United Kingdom general election records
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United Kingdom general elections occur at least every five years. About 650 constituencies return a member of Parliament. Prior to 1945, electoral competition in the United Kingdom exhibited features which make meaningful comparisons with modern results difficult. Hence, unless otherwise stated, records are based on results since the 1945 general election, and earlier exceptional results are listed separately.
Glossary
For comparison purposes the following definitions have been adopted.
- Gain – victory by a party which was not victorious at the immediate previous election.
- Loss – defeat of a party which was victorious at the immediate previous election.
- Hold – victory by a party which was victorious at the immediate previous election.
- Win – victory by a party. Ambiguous term that could mean either a gain or a hold.
- Incumbent – the party which held the seat at the immediate previous election, irrespective of any intervening change of candidate or candidate's change of party.
- Major party – A party that has a realistic chance of leading government. Since 1945, every UK government has been led by the Conservatives or Labour. Parties in electoral pacts whose members take the whip of a major party and have no de facto independence are also counted as part of the major parties. For Labour, this includes the Co-operative Party. For the Conservatives, this includes the Unionist Party and the National Liberal Party. In Northern Ireland the situation is more fluid, but both the UUP and the DUP have been major parties for the unionist bloc and the Nationalist Party, the SDLP and Sinn Féin have been major parties for the nationalist bloc.
- Third party – In England, since 1922, the "third party" has been the Liberal party through its Alliance with the SDP and their successors up to the present day Liberal Democrats. Additionally, in Scotland and Wales the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are also considered to be third parties. Prior to 1922, the third party was the Labour party.
- Minor party – parties smaller than the third party. In Northern Ireland, where the party landscape is unstable and many apparently independent candidates are supported by other parties, "minor party" refers to parties and independents that are not members of the main nationalist or unionist blocs.
- Uncontested – an election where only one candidate is put forward. No votes are actually cast and the candidate is by default the victor.
- Notional – boundary changes occur about every 10–15 years. The political composition of many seats is changed as a result, sometimes decisively. Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher have compiled notional results for the last few sets of boundary changes, predicting what the result would have been at the previous election under the new boundaries.
Numerical records
For more information about what is meant by the term "swing", see Swing (politics)
National swings
- 1931 general election – 14.4% swing from Labour to National Government[1]: 20
- 1945 general election – 11.8% swing from Conservative/National Liberal to Labour[1]
- 2024 general election – 10.8% swing from Conservative to Labour
- 1997 general election – 10.2% swing from Conservative to Labour
Seat 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 since 1911, reductions of 10% or more (on the national level) or around 30% or more (in individual constituencies) are unusual.
National
Decrease  |
Party | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19.9 | Conservative | 2024 | |
| 15.1 | Liberal Democrats | 2015 | |
| 11.9 | Liberal | 1924 | |
| 11.6 | Conservative | 1945 | |
| 11.3 | Conservative | 1997 | |
| 10.8 | UKIP | 2017 | |
| 9.3 | Labour | 1983 | |
| 7.9 | Labour | 2019 | |
Constituency
Other parties
The Scottish National Party and Democratic Unionist Party have never lost 30% or more of the vote in a single constituency.
| Decrease |
Party | Constituency | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.0 | NI Conservatives | North Down | 1997 | |
| 26.0 | SNP | Western Isles | 1987 | |
| 25.3 | DUP | Belfast West | 1979 | |
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.
Other parties
Increase  |
Party | Constituency | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.6 | UKIP | Heywood and Middleton | 2015 | |
| 29.0 | Conservative | Gordon | 2017 | |
| 24.2 | Unity | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 1970 | |
| 23.7 | Republican Labour | Belfast West | 1966 | |
Largest winning share of the vote
The five largest shares of the vote won by any candidate, since 1918, are as follows:
| Candidate | Party | Constituency | Election | % Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Currie | UUP | North Down | 1959 | 98.0[1]: 104 | |
| George Currie | UUP | North Down | 1955 | 96.9 | |
| Knox Cunningham | UUP | South Antrim | 1959 | 95.1 | |
| Phelim O'Neill | UUP | North Antrim | 1959 | 94.9 | |
| Will Thorne | Labour | Plaistow | 1918 | 94.9 | |
Largest winning share of the vote by general election
| Candidate | Party | Constituency | Election | % Share | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Carden | Labour | Labour | Liverpool Walton | 2024 | 70.6 | |
| Dan Carden | Labour | Labour | Liverpool Walton | 2019 | 84.7 | |
| Dan Carden | Labour | Labour | Liverpool Walton | 2017 | 85.7[10] | |
Largest number of votes
The largest number of votes cast for a single party nationally in a general election was 14,094,116 for the Conservatives under John Major in 1992,[11] although this resulted in a parliamentary majority of just 21 seats.
The most votes received by a single individual in a general election was Sir Cooper Rawson who polled 75,205 votes when being reelected as MP for Brighton in 1931. Brighton was a two-member constituency with a larger than average electorate. The most votes received by an individual in a single-seat constituency was 69,762 for Reginald Blair in Hendon in 1935.[1]: 101
Largest majority
The largest majority received by an individual is also Sir Cooper Rawson, re-elected with a majority of 62,253 (35.2% of votes) at Brighton in 1931.[1]: 101 The largest majority received by a woman is 38,823 (71.4% of votes) by the Countess of Iveagh elected MP for Southend in 1931.
The largest majorities received by the winning party at a general election are as follows:[12][citation needed]
| Majority | Party | Election | Leader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 492 | National | 1931 | Ramsay MacDonald | |
| 209 | Conservative | 1924 | Stanley Baldwin | |
| 179 | Labour | 1997 | Tony Blair | |
| 174 | Labour | 2024 | Keir Starmer | |
| 167 | Labour | 2001 | Tony Blair | |
| 145 | Labour | 1945 | Clement Attlee | |
| 144 | Conservative | 1983 | Margaret Thatcher | |
Lowest winning share of the vote
All general election victors receiving less than 30% of the vote since 1945 onwards.
Lowest share of the vote
Major parties less than 1% of the vote
Since 1918:
The Conservatives' worst vote outside Northern Ireland was 1.1% for A. Seaton in Pontypridd in 1918.
Labour's worst vote was 2.2% for Samuel McLaren in Glasgow Bridgeton in 1935 and in 2010 for Jonathan Todd in Westmorland and Lonsdale.
Candidates winning fewer than ten votes
Candidates in general elections since 1918 who won fewer than ten votes:
| Votes | Candidate | Party | Constituency | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catherine Taylor-Dawson | Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket | Cardiff North | 2005[13] |
| 3 | Bobby Smith | Give Me Back Elmo | Maidenhead | 2017[14] |
| 5 | Martin Kyslun | Independent | West Derbyshire | 2005[13] |
| 5 | William Tobin | Independent | Uxbridge and South Ruislip | 2019[15] |
| 7 | Dorian Vanbraam | Renaissance Democrat | Putney | 1997[16] |
| 7 | Andres Mendoza | Communist League | Islington North | 2017[17] |
| 8 | Bobby Smith | Give Me Back Elmo | Uxbridge and South Ruislip | 2019[18] |
Both W. M. Somerville and John Magee in Drogheda at the 1852 United Kingdom general election received no votes[19] and George Griffith in Bewdley at the 1874 United Kingdom general election received one vote.[20] However, in the pre-secret ballot era, some candidates stood at the hustings but for various reasons did not contest the poll, and hence could be recorded with no or few votes although in effect they were not standing. Examples include George J. Harney at Tiverton at the 1847 United Kingdom general election (no votes), William Johnston in Downpatrick at the 1857 United Kingdom general election (one vote), Humphrey Brown at the 1859 Tewkesbury by-election (no votes) and Dr Frederick R. Lees at the 1860 Ripon by-election (no votes).[21]
Smallest majorities
| Vote majority | Candidate | Party | Constituency | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | John Edmund Wentworth Addison | Conservative | Ashton-under-Lyne | 1886[f] | |
| 1 | Henry Duke | Conservative | Exeter | 1910[g] | |
| 2 | Abraham Flint | National Labour | Ilkeston | 1931[1]: 101 | |
Since 1945
Notes:
- Notional swing on new boundaries.
- The Liberal Democrats had won the seat previously in a by-election.
- New boundaries were in place for the election.
- The Labour candidate George Buchanan, had held the seat as an Independent Labour candidate with 75% of the vote at the previous election, while the official Labour candidate had less than 6%.
- The seat had been won by the Liberal Democrats in a by-election; their vote share increased by 5.7% between the by-election and the 2024 election.
- 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.[1]: 103
- 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.[1]: 103
- The 1997 general election result was declared void, and at the subsequent by-election the Liberal Democrat majority swelled to over 20,000 votes.
- As well as being the smallest majority at this election only 429 votes separated the top three candidates.
Most seats won by party (1945–present)
The election given is the first time they reached this number. Many of the smaller parties have had the same number of seats in numerous elections. Table is sorted by seats, and then by alphabetical order.
| Seats | Party | Election | % of Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 418 | Labour | 1997 | 63.6% | |
| 397 | Conservative | 1983 | 61.1% | |
| 72 | Liberal Democrats | 2024 | 11.1% | |
| 56 | SNP | 2015 | 8.6% | |
| 21 | National Liberal | 1955 | 3.3% | |
| 17 | Liberal | 1983 | 2.6% | |
| 12 | UUP | 1959 | 1.9% | |
| 10 | DUP | 2017 | 1.54% | |
| 8 | Independent | 1945 | 1.3% | |
| 7 | Sinn Féin | 2017 | 1.1% | |
| 6 | SDP | 1983 | 0.92% | |
| 5 | Reform | 2024 | 0.77% | |
| 4 | Green | 2024 | 0.65% | |
| 4 | Plaid Cymru | 1992 | 0.62% | |
| 4 | SDLP | 1992 | 0.62% | |
| 3 | Ind. Labour Party | 1945 | ||
| 3 | Vanguard | Feb. 1974 | ||
| 2 | Communist | 1945 | ||
| 2 | Ind. Conservative | 1945 | ||
| 2 | Independent Labour | 1945 | ||
| 2 | Independent Liberal | 1945 | ||
| 2 | National | 1945 | ||
| 2 | National Independent | 1945 | ||
| 2 | Nationalist | 1945 | ||
| 2 | Unity | 1970 | ||
| 1 | Alliance | 2010 | ||
| 1 | Common Wealth | 1945 | ||
| 1 | Democratic Labour | Feb. 1974 | ||
| 1 | Independent Health Concern | 2001 | ||
| 1 | Ind. Nationalist | 1951 | ||
| 1 | Independent Progressive | 1945 | ||
| 1 | Ind. Republican | Oct. 1974 | ||
| 1 | Ind. Unionist | 1979 | ||
| 1 | Irish Labour | 1951 | ||
| 1 | Protestant Unionist | 1970 | ||
| 1 | Republican Labour | 1966 | ||
| 1 | Respect | 2005 | ||
| 1 | TUV | 2024 | ||
| 1 | UK Unionist | 1997 | ||
| 1 | UKIP | 2015 | ||
| 1 | UPUP | 1983 | ||
| 1 | UUUP | 1979 | ||
Most recounts
- 7: Peterborough, 1966[1]: 102
- 7: Brighton Kemptown, 1964[22]
- 5: Hyndburn, 1983[23]
- 5: Carmarthen, February 1974[citation needed]
- 5: Ilkeston, 1931[citation needed]
Highest turnout
Highest turnouts in any general election since 1918:
- Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 1951: 93.4%[13]
- Darwen, 1924: 92.7%[13]
Lowest turnout
All turnouts below 35% from 1918 onwards:
| Constituency | Election | Turnout (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Lambeth Kennington | 1918 | 29.7[13] |
| Birmingham Deritend | 1918 | 30.7 |
| Bethnal Green North East | 1918 | 31.2 |
| Birmingham Duddeston | 1918 | 32.4 |
| Limehouse | 1918 | 33.4 |
| Liverpool Riverside | 2001 | 34.1 |
| Aberdeenshire and East Kincardineshire | 1918 | 34.2 |
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.
The election with the largest number of candidates was the 2024 general election, with 4,515.[24]
There have been 24 occasions when there were more than ten candidates on a single ballot in a general election. Large numbers of candidates are common in London seats and in the seat of the incumbent Prime Minister (marked in bold in the below list).
| Candidates | Constituency | Election | Incumbent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Sedgefield | 2005 | Tony Blair[13] |
| 13 | Richmond and Northallerton | 2024 | Rishi Sunak |
| Maidenhead | 2017 | Theresa May | |
| Uxbridge and South Ruislip | 2015 | None | |
| 12 | Ealing Southall | 2024 | None |
| Holborn and St Pancras | 2024 | Keir Starmer | |
| Oxford East | 2024 | Anneliese Dodds | |
| Uxbridge and South Ruislip | 2019 | Boris Johnson | |
| Witney | 2015 | David Cameron | |
| Hackney South and Shoreditch | 2010 | Meg Hillier | |
| Luton South | 2010 | None | |
| 11 | Finchley | 1983 | Margaret Thatcher[25] |
| Isle of Wight | 2010 | Andrew Turner | |
| Bethnal Green and Bow | 2010 | None | |
| Camberwell and Peckham | 2010 | Harriet Harman | |
| Bethnal Green and Bow | 2015 | Rushanara Ali | |
| Camberwell and Peckham | 2015 | Harriet Harman | |
| Hackney South and Shoreditch | 2015 | Meg Hillier | |
| Thanet South | 2015 | None | |
| Bethnal Green and Stepney | 2024 | Rushanara Ali | |
| Cities of London and Westminster | 2024 | None | |
| Dover and Deal | 2024 | None | |
| Leeds North East | 2024 | Fabian Hamilton | |
| Slough | 2024 | Tan Dhesi |
Before 1983, the consecutive records were 6 candidates in Paddington North in 1918,[26] 7 in Tottenham in February 1974 and 9 in Devon North in 1979.
Fewest candidates
The general election with the fewest candidates was 1931, where only 1,292 candidates stood – with the National Government, the major parties did not stand against each other in many seats. Since 1945, the election with the fewest candidates is 1951, with 1,376.[27]
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 seats in Great Britain 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 United Kingdom general election, there were 21 seats with only three candidates and in 2019 there were 20. At the 2024 general election, there were no seats with fewer than five candidates.[28]
Seats changing hands
Largest number of seats changing hands
- 2024 general election – 303 (notional)
- 1931 general election – 289
- 1945 general election – 279
- 1922 general election – 210
- 1924 general election – 206
- 1997 general election – 185
Smallest number of seats changing hands
- 2001 general election – 27
- 1951 general election – 27
- 1955 general election – 28
- October 1974 general election – 28
- 1959 general election – 39
Candidate records
Durable general election candidates
A selection of politicians who have contested seats in at least thirteen general elections are listed. Additionally, Howling Laud Hope has contested 10 general elections as of 2024, but has never won a seat.
| Name | Parties | Contests | Successful | First | Last | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston Churchill | Liberal, Conservative | 16 | 14 | 1900 | 1959 | Stood in five by-elections, first in 1899 |
| Charles Pelham Villiers | Liberal, Liberal Unionist | 15 | 15 | 1835 | 1895 | |
| Kenneth Clarke | Conservative | 15 | 13 | 1964 | 2017 | |
| Edward Heath | Conservative | 14 | 14 | 1950 | 1997 | |
| T. P. O'Connor | Irish Nationalist | 14 | 14 | 1885 | 1929 | |
| Dennis Skinner | Labour | 14 | 13 | 1970 | 2019 | |
| Peter Tapsell | Conservative | 14 | 13 | 1959 | 2010 | Also stood in 1957 by-election |
| Gerald Kaufman | Labour | 14 | 12 | 1955 | 2015 | Did not stand 1964 or 1966 |
| Manny Shinwell | Labour | 14 | 12 | 1918 | 1966 | Also stood in 1928 by-election |
| Peter Bottomley | Conservative | 14 | 11 | 1974 Feb | 2024 | Also stood in 1975 by-election |
| Michael Foot | Labour | 14 | 11 | 1935 | 1987 | Also stood in 1960 by-election |
| David Winnick | Labour | 14 | 10 | 1964 | 2017 | Did not stand February 1974 |
| David Lloyd George | Liberal | 13 | 13 | 1892 | 1935 | Also stood in 1890 by-election |
| Edward Turnour | Conservative | 13 | 13 | 1906 | 1950 | Also stood in 1904 by-election |
| Tony Benn | Labour | 13 | 12 | 1951 | 1997 | Stood in four by-elections, first in 1950 |
| Margaret Beckett | Labour | 13 | 11 | 1974 Feb | 2019 |
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 and 2015b
- William McCrea, 1997 and 2001a
- Shirley Williams, 1979 and 1983
- Christopher Addison, 1931 and 1935
- Arthur Henderson, 1918, 1922 and 1923b
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
Attempts
It is unusual for a defeated MP to pursue more than a couple of attempts at re-election.
- 9: Robert McIntyre, 1950, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, Feb 1974 and Oct 1974a
- 6: Dave Nellist, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015a and 2024
- 6: George Nicholls, Dec 1910, 1918, 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1929 (and by-elections in 1913 and 1925)a
- 4: Fred Maddison, Dec 1910, 1918, 1922 and 1923a
- 4: Tom Howard, 1935, 1945, 1950 and 1951 (and a by-election in 1947)e
- 3: Naomi Long, 2017, 2019 and 2024b
- 3: Gordon Birtwistle, 2017, 2019 and 2024b
- 3: Alan Reid, 2017, 2019 and 2024b
- 3: Mike Carr, 1997, 2001 and 2005a
- 3: Tom Mitchell, 1959, 1964 and 1966b
- 3: Sydney Walter Robinson, 1929, 1931 and 1945 (and a by-election in 1926)a
- 3: Maurice Alexander, 1923, 1924, 1931e
- 3: Thomas Edward Wing, 1922, 1924 and 1929 (and a by-election in 1920)c
- 3: Alexander Boulton, Dec 1910, 1923 and 1924d
Notes:
- a in various seats
- b in the same seat
- c two previous seats and another
- d one previous seat and another
- e one previous seat and others
Interval
Attempts at a comeback usually occur almost immediately. Those who succeeded after further general elections include:
| Years | Candidate | Year of defeat | Year of re-election |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Paul Tyler | 1974 October | 1992 |
| 14 | Dan Norris | 2010 | 2024 |
| 13 | Walter Ayles | 1931 | 1945 |
| George Isaacs | |||
| Somerville Hastings | |||
| Jennie Lee | |||
| Leah Manning | |||
| Lucy Noel-Buxton | |||
| 13 | Jonathan Evans | 1997 | 2010 |
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.
- Nigel Farage, elected for Clacton in 2024, after standing in Salisbury in 1997, Bexhill and Battle in 2001, South Thanet in 2005 and 2015, and Buckingham in 2010, as well as two by-elections.
- Alex Easton, elected for North Down in 2024, after standing in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
- Brian Mathew, elected for Melksham and Devizes in 2024, after standing in North Wiltshire in 2015, 2017 and 2019, and North Somerset in 2010.
- Daniel Zeichner, elected for Cambridge in 2015, after standing in 2010, and previously in Mid Norfolk in 2005, 2001 and 1997.
- 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 by-election in 1990 and in 1992.
- Craig Mackinlay, elected for South Thanet in 2015, after standing in Gillingham in 1992, 1997, and 2005, and Totnes in 2001.
- 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.
- A. E. Stubbs, elected for Cambridgeshire in 1945, after standing in 1918, 1922 and 1923, and in another constituency in 1929, 1931 and 1935.
- 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).
Among women, namely:
- Rachel Gilmour, elected for Tiverton and Minehead in 2024, after standing in Taunton Deane in 2015, Totnes in 2001 and Nottingham North in 1997.
- Vikki Slade, elected for Mid Dorset and North Poole in 2024, standing in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
- Claire Young, elected for Thornbury and Yate in 2024, standing in 2017 and 2019.
- Felicity Buchan, elected for Kensington in 2019, after previously standing in South Shields in 2017 and South Down in 2015.
- Theodora Clarke, elected for Stafford in 2019, after previously standing in Bristol East in 2017 and 2015.
- Daisy Cooper, elected for St Albans in 2019, after standing in 2017, and previously in Mid Sussex in 2015 and Suffolk Coastal in 2010.
- Dehenna Davison, elected for Bishop Auckland in 2019, after standing in Sedgefield in 2017 and Kingston upon Hull North in 2015.
- Jane Hunt, elected for Loughbrough in 2019, after standing in Nottingham South in 2017 and 2015, and Leicester East in 2010 (and also a 2011 by-election).
- Wera Hobhouse, elected for Bath in 2017, after standing in North East Somerset in 2015 and Heywood and Middleton in 2010.
- Nicky Morgan, elected for Loughborough in 2010, after standing in 2005, and previously in Islington South and Finsbury in 2001.
- Tessa Munt, elected for Wells in 2010, after standing in 2005, and previously in South Suffolk in 2001 (and also a by-election that year).
- Liz Truss, elected for South West Norfolk in 2010, after standing in Calder Valley in 2005 and Hemsworth in 2001.
- Rosie Cooper, elected for West Lancashire in 2005, after standing in Liverpool Broadgreen in 1992, Knowsley North in 1987 (and also a 1986 by-election) and Liverpool Garston in 1983.
- Ann Keen, elected for Brentford and Isleworth in 1997, after standing in 1992 and 1987.
- Siobhain McDonagh, elected for Mitcham and Morden in 1997, after standing in 1992 and 1987.
- Margaret Thatcher, elected for Finchley in 1959, after previously standing in Dartford as Margaret Roberts in 1951 and 1950.
- Barbara Ayrton-Gould, elected for Hendon North in 1945, after standing in Manchester Hulme in 1935, Northwich in 1929 and 1924, and Lambeth North in 1922.
- Grace Colman, elected for Tynemouth in 1945, after standing in Sheffield Hallam in 1935 and Hythe in 1931 and 1929.
- Jean Mann, elected for Coatbridge in 1945, after standing in West Renfrewshire in 1935 and 1931.
- Ethel Bentham, elected for Islington East in 1929, after standing in 1924, 1923 and 1922.
- Helen Shaw, elected for Bothwell in 1929, after standing in 1924 and 1923.
Former MPs making a comeback at a general election
- 2024: Douglas Alexander, Heidi Alexander, Mary Creagh, Nick Dakin, James Frith, Andrew George, Stephen Gethins, Tessa Munt, Pamela Nash, Dan Norris, Melanie Onn, Jo Platt, Emma Reynolds, Gareth Snell, Anna Turley
- 2019: Caroline Ansell, James Davies, Flick Drummond, Margaret Ferrier, Richard Fuller, Jason McCartney, Karl McCartney, Anne McLaughlin, John Nicolson, Sarah Olney, Kirsten Oswald, Amanda Solloway, Owen Thompson, Edward Timpson, Craig Williams
- 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
Since 1945
| Candidate | Party | Constituency | Year | Days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Dobbs | Labour | Smethwick | 1945 | 11 | |
| John Sunderland | Labour | Preston | 1945 | 1221 | |
| John Whittaker | Labour | Heywood and Radcliffe | 1945 | 1371 | |
| Philip Clarke | Sinn Féin | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 1955 | 1523x | |
| Thomas Mitchell | Sinn Féin | Mid-Ulster | 1955 | 1523x | |
| Barry McElduff | Sinn Féin | West Tyrone | 2017 | 2224 | |
| Harry West | UUP | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 1974 Feb | 2242 | |
| James Godfrey MacManaway | UUP | Belfast West | 1950 | 2383 | |
| Harry Harpham | Labour | Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough | 2015 | 2731 | |
| Judith Chaplin | Conservative | Newbury | 1992 | 3161 | |
| Peter Law | Independent | Blaenau Gwent | 2005 | 3551 | |
Pre-1945
Notes
- 1 died
- 2 defeated at next general election
- 3 disqualified
- 4 resigned
- 5 succeeded to the Peerage
- a returned to Parliament at a subsequent election
- b had served previously as an MP
- x elected on abstentionist tickets, and serving jail sentences at the time, so the calculated length of service is somewhat theoretical.
Youngest general election victors
- Mhairi Black, Scottish National Party, elected in 2015 aged 20 years 237 days.[29]
Babies of the House elected at general elections
Youngest to leave the House
- 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 "c. 1860", although some biographers cite a date as late as 27 January 1871, making him only 60 years old at time of that election.[30]
Oldest general election victors
At first election
Possibly the oldest known first-time seat winner was Bernard Kelly (born 1808) who was aged 77 when he became the first MP for the new seat of South Donegal in Ireland at the 1885 general election. He died aged reportedly 78 on 1 January 1887. Others:
- 1 Exact birth date not known but Harrison was reportedly this age when he died 5 days after the general election closed and before he took his seat.
- 2 Exact birth date not known but Fleming, who was brought up as an adopted orphan, is usually stated to have been born in 1747.
- 3 Exact birthdate not known but Cameron is normally stated to have been born in 1825 and was reportedly this age at election.
- 4 Exact birthdate not known but Walker is normally stated to have been born in 1874 and was reportedly this age at election.
- 5 Khabra's exact age has been the subject of some disagreement. He claimed a birth year of 1924, which would have made him 67 years old at first election, but his marriage certificate gives a birth year of 1921, and it is this figure which has been used above.
At last election
- Charles Pelham Villiers, Wolverhampton South, 1895: 93
- Samuel Young, East Cavan, 1910(D): 88
- David Logan, Liverpool Scotland, 1959: 87
- Sir Charles Burrell, New Shoreham, 1859: 85
- Isaac Holden, Keighley, 1892: 85
- Robert Cameron, Houghton-le-Spring, 1910(D): 85
- Dennis Skinner, Bolsover, 2017: 85
- Walter Wilkins, Radnorshire, 1826: 84
- William Hodgson Barrow, South Nottinghamshire, 1868: 84
- Winston Churchill, Woodford, 1959: 84
- Gerald Kaufman, Manchester Gorton, 2015: 84
- William Plumer, Higham Ferrers, 1820: 83
- Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot, Mid Glamorganshire, 1886: 83
- S. O. Davies, Merthyr Tydfil, 1970: 83 1
- Piara Khabra, Ealing Southall, 2005: 83
- The Earl of Carhampton, Ludgershall, 1820: 82
- William Ewart Gladstone, Midlothian, 1892: 82
- Paul Flynn, Newport West, 2017: 82
- Sir Thomas Miller, Portsmouth, 1812: 81
- Manny Shinwell, Easington, 1966: 81
- John Rankin, Glasgow Govan, 1970: 81
- David Winnick, Walsall North, 2015: 81
- Whitshed Keene, Montgomery Boroughs, 1812: c.80–812
- Sir John Aubrey, Horsham, 1820: 80
- William Gore-Langton, Somerset East, 1841: 80
- Lord Palmerston, Tiverton, 1865: 80
- Joseph Warner Henley, Oxfordshire, 1874: 80
- Michael Thomas Bass, Derby, 1880: 80
- James Patrick Mahon, Clare, 1880: 80
- Sir Gilbert Greenall, Warrington, 1886: 80
- John Mowbray, Oxford University, 1895: 80
- John Rankin, Glasgow Govan, 1970: 80
- Edward Heath, Old Bexley and Sidcup, 1997: 80
- Peter Tapsell, Louth and Horncastle, 2010: 80
- Ann Clwyd, Cynon Valley, 2017: 80
- Murdoch Macdonald, Inverness, 1945: 79
- Ian Paisley, Antrim North, 2005: 79
- Geoffrey Robinson, Coventry North-West, 2017: 79
- Bill Cash, Stone, 2019: 79
- Barry Sheerman, Huddersfield, 2019: 79
- John Brocklehurst, 1865: 76
- Margaret Beckett, Derby South, 2019: 76
- Alice Cullen, Glasgow Gorbals, 1966: 75
- Irene Ward, Tynemouth, 1970: 75
- Gwyneth Dunwoody, Crewe and Nantwich, 2005: 74
- Eleanor Rathbone, Combined English Universities, 1945: 73
- Glenda Jackson, Hampstead and Kilburn, 2010: 73
- Angela Watkinson, Hornchurch and Upminster, 2015: 73
- Marie Rimmer, St Helens South and Whiston, 2019: 72
- Louise Ellman, Liverpool Riverside, 2017: 71
- Caroline Ganley, Battersea South, 1950: 70
- Ann Coffey, Stockport, 2017: 70
- Kate Hoey, Vauxhall, 2017: 70
- 1 Davies was suspected of being considerably older than he claimed. There is evidence to suggest he was born in 1879, not 1886; if true, this would indicate he was 90 at his last election.
- 2 Keene's birthdate is given as "c. 1731" in reference works though he was reportedly 90 years old on his death in February 1822. On this the figure is based. Unopposed return, his last contested election was in 1802 when aged 70–71.
- Note: All men aged 79 or over since 1945 and over 85 since 1900 are listed, as are all women aged 70 or over.
Returning to the house after a gap
A contender for the longest gap prior to returning at a general election was possibly Henry Drummond (1786–1860), who returned to the House of Commons in the 1847 general election as member for West Surrey, after a near 35-year absence, though aged only 60. He was previously MP for Plympton Erle from 1810 to 1812.
Others, who returned at older ages than Drummond's:
- Sir Gilbert Greenall was 79 when he returned to the house in 1885, after a 5-year absence, as the member for Warrington, for which he previously sat from 1874 to 1880.
- Robert Carden was 78 when he returned to the house in 1880, after a 21-year absence, as the member for Barnstaple. He had sat for Gloucester from 1857 to 1859.
- Sir Harry Verney was 78 when he returned to the house in 1880, after a 6-year absence, as the member for Buckingham, for which he previously sat from 1857 to 1874.
- Sir John Chetwode was 77 when he returned to the house in 1841, after a 22-year absence, as member for Buckingham. He was previously MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1815–18.
- Sir John Baker was 77 when he returned to the house in 1906, after a 5-year absence, as member for Portsmouth, for which he previously sat in 1892–1900.
- Sir Richard Green-Price was 76 when he returned to the house in 1880, after an 11-year absence, as member for Radnorshire. He had previously sat for Radnor Boroughs 1863–69.
- Sir Mark MacTaggart-Stewart was 75 when he returned to the house in January 1910 after a 4-year absence, as member for Kirkcudbrightshire, for which he previously sat in 1885–1906.
- John Courtenay was 74 when he returned to the house in 1812, after a 5-year absence, as member for Appleby, which he had previously sat for until 1807.
- Thomas Perronet Thompson was 74 when he returned to the house in 1857, after a four-year absence, as member of Bradford, for which he previously sat in 1846–52.
- Alfred Lafone was 74 when he returned to the house in 1895, after a three-year absence, as member for Bermondsey, for which he previously sat in 1886–92.
- John Potts was 74 when he returned to the house in 1935, after a four-year absence. He had sat for Barnsley from 1922 to 1931.
- Vince Cable was 74 when he returned to the house in 2017, after a 2-year absence, as member for Twickenham, for which he previously sat in 1997–2015.
- George Edwards was 73 when he returned to the house in 1923, after a year's absence, as member for South Norfolk, for which he previously sat in 1920–22.
- James Barr was 73 when he returned to the house in 1935 as MP for Coatbridge, after four years' absence. He was previously MP for Motherwell 1924–31.
- William Kirk was 72 or 73 when he returned to the house in 1868, after a 9-year absence, as member for Newry, for which he previously sat in 1852–59.
- Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland was 72 when he returned to the house in 1807 as MP for East Grinstead, after five months' absence. He was previously MP for Great Bedwyn 1802–06, and East Grinstead before then.
- Sir Davison Dalziel was 72 when he returned to the house in 1924 as MP for Brixton, after nearly a year's absence. He previously sat for the same seat in 1910–23.
- Arthur Shirley Benn was 72 when he returned to the house in 1931 as MP for Sheffield Park, after two years' absence. He previously sat for Plymouth Drake in 1918–29.
- Joseph Alpass was 72 when he returned to the house in 1945 as MP for Thornbury, after 13 years absence. He previously sat for Bristol Central in 1929–31.
- Cahir Healy was 72 when he returned to the house in 1950, after a 15-year voluntary absence, as member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. He had sat for the predecessor constituency between 1922–24 and 1931–35.
- John Arthur Roebuck was 71 when he returned to the house in 1874, after a 6-year absence, as member for Sheffield, for which he previously sat in 1847–68.
- Mathew Wilson was 71 when he returned to the house in 1874, after a 20-year absence, as member for Northern West Riding of Yorkshire. He had previously sat in two periods for Clitheroe between 1841 and 1853.
- Sir Alexander Sprot was 71 when he returned to the house in 1924 after nearly two years' absence, as member for North Lanarkshire. He had previously sat for East Fife in 1918–22.
- Tommy Lewis was 71 when he returned to the house after a 14-year absence in 1945, as member for Southampton, for which he previously sat between 1929 and 1931.
- William Gore-Langton was 70 when he returned to the house after a five-year absence in 1831, as member for Somerset which he previously represented until 1826.
- Edward Greene was 70 when he returned to the house after seven months' absence in 1886 United Kingdom general election, as member for Stowmarket. He had been MP for Bury St Edmunds until 1885.
- William Joseph Corbet was 70 when he returned to the house after a three-year absence in 1895, as member for East Wicklow, for which he previously sat in 1885–92.
- Charles James Monk was 70 when he returned to the house after nearly 10-year absence in 1895, as member for Gloucester. He previously sat for the borough constituency of that name in two periods between 1859 and 1885.
- Edward Reed was 70 when he returned to the house after a 5-year absence in 1900, as member for Cardiff, for which he previously sat in 1880–95.
- Robert Pearce was 70 when he returned to the house after nearly a year's absence in December 1910, as member for Leek, for which he previously sat between 1906 and January 1910.
- John Ashley Warre was 69 when he returned to the house after a 23-year absence in 1857, as member for Ripon. He previously sat for Hastings in 1831–34.
- Henry Eaton was 69 when he returned to the house after a 5-year absence in 1885, as member for Coventry, for which he previously sat in 1865–80.
- Samuel Storey was 69 when he returned to the house after a 14-year absence in January 1910, as member for Sunderland, for which he previously sat in 1881–95.
- Harry Foster was 69 when he returned to the house after 13 years absence in 1924, as member for Portsmouth Central. He was previously MP for Lowestoft in two periods between 1892 and 1910.
- Alan Clark was 69 when he returned to the house after a 5-year absence in 1997, as member for Kensington and Chelsea. He previously sat for Plymouth Sutton between 1974 and 1992.
- William Mitford was 68 when he returned to the house after a 6-year absence in 1812, as member for New Romney. He previously sat for Bere Alston until 1806.
- John Charles Herries was 68 when he returned to the house after a 6-year absence in 1847, as member for Stamford. He previously sat for Harwich between 1823 and 1841.
- Philip Pleydell-Bouverie was 68 when he returned to the house after a 24-year absence in 1857 as member for Berkshire. He was previously MP for Downton 1831–32.
- George Clive was 68 when he returned to the house after a 5-year absence in 1874, as member for Hereford, for which he previously sat in 1857–68.
- John Hubbard was 68 when he returned to the house after a 5-year absence in 1874, as member for the City of London. He was previously MP for Buckingham in 1859–68.
- J. T. Hibbert was 68 when he returned to the house after a 6-year absence in 1892, as member for Oldham, for which he previously sat in 1877–86.
- George Renwick was 68 when he returned to the house after an 8-year absence in 1918, as member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central. He had previously sat for the undivided Newcastle upon Tyne seat in two periods between 1900 and 1910.
- Sir Alfred Law was 68 when he returned to the house after a 7-year absence in 1929, as member for High Peak. He was previously M.P. for Rochdale in 1918–22.
- Nic Dakin was 68 when he returned to the house after an absence of 4 years, in 2024, as member for Scunthorpe, for which he previously sat in 2010–2019.
- Sir Harry Burrard-Neale was 67 when he returned to the house after an absence of 9 years, in 1832, as member for Lymington, for which he previously sat on several occasions, the last ending in 1823.
- Sir Frederick Smith was 67 when he returned to the house after an absence of 4 years, in 1857, as member for Chatham, for which he previously sat in 1852–53.
- Sir Henry Bulwer was 67 when he returned to the house after a voluntary absence of 21 years, in 1868 as member for Tamworth. He was previously MP for Marylebone in 1835–37.
- Somerville Hastings was 67 when he returned after a 14-year absence in 1945, as member for Barking. He had previously been MP for Reading in 1923–24 and 1929–31.
- Tony Lloyd was 67 when he returned after a 5-year absence in 2017 as member for Rochdale. He had previously sat as MP for Manchester Central in 1997–2012.
- Sir George Philips was 66 when he returned after a two years absence in 1832 as member for South Warwickshire. He was previously MP for Wootton Bassett 1820–30.
- Alfred Billson was 66 when he returned after a 5-year absence in 1906 as member for North West Staffordshire. He had previously sat as MP for Halifax in 1897–1900.
- Sir Thomas Bramsdon was 66 when he returned after a year's absence in 1923, as member for Portsmouth Central, for which he previously sat between 1918 and 1922.
- J.R. Clynes was 66 when he returned after 4 years' absence in 1935, as member for Manchester Platting, for which he previously sat 1906–31
- Arthur Hayday was 66 when he returned after 4 years' absence in 1935, as member for Nottingham West, for which he previously sat in 1918–31.
- Jack Kinley was 66 when he returned after 14 years' absence in 1945, as member for Bootle, for which he previously sat in 1929–31.
- Robert Aglionby Slaney was 65 when he returned after near 5-year's absence in 1857, as member for Shrewsbury, for which he had previously sat in three periods between 1826 and 1852.
- Joseph Arch was 65 when he returned after 6 years absence in 1892 as member for North West Norfolk, for which he previously sat in 1885–86.
- Arthur Hayter was 65 when he returned after 5 years absence in 1900, as member for Walsall, for which he had previously sat in 1893–95.
- John Barker was 65 when he returned after nearly 5 years absence in 1906 as member for Penryn and Falmouth. He was previously MP for Maidstone in 1900–01.
- David Marshall Mason was 65 when he returned after 13 years absence in 1931 as member for Edinburgh East. He was previously MP for Coventry 1910–18.
- Sir Herbert Williams was 65 when he returned after 4 years absence in 1950 for Croydon East. He was previously MP for Croydon South 1932–45.
- David Drew was 65 when he returned after 7 years absence in 2017, as member for Stroud, for which he had previously sat between 1997 and 2010.
First women general election victors
- Constance Markievicz, Dublin St Patrick's, 1918 – but did not take her seat at Westminster.
- Nancy Astor, Plymouth Sutton,y and Margaret Wintringham, Louth,z 1922 – 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
- Diane Abbott, first ethnic minority woman to win, Hackney North and Stoke Newington, 1987
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.[31] 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 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 Catholic Apostolic general election victor was Henry Drummond also at the 1847 election.
The first Baptist general election victor was George Goodman at the 1852 general election.
The first Congregationalist general election victor was Samuel Morley at the 1865 general election.
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.
The first Buddhist general election victor was Suella Braverman as Suella Fernandes at the 2015 general election.
General elections losers awarded seats on disqualification of winner
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.
- Italics indicates constituency was newly created at that election
- Bold indicates the candidate who won that constituency's seat at that election
- An asterisk marks the MP who was incumbent in that seat, where that seat was not newly created.
| Election | Constituency | MP | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Alloa and Grangemouth | Kenny MacAskill | Alba | Both candidates were elected in 2019 for the SNP, but MacAskill defected to Alba. Neither won re-election, with the seat being won by Brian Leishman for Labour. | |
| John Nicolson | SNP | ||||
| Clwyd East | James Davies | Con | Both candidates were elected as Conservatives, but Roberts was suspended and ran as an independent. Neither won re-election, with the seat being won by Labour. | ||
| Rob Roberts | Ind | ||||
| Hitchin | Bim Afolami | Con | Strathern was previously elected in a by-election in Mid Bedfordshire in 2023, whilst Afolami was previously elected in for Hitchin and Harpenden. Both of their former constituencies have components in the new Hitchin seat. | ||
| Alistair Strathern | Lab | ||||
| Honiton and Sidmouth | Simon Jupp | Con | Foord was previously elected in a by-election in Tiverton & Honiton in 2022, whilst Jupp was previously elected for East Devon. Both of their former constituencies have components in the new Honiton & Sidmouth seat. | ||
| Richard Foord | Lib Dem | ||||
| North Shropshire | Helen Morgan* | Lib Dem | Morgan was previously elected in a by-election in 2021, whilst Baynes was previously elected for Clwyd South, which borders North Shropshire. Baynes' former seat was abolished in boundary changes. | ||
| Simon Baynes | Con | ||||
| Tamworth | Sarah Edwards* | Lab | Edwards was previously elected in a by-election in 2023, whilst Hughes was previously elected for Walsall North. | ||
| Eddie Hughes | Con | ||||
| 2019 | Altrincham and Sale West | Graham Brady* | Con | Smith was elected in 2017 for Labour, but had defected to the Liberal Democrats. | |
| Angela Smith | Lib Dem | ||||
| Wokingham | John Redwood* | Con | Both candidates were elected in 2017 for the Conservatives, but Lee had since defected to the Liberal Democrats. | ||
| Phillip Lee | Lib Dem | ||||
| Finchley and Golders Green | Mike Freer* | Con | Berger was elected in 2017 for Labour, but had since defected to the Liberal Democrats. | ||
| Luciana Berger | Lib Dem | ||||
| Kensington | Emma Dent Coad* | Lab | Gyimah was elected for the Conservatives, but then defected to the Liberal Democrats. Neither incumbent won re-election, with the seat being won by the Conservatives. | ||
| Sam Gyimah | Lib Dem | ||||
| 2010 | Poplar and Limehouse | Jim Fitzpatrick | Lab | Galloway had previously served as MP for the neighbouring Bethnal Green & Bow | |
| George Galloway | Respect | ||||
| Brent Central | Dawn Butler | Lab | Both Butler and Teather's seats were merged into the new Brent Central seat as a result of boundary changes. | ||
| Sarah Teather | Lib Dem | ||||
| 2005 | Dumfries and Galloway | Russell Brown | Lab | ||
| Peter Duncan | Con | ||||
| Bethnal Green and Bow | Oona King* | Lab | Both candidates were elected in 2001 for Labour, but Galloway had since been expelled from the party and founded Respect. | ||
| George Galloway | Respect | ||||
| 2001 | Brentwood and Ongar | Eric Pickles* | Con | Bell contested the seat over allegations the Conservative branch was infiltrated by a local church, after unseating Neil Hamilton in 1997 over corruption allegations.[32] | |
| Martin Bell | Ind | ||||
| 1992 | Glasgow Garscadden | Donald Dewar* | Lab | Both candidates were elected in 1987 for Labour, but Douglas defected to the SNP. | |
| Dick Douglas | SNP | ||||
| 1987 | South Hams | Willie Hamilton | Lab | Hamilton was nominated for South Hams while intending to retire from parliament as the MP for Central Fife. | |
| Anthony Steen* | Con | ||||
| 1983 | Meriden | Iain Mills* | Con | ||
| John Sever | Lab | ||||
| Islington North | Michael O'Halloran* | Independent Labour | Grant and O'Halloran both defected to the SDP from Labour. Grant was selected as the SDP candidate and O'Halloran ran as Independent Labour. The seat was won by Labour. | ||
| John Grant | SDP | ||||
| Southwark and Bermondsey | Simon Hughes | Lib | |||
| John Tilley | Lab | ||||
| Crosby | Shirley Williams* | SDP | |||
| Malcolm Thornton | Con | ||||
| Glasgow Hillhead | Roy Jenkins* | SDP | |||
| Neil Carmichael | Lab | ||||
| 1974 Feb | Bradford West | John Wilkinson* | Con | ||
| Edward Lyons | Lab | ||||
| Blyth | Eddie Milne* | Independent Labour | Both candidates were elected in 1970 for Labour, but Milne was deselected and ran as an independent. | ||
| Ivor Richard | Lab | ||||
| Plymouth Devonport | Joan Vickers* | Con | |||
| David Owen | Lab | ||||
| Brentford and Isleworth | Michael Barnes | Lab | |||
| Barney Hayhoe | Con | ||||
| Paddington | Arthur Latham | Lab | |||
| Nicholas Scott | Con | ||||
| 1955 | Grantham | Joseph Godber* | Con | ||
| Woodrow Wyatt | Lab | ||||
| Reading | Ian Mikardo | Lab | |||
| Frederic Bennett | Con | ||||
| Bradford North | William Taylor* | National Liberal | |||
| Maurice Webb | Lab | ||||
| 1950 | Carmarthen | Rhys Hopkin Morris* | Lib | ||
| Lynn Ungoed-Thomas | Lab | ||||
| Renfrewshire West | Thomas Scollan* | Lab | |||
| John Maclay | National Liberal | ||||
| Glasgow Kelvingrove | John Lloyd Williams* | Lab | |||
| Walter Elliot | Unionist | ||||
| Newport | Peter Freeman* | Lab | |||
| Ivor Thomas | Con | ||||
| Sudbury and Woodbridge | John Hare | Con | |||
| Roland Hamilton | Lab | ||||
| Stafford and Stone | Hugh Fraser | Con | |||
| Stephen Swingler | Lab | ||||
| Newark | Sidney Shephard* | Con | |||
| George Deer | Lab | ||||
| Carlton | Kenneth Pickthorn | Con | |||
| Florence Paton | Lab | ||||
| Thurrock | Leslie Solley* | Independent Labour | Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Solley was suspended from the party and ran for the Labour Independent Group. | ||
| Hugh Delargy | Lab | ||||
| Walthamstow West | Clement Attlee | Lab | Hutchinson was suspended from the party and ran for the Labour Independent Group. Neither MP was the incumbent in this seat. | ||
| Lester Hutchinson | Independent Labour | ||||
| Walsall | William Wells* | Lab | |||
| John Barlow | National Liberal | ||||
| Poole | Mervyn Wheatley | Con | |||
| Evelyn King | Lab | ||||
| Middlesbrough East | Alfred Edwards* | Con | Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Edwards had since defected to the Conservatives. | ||
| Hilary Marquand | Lab | ||||
| Liverpool West Derby | David Maxwell Fyfe | Con | |||
| Bertie Kirby | Lab | ||||
| Gateshead East | Arthur Moody | Lab | Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Zilliacus was suspended from the party (and had also left the Labour Independent Group) and ran as an independent. | ||
| Konni Zilliacus | Ind | ||||
| Exeter | John Maude* | Con | Horabin was elected in 1945 for the Liberals but had defected to Labour. He moved constituency to avoid campaigning against former colleagues. | ||
| Thomas Horabin | Lab | ||||
| Blackburn West | Ralph Assheton | Con | |||
| John Edwards | Lab | ||||
| Stepney | Walter Edwards | Lab | |||
| Philip Piratin | Communist | ||||
| Shoreditch and Finsbury | Ernest Thurtle | Lab | Both candidates were elected in 1945 for Labour, but Platts-Mills was suspended from the party and ran for the Labour Independent Group. | ||
| John Platts-Mills | Independent Labour | ||||
| 1945 | Lewisham East | Assheton Pownall* | Con | ||
| Herbert Morrison | Lab | ||||
| St Marylebone | Alec Cunningham-Reid* | Ind. Conservative | Both candidates were elected in 1935 for the Conservatives, but two competing local Conservative Associations nominated different candidates. | ||
| Wavell Wakefield | Con | ||||
| Putney | Hugh Linstead* | Con | Acland was elected in 1935 for the Liberals, but had since defected to the Common Wealth Party. | ||
| Richard Acland | Common Wealth | ||||
| Harrow West | Norman Bower | Con | |||
| Hugh Lawson | Common Wealth | ||||
| Stratford West Ham | Thomas Groves* | Ind | Groves was elected in 1935 for Labour but not reselected and ran as an independent. Neither MP won reelection, with the seat being held for Labour by Henry Nicholls. | ||
| Redvers Michael Prior | Con | ||||
| Mossley | Austin Hopkinson* | National | |||
| George Woods | Lab | ||||
Frequency and duration records
Longest period without a general election
The longest possible duration of a Parliament is currently five years; prior to the Parliament Act 1911, it was seven years. All period of six years or more between general elections are listed:
Shortest period between general elections
All periods of less than a year between general elections are listed:
- 7 months: November 1806 – June 1807
- 7 months: November/December 1885 – July 1886
- 7 months and 12 days: February – October 1974
- 8 months: September 1830 – April/May/June 1831
- 10 months: December 1923 – October 1924
- 11 months: January – December 1910
Longest continuous governments
This details the longest continuous government of each of the parties that have been in power.
| Party | Appointed | Removed | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 4 May 1979 | 2 May 1997 | 17 years, 11 months and 28 days | |
| Labour | 2 May 1997 | 11 May 2010 | 13 years and 9 days | |
| Liberal | 5 December 1905 | 25 May 1915 | 9 years, 5 months and 20 days | |
| Coalition government a | 24 August 1931 | 26 July 1945 | 13 years, 11 months and 2 days | |
a The parties making up the National Government changed throughout this 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.
Suspended elections
On rare occasions, polling in an individual constituency may be suspended, usually as a result of the death of a candidate. The last occasion was at Thirsk and Malton in 2010, where polling was delayed for three weeks owing to the death of the UKIP candidate.[33]
Previous examples occurred at
- South Staffordshire, 2005[34]
- Barnsley, 1951
- Manchester Moss Side, 1950
- Kingston upon Hull Central, 1945
- Rugby, 1929
- West Derbyshire, 1923
- Kennington, 1918
Causes of general elections
Loss of a vote of confidence
- 1979
- 1924
New Prime Minister seeks a mandate
- 2019
- 2017
- 1955
- 1935
- 1931 (MacDonald was the existing PM, but the composition of the government had entirely changed)
- 1923
Prime Minister without a working majority seeks to gain one
- 2019
- October 1974
- 1966
- 1951
Prime Minister's choice of date
- 2024
- 2017 (approved by a motion of the House of Commons under the provisions of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, an act which has since been repealed)
- 2005
- 2001
- 1987
- 1983
- February 1974
- 1970
- 1959
- 1950
- 1929
Parliament had run its course
- 2015 (in this case this was the duration of the parliament under the, now repealed, Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011)
- 2010
- 1997
- 1992
- 1964
Collapse of cooperation within Government
- 1922
End of World War
- 1945
- 1918
Miscellaneous records
Incumbents fall directly from first place to fourth place
| Constituency | Election | Losing party | Gaining party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashfield | 20241 | Conservative | Reform | ||
| Walsall and Bloxwich | 2024 | Conservative | Labour | ||
| Norwich South | 2015 | Liberal Democrats | Labour | ||
| Belfast North | 20012 | UUP | DUP | ||
| Peckham | 19313 | Labour | Conservative | ||
- 1 Sitting Conservative MP defected to Reform UK and won re-election.
- 2 UUP had been unopposed by DUP at previous elections.
- 3 Sitting Labour MP stood instead for the Independent Labour Party and took second place.
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.
Italics indicates seat was regained after having been lost in a previous by-election
Incoming Government loses seats
Notes: In 2010 the Conservatives entered government as the largest party in a coalition and in 2015 they went from being part of a coalition to being a majority government in their own right.
In 2017 the Conservatives entered government without an overall majority and in 2019 they went from having a minority government to being a majority government in their own right.
In 2010 the Liberal Democrats entered government as a junior partner in a coalition.
Italics indicates seat was previously lost at a by-election and not regained by the incoming government at a general election
Seats gained from fourth place*
- Ashfield, 2024 gained by Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party in 2019) from the Conservatives.
- North Herefordshire, 2024 gained by the Greens from the Conservatives.
- 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*
- Alloa and Grangemouth, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Ayrshire Central, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Ayrshire North and Arran, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Bathgate and Linlithgow, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Edinburgh South West, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Falkirk, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Kilmarnock and Loudoun, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Renfrewshire East, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Stirling and Strathallan, 2024 gained by Labour from the SNP
- Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, 2024 gained by the Liberal Democrats from the SNP
- Waveney Valley, 2024 gained by the Greens from the Conservatives
- Ynys Môn, 2024 gained by Plaid Cymru from the Conservatives
- North Down, 2019 gained by Alliance from an Independent
- 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.
- Basildon South and East Thurrock, 2024: Reform UK, James McMurdock
- Boston and Skegness, 2024: Reform UK Richard Tice1
- Clacton, 2024: Reform UK Nigel Farage
- North Antrim, 2024: TUV Jim Allister
- Clacton, 20154: UK Independence Party, Douglas Carswell
- Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 2015: Ulster Unionist Tom Elliott
- Bethnal Green and Bow, 2005: Respect, George Galloway
- Blaenau Gwent, 2005: Independent Peter Law
- Wyre Forest, 2001: IKHH, Richard Taylor
- North Down, 19974: UKUP, Robert McCartney
- Tatton, 1997: Independent Martin Bell
- Belfast West, 1983: Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams
- Caithness and Sutherland, 1983: SDP, Robert Maclennan
- Mid Ulster, 1983: Democratic Unionist, William McCrea
- Belfast East, 1979: Democratic Unionist, Peter Robinson
- Belfast South, 19792: Ulster Unionist, Robert Bradford
- Mid Ulster, 19793: United Ulster Unionist, John Dunlop
- Belfast East, February 1974: Vanguard, William Craig
- Belfast South, February 1974: Vanguard, Robert Bradford
- Belfast West, February 19746: SDLP, Gerry Fitt
- Lincoln, February 19744: Democratic Labour, Dick Taverne
- Mid Ulster, February 1974: Vanguard, John Dunlop
- North Antrim, February 19745: DUP, Ian Paisley
- Mid Ulster, 1970: Unity, Bernadette Devlin
- North Antrim, 1970: PUP, Ian Paisley
- Western Isles, 1970: SNP, Donald Stewart
- Caithness and Sutherland, 1964: Liberal, George Mackie
Notes:
- 1 Richard Tice contested Hartlepool in 2019.
- 2 Vanguard broke up in the late 1970s; the sitting MP joined the Ulster Unionists.
- 3 Vanguard broke up in the late 1970s; the sitting MP joined the United Ulster Unionists.
- 4 By-election gain confirmed at the general election.
- 5 The Protestant Unionist Party merged into the Democratic Unionist Party in 1970.
- 6 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 Speakers of the House of Commons. Cases where candidates were suspended from their parties after nominations closed (meaning they still appeared on the ballot under the name of their former party) are also not counted. 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.
| Election | Constituency | Incumbent party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | North Down | UPUP | Sole UPUP MP had died and party had subsequently collapsed. The UK Unionist Party had won the 1995 by-election, meaning the UPUP were no longer incumbents in 1997. | |
| 1983 | Mid Ulster | UUUP | UUUP had dissolved and former MP stood down. | |
| 1974 February | Belfast West | Republican Labour | MP had defected to the Social Democratic and Labour Party and RLP had dissolved. | |
| 1959 | Caithness and Sutherland | Unionist | Stood aside for Independent Unionist David Robertson. | |
| 1955 | Fermanagh and Tyrone | Nationalist | Stood aside for Sinn Féin candidate. | |
| 1950 | Chelmsford | Common Wealth | MP had defected to Labour and party decided not to contest any further elections. | |
| 1950 | Glasgow Camlachie | Ind. Labour Party | MP had defected to Labour, then the ILP had performed badly in the 1948 by-election. | |
Major party did not run
Not including instances where major parties did not run in seats contested by the Speaker.
Conservative
- Rotherham, 2024
- Greenock, 1970
- Huddersfield West, 1959
- Pembrokeshire, 1955
- Carmarthen, 1955
- Huddersfield West, 1955
- Carmarthen, 1951
- Colne Valley, 1951
- Huddersfield West, 1951
- Carmarthen, 1950
- Huddersfield West, 1950
Labour
- Tatton, 1997
- Chelmsford, 1945
- Woodford, 1945
Liberal Democrats
- Manchester Rusholme, 2024
- Arfon, 20192P
- Beaconsfield, 20192I
- Brighton Pavilion, 20192G
- Bristol West, 20192G
- Broxtowe, 20192I
- Bury St Edmunds, 20192G
- Caerphilly, 20192P
- Cannock Chase, 20192G
- Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, 20192P
- Dulwich and West Norwood, 20192G
- Dwyfor Meirionnydd, 20192P
- Exeter, 20192G
- Forest of Dean, 20192G
- Isle of Wight, 20192G
- Llanelli, 20192P
- Luton South, 20192I
- Pontypridd, 20192P
- Stroud, 20192G
- Vale of Glamorgan, 20192G
- Ynys Môn, 20192P
- Brighton Pavilion, 2017
- Skipton and Ripon, 2017
- Wyre Forest, 2005
- Wyre Forest, 2001
- Tatton, 1997
Liberal Party (pre-Liberal Democrats)
- Birmingham Handsworth, 1979
- Dudley West, 1979
- Ormskirk, 1979
- Salford East, 1979
- Woodford, 1945
- 2: As part of the Unite to Remain pact, the Liberal Democrats stood aside in favour of Green (2G), Plaid Cymru (2P) and independent (2I) candidates in some seats.
Victories by minor parties
Victories by independent and minor party candidates since 1945, not including the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru or Northern Ireland parties. For a complete list, see the list of UK minor party and independent MPs elected.
- C: Formerly elected for Conservatives or an affiliated party.
- L: Formerly elected for Labour or an affiliated party.
Independent candidates winning 10% or more
Independent candidates who did not win, but took 10% or more of the vote in their constituency
| Constituency | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batley and Spen | 2019 | Paul Halloran | 6,432 | 12.2 | 3 | |
| Beaconsfield | 2019 | Dominic Grieve | 16,765 | 29.0 | 2 | Previously represented the seat for the Conservatives |
| Bethnal Green and Stepney | 2024 | Ajmal Masroor | 14,207 | 30.5 | 2 | |
| Birkenhead | 2019 | Frank Field | 7,285 | 17.2 | 2 | Previously represented the seat for Labour |
| Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley | 2024 | Shakeel Afsar | 7,142 | 17.2 | 2 | |
| Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley | 2024 | Mohammad Hafeez | 6,159 | 14.8 | 3 | |
| Birmingham Ladywood | 2024 | Akhmed Yakoob | 12,137 | 33.2 | 2 | Endorsed by the Workers Party of Britain |
| Bradford South | 2024 | Rehiana Ali | 3,345 | 10.1 | 5 | |
| Bradford West | 2017 | Salma Yaqoob | 6,345 | 13.9 | 3 | |
| Bradford West | 2024 | Muhammed Islam | 11,017 | 29.7 | 2 | |
| Buckingham | 2017 | Scott Raven | 5,638 | 10.7 | 3 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow |
| Chingford and Woodford Green | 2024 | Faiza Shaheen | 12,445 | 25.7 | 3 | Candidate for Labour in 2019 and was selected in 2022 to stand but was deselected after the election was announced. |
| Chorley | 2019 | Mark Brexit-Smith | 9,439 | 23.7 | 2 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle. Selected as a Brexit Party candidate, ran as an independent after the party withdrew |
| Ealing Southall | 2001 | Avtar Lit | 5,764 | 12.3 | 3 | |
| East Devon | 2015 | Claire Wright | 13,140 | 24.0 | 2 | |
| East Devon | 2017 | Claire Wright | 21,270 | 35.2 | 2 | |
| East Devon | 2019 | Claire Wright | 25,869 | 40.4 | 2 | |
| East Ham | 2024 | Tahir Mirza | 6,707 | 17.7 | 2 | |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 2001 | Jim Dixon | 6,843 | 13.2 | 4 | |
| Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 2010 | Rodney Connor | 21,300 | 41.5 | 2 | Supported by the DUP and UUP |
| Fylde | 2015 | Mike Hill | 5,166 | 11.9 | 4 | |
| Hereford and South Herefordshire | 2017 | Jim Kenyon | 5,560 | 11.0 | 3 | |
| Heywood and Middleton North | 2024 | Chris Furlong | 4,349 | 11.7 | 4 | Endorsed by the Green Party of England and Wales |
| Holborn and St Pancras | 2024 | Andrew Feinstein | 7,312 | 18.9 | 2 | |
| Ilford North | 2024 | Leanne Mohamad | 15,119 | 32.2 | 2 | |
| Leicester East | 2024 | Claudia Webbe | 5,532 | 11.8 | 4 | Previously represented the seat for Labour. Endorsed by the Workers Party. |
| Middlesbrough | 2019 | Antony High | 4,548 | 14.2 | 3 | |
| Nelson and Colne | 1966 | Patrick Downey | 5,117 | 13.7 | 3 | The candidate was the uncle of Lesley Anne Downey, a victim in the Moors murders case, who stood against Labour candidate and opponent to capital punishment, Sydney Silverman on a pro-hanging platform. |
| Preston | 2024 | Michael Lavalette | 8,715 | 21.8 | 2 | |
| Sedgefield | 2005 | Reg Keys | 4,252 | 10.3 | 4 | Standing against the-Prime Minister Tony Blair |
| South Holland and the Deepings | 2024 | Mark Le Sage | 5,031 | 10.9 | 4 | |
| South West Hertfordshire | 2019 | David Gauke | 15,919 | 26.0 | 2 | Previously represented the seat for the Conservatives |
| South West Norfolk | 2024 | James Bagge | 6,282 | 14.2 | 4 | |
| West Bromwich West | 1997 | Richard Silvester | 8,546 | 23.3 | 2 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd |
| West Tyrone | 2005 | Kieran Deeny | 11,905 | 27.4 | 2 |
Minor parties' other strong performance
Minor parties without representation in Parliament which won 10% or more of the votes cast:
| Party | Constituency | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance | Belfast East | 1983 | Oliver Napier | 9,373 | 24.1 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast East | 1987 | John Alderdice | 10,574 | 32.1 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast East | 1992 | John Alderdice | 10,650 | 29.8 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast East | 1997 | Jim Hendron | 9,288 | 23.8 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast East | 2001 | David Alderdice | 5,832 | 15.8 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast East | 2005 | Naomi Long | 15,443 | 36.0 | 2 | The highest vote share ever achieved by a party with no MPs. | |
| Alliance | Belfast East | 2017 | Naomi Long | 3,746 | 12.2 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast South | 1983 | David Cook | 8,945 | 23.9 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast South | 1987 | David Cook | 6,963 | 21.3 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast South | 1992 | John Montgomery | 5,054 | 15.0 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast South | 1997 | Steve McBride | 5,112 | 12.9 | 4 | ||
| Alliance | Belfast South | 2017 | Paula Bradshaw | 7,946 | 18.2 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 1983 | Seán Neeson | 7,620 | 20.0 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 1987 | Seán Neeson | 8,582 | 25.6 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 1992 | Seán Neeson | 9,132 | 23.3 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 1997 | Seán Neeson | 6,929 | 20.2 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 2001 | John Matthews | 4,483 | 12.5 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 2005 | Seán Neeson | 4,869 | 15.3 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | East Antrim | 2017 | Stewart Dickson | 5,950 | 15.6 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 1983 | Seamus Close | 4,593 | 11.3 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 1987 | Seamus Close | 5,728 | 13.8 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 1992 | Seamus Close | 6,207 | 12.7 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 1997 | Seamus Close | 7,635 | 17.2 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 2001 | Seamus Close | 7,624 | 16.6 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 2005 | Seamus Close | 4,316 | 10.1 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Lagan Valley | 2017 | Aaron McIntyre | 4,996 | 11.1 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | North Antrim | 1987 | Gareth Williams | 5,140 | 12.4 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | North Down | 1983 | John Cushnahan | 9,015 | 22.1 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | North Down | 1987 | John Cushnahan | 7,932 | 19.4 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | North Down | 1992 | Addie Morrow | 6,611 | 14.7 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | North Down | 1997 | Oliver Napier | 7,554 | 20.7 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | South Antrim | 1983 | Gordon Mawhinney | 4,612 | 11.9 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | South Antrim | 1987 | Gordon Mawhinney | 5,808 | 16.0 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | South Antrim | 1992 | John Blair | 5,244 | 12.4 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | South Antrim | 1997 | David Ford | 4,668 | 11.6 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Strangford | 1983 | Addie Morrow | 6,171 | 15.8 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Strangford | 1987 | Addie Morrow | 7,553 | 20.3 | 2 | ||
| Alliance | Strangford | 1992 | Kieran McCarthy | 7,585 | 16.9 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Strangford | 1997 | Kieran McCarthy | 5,467 | 13.1 | 3 | ||
| Alliance | Strangford | 2017 | Kellie Armstrong | 5,693 | 14.7 | 2 | ||
| Ashfield Ind. | Ashfield | 2019 | Jason Zadrozny | 13,498 | 27.6 | 2 | ||
| Ashfield Ind. | Ashfield | 2024 | Jason Zadrozny | 6,276 | 15.7 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Barnsley Central | 2019 | Victoria Felton | 11,233 | 30.4 | 2 | ||
| Brexit Party | Barnsley East | 2019 | Jim Ferguson | 11,112 | 29.2 | 2 | ||
| Brexit Party | Bassetlaw | 2019 | Debbie Soloman | 5,366 | 10.6 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Blaenau Gwent | 2019 | Richard Taylor | 6,215 | 20.6 | 2 | ||
| Brexit Party | Blaydon | 2019 | Michael Robinson | 5,833 | 12.8 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Caerphilly | 2019 | Nathan Gill | 4,490 | 11.2 | 4 | ||
| Brexit Party | Chesterfield | 2019 | John Scotting | 4,771 | 10.6 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Cynon Valley | 2019 | Rebecca Rees-Evans | 3,045 | 10.1 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Doncaster Central | 2019 | Surjit Duhre | 6,842 | 16.5 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Doncaster North | 2019 | Andy Stewart | 8,294 | 20.4 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | North Durham | 2019 | Peter Telford | 4,693 | 11.1 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Don Valley | 2019 | Paul Whitehurst | 6,247 | 13.7 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Easington | 2019 | Julie Maughan | 6,744 | 19.5 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Hartlepool | 2019 | Richard Tice | 10,603 | 25.8 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Hemsworth | 2019 | Waj Ali | 5,930 | 13.5 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Houghton and Sunderland South | 2019 | Kevin Yuill | 6,165 | 15.5 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Kingston upon Hull East | 2019 | Marten Hall | 5,764 | 17.8 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Kingston upon Hull North | 2019 | Derek Abram | 4,771 | 13.9 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle | 2019 | Michelle Dewberry | 5,638 | 18.0 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Islwyn | 2019 | James Wells | 4,834 | 14.1 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Jarrow | 2019 | Richard Leslie Monaghan | 4,172 | 10.0 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Makerfield | 2019 | Ross Wright | 5,817 | 13.1 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney | 2019 | David Jones | 3,604 | 11.2 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | North Durham | 2019 | Peter Telford | 4,693 | 11.1 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | North Tyneside | 2019 | Andrew Husband | 5,254 | 10.4 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford | 2019 | Deneice Florence-Jukes | 8,032 | 16.6 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Rhondda | 2019 | John Watkins | 3,733 | 12.6 | 4 | ||
| Brexit Party | Rother Valley | 2019 | Allen Cowles | 6,264 | 12.9 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Rotherham | 2019 | Paul Hague | 6,125 | 17.2 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Sheffield South East | 2019 | Kirk Kus | 4,478 | 10.7 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | South Shields | 2019 | Glenn Michael Thompson | 6,446 | 17.0 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | St Helens North | 2019 | Malcolm Webster | 5,396 | 11.3 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | St Helens South and Whiston | 2019 | Daniel Oxley | 5,353 | 10.6 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Sunderland Central | 2019 | Viral Parikh | 5,047 | 11.6 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Torfaen | 2019 | David Thomas | 5,742 | 15.4 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Washington and Sunderland West | 2019 | Howard Brown | 5,439 | 14.5 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Wentworth and Dearne | 2019 | Stephen Cavell | 7,019 | 16.9 | 3 | ||
| Brexit Party | Wigan | 2019 | William Molloy | 5,959 | 13.2 | 3 | ||
| BNP | Barking | 2005 | Richard Barnbrook | 4,916 | 16.9 | 3 | ||
| BNP | Barking | 2010 | Nick Griffin | 6,620 | 14.8 | 3 | ||
| BNP | Burnley | 2001 | Steve Smith | 4,151 | 11.3 | 4 | ||
| BNP | Burnley | 2005 | Len Starr | 4,003 | 10.1 | 5 | ||
| BNP | Dewsbury | 2005 | David Exley | 5,066 | 13.1 | 4 | ||
| BNP | Oldham West and Royton | 2001 | Nick Griffin | 6,552 | 16.4 | 3 | ||
| BNP | Rotherham | 2010 | Marlene Guest | 3,906 | 10.4 | 4 | ||
| Buckinghamshire Campaign for Democracy | Buckingham | 2010 | John Stevens | 10,331 | 21.4 | 2 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow | |
| Burnley First | Burnley | 2005 | Harry Brooks | 5,786 | 14.8 | 3 | ||
| Green | Brighton Pavilion | 2005 | Keith Taylor | 9,571 | 22.0 | 3 | ||
| Green | Lewisham Deptford | 2005 | Darren Johnson | 3,367 | 11.4 | 4 | ||
| Green | Norwich South | 2010 | Adrian Ramsay | 7,095 | 14.9 | 4 | ||
| Ind. Network | Slough | 2024 | Azhar Chohan | 11,019 | 25.5 | 2 | ||
| Liberal | Liverpool West Derby | 2001 | Steve Radford | 4,601 | 14.9 | 2 | ||
| Liberal | Liverpool West Derby | 2005 | Steve Radford | 3,606 | 11.8 | 3 | ||
| National Democrats | West Bromwich West | 1997 | Steve Edwards | 4,181 | 11.4 | 3 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd | |
| NHA | Wyre Forest | 2015 | Richard Taylor | 7,221 | 14.6 | 4 | Taylor had served as MP for the constituency from 2001 to 2010 | |
| NHA | South West Surrey | 2017 | Louise Irvine | 12,093 | 20.0 | 2 | ||
| Newham Independents | West Ham and Beckton | 2024 | Sophia Naqvi | 7,180 | 19.8 | 2 | ||
| NI Labour | Belfast East | 1974 Oct | David Bleakley | 8,122 | 14.1 | 3 | ||
| Orkney and Shetland Movement | Orkney and Shetland | 1987 | John Goodlad | 3,095 | 14.5 | 4 | ||
| People Before Profit | Belfast West | 2015 | Gerry Carroll | 6,798 | 19.2 | 2 | Represented in the Dáil | |
| People Before Profit | Belfast West | 2017 | Gerry Carroll | 4,132 | 10.2 | 3 | Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Dáil | |
| People Before Profit | Belfast West | 2019 | Gerry Carroll | 6,194 | 16.0 | 3 | Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Dáil | |
| People Before Profit | Belfast West | 2024 | Gerry Carroll | 5,048 | 12.7 | 2 | Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Dáil | |
| People's Justice | Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath | 2001 | Shafaq Hussain | 4,770 | 13.0 | 3 | ||
| PUP | Belfast East | 2001 | David Ervine | 3,669 | 10.0 | 4 | ||
| PUP | Belfast South | 1997 | David Ervine | 5,687 | 14.4 | 3 | ||
| Protestant Unionist | Belfast North | 1987 | George Seawright | 5,671 | 15.4 | 3 | ||
| Real Unionist | North Down | 1987 | Bob McCartney | 14,467 | 35.4 | 2 | ||
| Scottish Militant Labour | Glasgow Pollok | 1992 | Tommy Sheridan | 6,287 | 19.3 | 2 | ||
| Scottish Socialist | Glasgow Pollok | 1997 | Tommy Sheridan | 3,639 | 11.1 | 3 | ||
| Socialist Labour | Glasgow North East | 2005 | Doris Kelly | 4,036 | 14.2 | 3 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin | |
| Green | Edinburgh East and Musselburgh | 2024 | Amanda Grimm | 4,669 | 10.2 | 3 | ||
| Green | Edinburgh North and Leith | 2024 | Kayleigh O'Neill | 5,417 | 10.9 | 3 | ||
| Green | Glasgow North | 2024 | Iris Duane | 4,233 | 12.2 | 3 | ||
| Green | Glasgow South | 2024 | Niall Christie | 5,554 | 13.1 | 3 | ||
| TUV | North Antrim | 2010 | Jim Allister | 7,114 | 16.8 | 2 | ||
| UKIP | Buckingham | 2010 | Nigel Farage | 8,410 | 17.4 | 3 | Standing against the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow | |
| UKIP | South Staffordshire | 2005 | Malcolm Hurst | 2,675 | 10.4 | 4 | Polling day delayed following death of Liberal Democrat candidate from original ballot. | |
| Workers Party | Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North | 2024 | James Giles | 9,089 | 26.6 | 2 | ||
| Workers Party | Birmingham Yardley | 2024 | Jody McIntyre | 10,582 | 29.3 | 2 | ||
| Workers Party | Blackburn | 2024 | Craig Murray | 7,105 | 18.3 | 3 | ||
| Workers Party | Bolton South and Walkden | 2024 | Jack Khan | 4,673 | 12.7 | 3 | ||
| Workers Party | Derby South | 2024 | Chris Williamson | 5,205 | 13.9 | 3 | ||
| Workers Party | Gorton and Denton | 2024 | Amir Burney | 3,766 | 10.3 | 4 | ||
| Workers Party | Luton North | 2024 | Waheed Akbar | 3,914 | 10.1 | 5 | ||
| Workers Party | Manchester Rusholme | 2024 | Mohhamed Bilal | 3,660 | 12.6 | 3 | ||
| Workers Party | Oldham East and Saddleworth | 2024 | Shanaz Siddique | 4,647 | 11.1 | 4 | ||
| Workers Party | Peterborough | 2024 | Amjad Hussain | 5,051 | 12.1 | 4 | ||
| Workers Party | Rochdale | 2024 | George Galloway | 11,587 | 29.2 | 2 | Galloway had served as MP for the constituency from February to May 2024 |
Miscellaneous notable results
Party wipeouts
Elections at which a party represented in Commons stood candidates but lost all of its seats. Parties that did not run any candidates, or whose MPs had all left and joined other parties prior to the election, are not counted.
- 2024: Alba (2 seats)S, Workers' Party (1 seat)B
- 2019: The Independent Group for Change (5 seats)S
- 2017: SDLP (3 seats), UUP (2 seats), UKIP (1 seat)
- 2015: Alliance (1 seat), Respect (1 seat)B
- 2010: Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern (1 seat), Respect (1 seat), UUP (1 seat)
- 2001: UK Unionist Party (1 seat)
- 1992: Sinn Féin (1 seat)
- 1979: Scottish Labour Party (2 seats)S
- 1974 Oct: Democratic Labour (1 seat)
- 1974 Feb: Unity (2 seats)
- 1955: Sinn Féin (2 seats), Irish Labour (1 seat)
- 1950: Communist Party of Great Britain (2 seats), Irish Labour (1 seat)S
- S: Formed by a party split over the course of that parliament.
- B: Seat won at a by-election, not the previous general election.
In 1997, the Conservatives saw a complete wipeout in Scotland and Wales, but won seats in England. The Welsh Liberal Democrats lost all their seats in 2015. The Welsh Conservatives once again saw a wipeout in 2024.
In some cases, party splits have led MPs to run as independents in groups that are not considered full-fledged parties. The Independents (2 MPs in 2019), Independent Social Democrats (3 MPs in 1992) and the Labour Independent Group (4 MPs in 1950) are examples of independent groupings with several members that were wiped out at general election.
Party leaders or deputy leaders losing their seats
- 1: Dodds was leader of the DUP at Westminster.
- 2: McCarthy was defeated in Londonderry City, the seat for which he had sat in the previous Parliament. He also stood in North Longford, where he was elected.
- 3: Gladstone was defeated in South West Lancashire, the seat for which he had sat in the previous Parliament. He also stood in Greenwich, where he was elected.
Incumbent Cabinet members losing their seats
- 1: Walker was defeated in Smethwick in the 1964 election. He was still appointed as Foreign Secretary and fought the 1965 Leyton by-election which he lost, resigning from Cabinet as a result.
- 2: Griffith-Boscawen was appointed Minister of Agriculture and subsequently lost the 1921 Dudley by-election. He returned to Parliament in the 1921 Taunton by-election and was promoted to Minister of Health. Subsequently in the 1922 election, he lost his Taunton seat and was unsuccessful in returning to Parliament in the 1923 Mitcham by-election
Former Prime Ministers losing their seats
| Constituency | Election | Prime Minister | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West Norfolk | 2024 | Liz Truss | Conservative | |
| Seaham | 1935 | Ramsay MacDonald | National Labour | |
| Paisley | 1924 | H. H. Asquith | Liberal | |
| East Fife | 1918 | H. H. Asquith | Liberal | |
| Manchester East | 1906 | Arthur Balfour | Conservative | |
First general elections for a new political party
Listed below parties which have returned MPs, either at the listed election or a later one.
- 2019: Reform UK (as "The Brexit Party")*
- 2010: TUV (in Northern Ireland)*
- 2005: Respect Party
- 2001: Independent Community and Health Concern
- 1997: UK Independence Party*
- 1997: UK Unionist Party (in Northern Ireland)
- 1992: Liberal Democrats
- 1992: Green Party of England and Wales*
- 1983: SDP
- 1983: Ulster Popular Unionist Party (in Northern Ireland)
- February 1974: Alliance Party (in Northern Ireland)*
- February 1974: Democratic Labour Party
- February 1974: Democratic Unionist Party (in Northern Ireland)
- February 1974: SDLP (in Northern Ireland)
- February 1974: Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (in Northern Ireland)
- 1966: Republican Labour Party (in Northern Ireland – dissolved 1973)
- 1945: Common Wealth Party (only time)
- 1935: Scottish National Party*
- 1931: National Labour Party
- 1931: Empire Free Trade Crusade (only time)
- 1931: National Liberal Party (dissolved 1968)
- 1929: Plaid Cymru (in Wales)*
- 1922: Communist Party
- 1922: National Liberal Party (only time – dissolved 1923)
- 1922: Ulster Unionist Party (in Northern Ireland)
- 1918: National Democratic and Labour Party (only time – dissolved 1922)
- 1918: National Party (only time – formed 1917, dissolved 1921)
- 1918: National Socialist Party (only time – became Social Democratic Federation 1919)
- 1918: Sinn Féin (in Ireland)
- 1918: Unionist Party (in Scotland)
- January 1910: All-for-Ireland League
- January 1910: Scottish Prohibition Party*
- 1900: Labour Party (as Labour Representative Committee – renamed 1906)
- 1895: Independent Labour Party
- 1892: Irish National Federation
- 1892: Irish Unionist Alliance
- 1886: Liberal Unionist Party
- 1885: Crofters Party (in Scotland)
- 1885: Irish Parliamentary Party (aka Irish Nationalist)
- 1874: Home Rule League (in Ireland)
- 1859: Liberal Party
- 1852: Independent Irish Party
- 1841: Chartist*
- 1835: Conservative Party
Asterisked – first election where party fielded candidates but MPs elected at later general election. Otherwise all parties listed returned MPs at first contested election.
Last general elections for defunct political parties
Listed below are parties which had returned MPs and which ceased to exist after the listed election:
- 2019: Independent Community & Health Concern
- 2015: Respect Party
- 2001: UK Unionist Party (in Northern Ireland)
- 1992: Ulster Popular Unionist Party (in Northern Ireland)
- 1987: Communist Party
- 1987: Liberal Party*
- 1987: SDP*
- 1983: United Ulster Unionist Party
- 1979: Democratic Labour Party
- October 1974: Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (in Northern Ireland)
- February 1974: Independent Labour Party
- 1970: Republican Labour Party (Northern Ireland)
- 1966: National Liberal Party (formed 1931 – dissolved 1968)
- 1964: Unionist Party (in Scotland)
- 1945: Common Wealth Party
- 1935: National Labour Party
- 1931: Scottish Prohibition Party
- 1918: Irish Parliamentary Party (aka Irish Nationalist)
- 1918: Irish Unionist Alliance
- December 1910: All-for-Ireland League
- December 1910: Liberal Unionist Party
- 1895: Crofters Party (in Scotland)
- 1895: Irish National Federation
- 1880: Home Rule League (in Ireland)
- 1859: Chartists
- 1857: Independent Irish Party
- 1857: Radicals (before amalgamation into Liberal Party which continued to be nicknamed "Radicals")
- 1857: Whig Party
- 1832: Tory Party (before reorganisation as Conservative Party which continued to be nicknamed "Tories")
* After the Liberal Party and SDP merged to form the Liberal Democrats, some members opposed to the merger formed new parties, the continuation Liberal Party and continuation Social Democratic Party. These parties are legally distinct from their predecessors and have never won a seat in Parliament.
General elections following electoral developments
Participation in, and outcome of, general elections can be influenced by changes in electoral law or practice.
- 2024: first general election following:
- Repeal of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011
- Introduction of voter identification laws in the Elections Act 2022
- Extension of franchise to all registered voters overseas, regardless of length of residence
- 2019: first general election held because an Act of Parliament specifically called for one (the Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2019, enacted to bypass the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011)
- 2017: first general election held because MPs voted for an early election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011
- 2015: first general election scheduled automatically under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011
- 2010: first general election following lowering of age of candidacy to 18
- 2001: first general election in which hereditary peers could vote, and stand as MPs without disclaiming peerage
- 1987: first general election in which British citizens living overseas could vote
- 1970: first general election following reduction of adult voting age to 18
- 1964: first general election hereditary peers were allowed to stand as MPs if peerage disclaimed
- 1955: first general election in which all seats were contested
- 1950: first general election following:
- extension of postal voting to civilian population
- abolition of university constituencies
- abolition of plural voting
- abolition of remaining two-member seat constituencies
- 1929: first general election where all adult women (aged 21 upwards) were enfranchised
- 1922: first general election following secession of Southern Ireland from the UK
- 1918: first general election in which:
- women (aged 21 upwards) were eligible only to stand and (aged 30 upwards) were enfranchised
- all adult males (aged 21 upwards) were enfranchised
- polling was held on single day
- postal voting (for armed forces personnel) was allowed
- 1885: first general election held subject to the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883
- 1874: first general election held with secret ballots
- 1868: first general election following enfranchisement of all male heads of household under the Second Reform Act
- 1832: first general election following Great Reform Act which:
- established a unified householder franchise
- comprehensively redistributed parliamentary seats, abolishing many rotten boroughs
- established 21 years as the youngest age of candidacy (reduced to 18 in 2006)
- 1830: first general election in which Roman Catholics could stand as MPs (significant in Ireland)
- 1801: first general election in which Irish voters elected MPs to Westminster, following the Act of Union, on same footing to those in England, Scotland and Wales