1970 United Kingdom general election in Wales

On Thursday 18 June 1970, the 1970 United Kingdom general election was held in Wales, to elect all 635 members of the House of Commons, with 36 constituencies being in Wales. The election saw the Labour Party win the most votes and seats in Wales.

Quick facts All 36 Welsh seats to the House of Commons, Turnout ...

1970 United Kingdom general election in Wales

← 1966 18 June 1970 February 1974 →
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All 36 Welsh seats to the House of Commons
Turnout	77.4% (1.6 pp)
First party Second party   Leader Harold Wilson Edward Heath Party Labour Conservative Leader since 14 February 1963 28 July 1965 Leader's seat Huyton Bexley Last election 32 seats, 60.7% 3 seats, 27.9% Seats won 27 7 Seat change 5 4 Popular vote 781,941 419,884 Percentage 51.6% 27.7% Swing 9.1 pp 0.2 pp   Third party Fourth party   Lib Leader Jeremy Thorpe Gwynfor Evans Party Liberal Plaid Cymru Leader since 18 January 1967 1 August 1945 Leader's seat North Devon Ran in Caerfyrddin (defeated) Last election 1 seat, 6.3% 0 seats, 4.3% Seats won 1 0 Seat change Popular vote 103,747 171,374 Percentage 6.8% 11.5% Swing 0.5 pp 7.2 pp

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Although Plaid Cymru had received its largest vote share in the party's history at this election when compared with previous elections, the party failed to obtain any seats in Wales. The party's leader Gwynfor Evans did not retain his seat in Caerfyrddin, which he had initially won from Labour in the 1966 Carmarthen by-election. The seat was won by Gwynoro Jones, thereby retaining it for Labour when compared to 1966.

Although Labour retained being the largest party in Wales by seats, it lost Cardiff North, Conwy, Monmouth and Pembrokeshire to the Conservative Party. Nicholas Edwards, who was elected in Pembrokeshire at this election, would go on to serve as Secretary of State for Wales during the first two terms of the Thatcher government. Future leader of the Labour Party Neil Kinnock also entered Parliament in this election in the constituency of Bedwellty.

Labour also lost Merthyr Tydfil to S. O. Davies. After being de-selected by the Labour Party to contest the seat in the 1970 general election, Davies stood and won as an independent. Davies, however, would pass away in 1972, leading to Labour retaking the seat in the 1972 Merthyr Tydfil by-election.