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The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held soon after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party won, but with a very slim majority. Labour called an election on 25 October 1951, hoping to win more seats, but instead lost to the Conservative Party, who were able to form a government, with a workable majority (when the National Liberals were included) of 17, despite Labour polling more votes than in the last election, and despite gaining fewer votes than Labour (even when the National Liberal vote total was included). This was one of only three elections where this happened: Labour likewise gained a plurality of seats while having the second-largest number of votes in 1929 and in the first election of 1974. However, 1951 was the only universal-suffrage election which resulted in a majority coalition in this way.
This was the last election where some candidates were elected unopposed, in this case four Conservatives.[1]
[edit] Results
| UK General Election 1951 |
| Party |
Candidates |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net Gain/Loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/- |
| |
Labour |
617 |
295 |
3 |
23 |
- 20 |
|
48.8 |
13,948,883 |
|
| |
Conservative |
562 |
302 |
20 |
0 |
+ 20 |
|
44.3 |
12,660,061 |
|
| |
National Liberal |
55 |
19 |
3 |
0 |
+ 3 |
|
3.7 |
1,058,138 |
|
| |
Liberal |
109 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
- 3 |
|
2.5 |
730,546 |
|
| |
Ind. Nationalist |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.3 |
92,787 |
|
| |
Irish Labour |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.1 |
33,174 |
|
| |
Communist |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.1 |
21,640 |
|
| |
Independent |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.1 |
19,791 |
|
| |
Plaid Cymru |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
10,920 |
|
| |
Scottish National Party |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
7,299 |
|
| |
Independent Conservative |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
5,904 |
|
| |
Ind. Labour Party |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
4,057 |
|
| |
British Empire |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
1,643 |
|
| |
Anti-Partition |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
1,340 |
|
| |
United Socialist |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0.0 |
411 |
|
Total votes cast: 28,596,594. All parties shown. Conservative result includes the Ulster Unionists.
[edit] Summary of GB vote (excluding Northern Ireland)
| Popular vote |
|
|
|
|
|
| Conservative and Allies |
|
47.83% |
| Labour |
|
49.31% |
| Liberals |
|
2.60% |
| Plaid Cymru |
|
0.04% |
| Scottish National Party |
|
0.03% |
| Independent |
|
0.11% |
| Others |
|
0.08% |
|
Headline Swing: 1.13% to Conservative
[edit] Seats Changing Hands
From Conservative to Liberal (0 seats):
From Labour to Conservative (23 seats): Barry, Battersea South, Bedfordshire South, Berwick and East Lothian, Bolton East, Buckingham, Conway, Darlington, Doncaster, Dulwich, King's Lynn, Manchester Blackley, Middlesbrough West, Norfolk South West, Nottingham North West, Oldham East, Plymouth Sutton, Reading North, Rochdale, Rutherglen, Workington, Wycombe and Yarmouth
From Labour to Liberal (1 seat): Bolton West
From Liberal to Conservative (2 seats): Eye and Roxburgh
From Liberal to Labour (2 seats): Anglesey and Meirioneth
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] Manifestos
