wyre Forest, 2001: IKHH, Richard Taylor
• North Down, 1997³: UKUP, Robert McCartney
• Tatton, 1997: Independent Martin Bell
• Caithness and Sutherland, 1983: SDP, Robert Maclennan
• Belfast West, 1983: Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams
• Mid Ulster, 1983: Democratic Unionist, William McCrea
• Belfast East, 1979: Democratic Unionist, Peter Robinson
• Belfast South, 1979:¹ Ulster Unionist, Robert Bradford
• Mid Ulster, 1979:² United Ulster Unionist, John Dunlop
• Lincoln, February 1974³: Democratic Labour, Dick Taverne
• North Antrim, February 1974⁴: DUP, Ian Paisley
• Belfast West, February 1974⁵: SDLP, Gerry Fitt
• Belfast East, February 1974: Vanguard, William Craig
• Belfast South, February 1974: Vanguard, Robert Bradford
• Mid Ulster, February 1974: Vanguard, John Dunlop
• North Antrim, 1970: PUP, Ian Paisley
• Mid Ulster, 1970: Unity, Bernadette Devlin
• Western Isles, 1970: SNP, Donald Stewart
• Caithness and Sutherland, 1964: Liberal, George Mackie

Notes:

• ¹ Vanguard broke up in the late 1970s; the sitting MP joined the Ulster Unionists.
• ² Vanguard broke up in the late 1970s; the sitting MP joined the United Ulster Unionists.
• ³ By-election gain confirmed at the General Election.
• ⁴ The Protestant Unionist Party merged into the Democratic Unionist Party in 1970.
• ⁵ Sitting MP Gerry Fitt had left the Republican Labour Party for the SDLP in 1970; by 1974 Republican Labour had disintegrated.

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 are Speakers of the House or Commons. 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.

Major party did not run

Victories by minor parties

Victories by independent and minor party candidates since 1945. For a complete list, see the list of UK minor party and independent MPs elected.

Independent candidates winning 10% or more

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

Minor parties other strong performance

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

Miscellaneous notable results