1983 United Kingdom general election

none July 2016 July 2016 1983 United Kingdom general election United Kingdom parliamentary no 1979 United Kingdom general election 1979 List of MPs elected in the 1979 United Kingdom general election 1987 United Kingdom general election 1987 List of MPs elected in the 1983 United Kingdom general election All 650 seats in the House of Commons 326The sole Sinn Féin MP to be elected, Gerry Adams, did not take his seat, so the effective number of seats in the House of Commons was 649, making a majority 325 seats. List of MPs elected in the 1983 United Kingdom general election 9 June 1983 42,197,344 30,671,13772.7% (3.3 pp) Margaret Thatcher (1983).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Margaret Thatcher 11 February 1975 Conservative Party (UK) Finchley 339 seats, 43.9% 359† 397 38* 13,012,316 42.4% 1.5 pp Michael Foot (1981).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Michael Foot 10 November 1980 Labour Party (UK) Blaenau GwentRepresented Ebbw Vale prior to dissolution. Blaenau Gwent was one of the two successor seats. 269 seats, 36.9% 261† 209speaker Figure includes Speaker of the House of Commons George Thomas in Cardiff West. 52* 8,456,934 27.6% 9.3 pp David Steel 1985 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 David Steel 7 July 1976 Liberal Party (UK) SDP–Liberal Alliance Tweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleRepresented Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles prior to dissolution. Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale was one of the two successor seats. 11 seats, 13.8% 9† 17 8* 4,210,115 13.7% 0.1 pp Ulster Unionist Party UUP James Molyneaux Ulster Unionist Party 7 September 1979 Ran in Lagan Valley (won) 5 seats, 0.8% 9† 11 2* 259,952 0.8% Roy Jenkins 1977 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Roy Jenkins 2 July 1982 Social Democratic Party (UK) SDP–Liberal Alliance Glasgow Hillhead Did not stand 0† 6 6* 3,570,834 11.6% New party UK General Election, 1983.svg 200px Colours denote the winning party—as shown in Results* Indicates boundary change, so this is a nominal figure. † Notional 1979 results on new boundaries. File:1983 UK GE Westminster diagram.svg Prime Minister Composition of the House of Commons after the election Prime Minister after election Margaret Thatcher Conservative Party (UK) Margaret Thatcher Conservative Party (UK) Opinion polling for the 1983 United Kingdom general election A general election was held in the United Kingdom on Thursday 9 June 1983. The governing Conservative Party, under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, won a landslide victory with a majority of 144 seats. It was the most decisive election result since the Labour Party won a 146-seat majority in 1945 and was the first of two consecutive landslides for the Conservatives.David Butler and Dennis Kavanagh The British General Election of 1979 1980 Macmillan Publishers Limited London 0333269349 197 Thatcher's first term as Prime Minister had not been an easy time.https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/margaret-thatcher Baroness Margaret Thatcher gov.uk 2 July 2018 Unemployment increased during the first three years of her premiership and the economy went through a recession, resulting in the Conservatives trailing in virtually every poll from 1979 to 1981. However, Thatcher's decisive leadership in the Falklands War had led to a British victory and a recovery of her personal and the government's popularity in 1982, and economic growth had simultaneously resumed. By the time Thatcher called the election in May 1983, opinion polls pointed to a Conservative victory, with most national newspapers backing the re-election of the Conservative government. The resulting win earned the Conservatives their biggest parliamentary majority of the post-war era, and their second-biggest majority as a majority government, behind only the 1924 general election (they earned even more seats in the 1931 general election, but were part of the National Government).https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/basics/4393313.stm 1983: Thatcher triumphs again 5 April 2005 BBC News 22 March 2015 The Labour Party had been led by Michael Foot since the resignation of former Prime Minister James Callaghan as Leader of the Labour Party in 1980. Foot's leadership had resulted in Labour moving significantly more to the left,Vaidyanathan Rajini https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8550425.stm Michael Foot: What did the 'longest suicide note' say? 4 March 2010 BBC News 22 March 2015 prompting several moderates from the right-wing of the party to defect from Labour to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which then formed the SDP–Liberal Alliance with the existing Liberal Party. Labour was further harmed by its promise to withdraw from the European Economic Community, which alienated Pro-European groups. The opposition vote split almost evenly between the Alliance and Labour. With its worst electoral performance since 1931, the Labour vote fell by over 3,000,000 votes from 1979, accounting for both a national swing of almost 4% towards the Conservatives and their larger parliamentary majority of 144 seats, even though the Conservatives' total vote fell by almost 700,000. This was the last general election until 2015 in which a governing party increased its number of seats. The Alliance finished in third place but came within 700,000 votes of out-polling Labour; by gaining 25.4% of the vote it won the largest percentage for any third party since 1923. Despite this, it won only 23 seats, whereas Labour won 209. The Liberals argued that a proportional electoral system would have given them a more representative number of MPs. Changing the electoral system from First-Past-The-Post had been a long-running campaign plank of the Liberal Party and would later be adopted by its successor, the Liberal Democrats. The election night was broadcast live on the BBC and was presented by David Dimbleby, Sir Robin Day and Peter Snow.sf3NxCCSz3Y Election 1983Part 1 It was also broadcast on ITV and presented by Alastair Burnet, Peter Sissons and Martyn Lewis. Three future leaders of the Labour Party were first elected to Parliament at this election: Tony Blair (1994–2007), Gordon Brown (2007–2010) and Jeremy Corbyn (2015–2020). In addition, two future Leaders of the Liberal Democrats, Paddy Ashdown and Charles Kennedy, were first elected. Michael Howard, who later served the Conservatives as Home Secretary in government and as party leader from 2003 to 2005, was also first elected to Parliament in 1983. At the same time, a number of prominent Members of Parliament stepped aside or lost their seats. Former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson stood down from Parliament after 38 years, while the Alliance's Shirley Williams and Bill Pitt lost their seats only a short time after having won them. Joan Lestor and Tony Benn as well as former Liberal leader Jo Grimond and Speaker of the House of Commons and former Labour Cabinet Minister George Thomas also departed from Parliament at this election, although Benn would return after winning a by-election in Chesterfield the following year, and Lestor returned to Parliament after winning a seat at the next general election in 1987. none October 1974 1979 1983 1987 1992 Background and campaign Michael Foot was elected leader of the Labour Party at the end of 1980, replacing James Callaghan. The election of Foot signalled that the core of the party was swinging to the left and the move exacerbated divisions within the party. During 1981, a group of senior figures including Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams left Labour to found the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The SDP agreed to a pact with the Liberals for the 1983 election and stood as "The Alliance". For a while the Alliance topped the opinion polls and looked capable of achieving their goal of forming a coalition government at the next general election, but the success of the Falklands campaign in 1982 saw the political tide turn in favour of the Conservative government. The election did not have to be held until 1984. Although political circumstances were clearly favourable for the government and opposition parties anticipated that Mrs Thatcher would go to the country in June, earlier in 1983 the Conservatives were split on the timing of the election. One faction favoured a June election, but another group wanted to wait until October before going to the country, while some within the Party even advocated delaying the contest until 1984. Supporters of waiting to a later time to hold an election included Thatcher's deputy and Home Secretary William Whitelaw and John Biffen who was then serving as Leader of the House of Commons.Julian Haviland The Times Guide to the House of Commons June 1983 1983 Times Books Ltd London 0-7230-0255-X 23 The June 1983 Election Campaign:Conservative lead was never challenged On 27 April it was reported that all the Conservative party's regional agents had unanimously expressed a preference to Thatcher for a June election, although some members of her cabinet were advising her to wait until October.Parkhouse Geoffrey Go for June election, agents urge Thatcher https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19830427&printsec=frontpage&hl=en 11 July 2020 The Glasgow Herald 27 April 1983 1 On 8 May senior Conservatives met at Chequers and agreed to go to the country on 9 June. The election was formally called the next day and Parliament was dissolved on 13 May for a four-week official election campaign. The campaign displayed the huge divisions between the two major parties. Thatcher had been highly unpopular during her first two years in office until the swift and decisive victory in the Falklands War, coupled with an improving economy, considerably raised her standings in the polls. The Conservatives' key issues included reducing unemployment (which had increased from 1.5 million in 1979 to more than 3 million by 1982), continuing economic growth following the recent recession, and defence. Labour's campaign manifesto involved leaving the European Economic Community, abolishing the House of Lords, abandoning the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent by cancelling Trident and removing cruise missiles — a programme dubbed by Labour MP Gerald Kaufman "the longest suicide note in history"; "Although, at barely 37 pages, it only seemed interminable", noted Roy Hattersley. Pro-Labour political journalist Michael White, writing in The Guardian, commented: "There was something magnificently brave about Michael Foot's campaign but it was like the Battle of the Somme."https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/apr/11/mondaymediasection.politicsandthemedia The Guardian Michael White Michael White on 35 years of covering elections 11 April 2005 23 June 2018 The Alliance had had a setback ahead of the campaign at the Darlington by-election in March. The contest was one that had looked promising ground for the SDP, but despite heavily campaigning in the Labour-held seat, the SDP candidate, who struggled when interviewed for television by Vincent Hanna finished a poor third, which stalled the momentum of the Alliance.Richards Steve The Prime Ministers We Never Had; Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn 2021 Atlantic Books London 978-1-83895-241-9 70–71 During the campaign, on Sunday 29 May, David Steel held a meeting with Jenkins and other Alliance leaders at his Ettrickbridge home. Steel, who polls showed was more popular proposed that Jenkins take a lower profile and that Steel take over as leader of the campaign. Jenkins rejected Steel's view and remained "Prime Minister designate", but Steel did have a heightened role on television for the last 10 days of the election campaign. According to Steve Richards the meeting meant Jenkins' "confidence was undermined and he staggered to the finishing line with less verve than he had displayed in the early days of the SDP" and showed little sign of his earlier "exuberance".Richards Steve The Prime Ministers We Never Had; Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn 2021 Atlantic Books London 978-1-83895-241-9 71Julian Haviland The Times Guide to the House of Commons June 1983 1983 Times Books Ltd London 0-7230-0255-X 26 The June 1983 Election Campaign:Conservative lead was never challenged Notional election, 1979 Following boundary changes in 1983, the BBC and ITN (Independent Television News) co-produced a calculation of how the 1979 general election would have gone if fought on the new 1983 boundaries. The following table shows the effects of the boundary changes on the House of Commons:Craig F.W.S. The BBC/ITN Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies 1983 Parliamentary Research Services Chichester 978-0-90017-814-6 UK General Election 1979 Conservative Party (UK) 359 +20 13,703,429 44.9 55 Labour Party (UK) 261 −8 11,512,877 37.7 40 Liberal Party (UK) 9 −2 4,324,936 14.2 1 Scottish National Party 2 0 497,128 1.6 0 Plaid Cymru 2 0 135,241 0.4 0 Other parties 17 +5 1,063,263 3.4 3 |} In effect, the Conservative Party had won 20 more seats under the new boundaries than it had in the previous election, with Labour and the Liberal Party suffering starting from fewer seats notionally. The Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru saw no change in terms of seats. However, amongst the largest changes came from Northern Ireland increasing having it number of seats increased from 12 to 17. In effect, this placed the Ulster Unionist Party at 9 notional seats compared to the 5 it had won in the previous election, with the Social Democratic and Labour Party on 2 seats where it had only held 1, with the Independent Unionist technically holding 2 seats. The Democratic Unionist Party, however, would have held 2 sets instead of its three. Finally, the United Ulster Unionist Party would have notionally held its 1 seat, as would have Independent Republican Frank Maguire. These were the changes of the 12 to 17 seats which represented Northern Ireland, although not explicitly shown in the BBC/ITN release.BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979 http://www.election.demon.co.uk/notional79.html election.demon.co.uk BBC/ITN 6 October 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20040528085747/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/notional79.html 28 May 2004 The Electoral Calculus notional calculation placed each parties' seats as follows: Notional 1979 results on 1983 boundaries Party 1979 MPs Actual Notional Difference Conservative Party (UK) 339 359 20 Labour Party (UK) 269 261 8 Liberal Party (UK) 11 9 2 Ulster Unionist Party 5 9 4 Democratic Unionist Party 3 2 1 Scottish National Party 2 2 Plaid Cymru 2 2 Social Democratic and Labour Party 1 2 1 Independent Unionist 1 2 1 United Ulster Unionist Party 1 1 Independent Republican (Ireland) 1 1 Timeline The Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited Buckingham Palace on the afternoon of 9 May and asked the Queen to dissolve Parliament on 13 May, announcing that the election would be held on 9 June.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/05/10/thatcher-sets-june-9-for-election/d353607f-f9e1-4dbb-9c5f-3acb4882cde1/ Thatcher Sets June 9 For Election 10 May 1983 The Washington Post Osnos Peter 14 May 2023 The key dates were as follows: Friday 13 MayDissolution of the 48th Parliament and campaigning officially beginsMonday 23 MayLast day to file nomination papers; 2,579 candidates enterWednesday 8 June Campaigning officially endsThursday 9 June Polling dayFriday 10 June The Conservative Party wins with a majority of 144 to retain powerWednesday 15 June49th Parliament assemblesWednesday 22 JuneState Opening of Parliament Results Results of the 1983 United Kingdom general election January 2026 The election saw the Conservatives win a landslide victory, improving on their 1979 result and achieving their best results since 1935. Although there was a slight drop in their share of the vote, they made significant gains at the expense of Labour. The Tories have yet to match their 1983 seat total in any subsequent general election, although they recorded a higher share of the popular vote in 2019. The night was a disaster for the Labour Party; their share of the vote fell by over 9%, which meant they were only 700,000 votes ahead of the newly formed third party, the SDP–Liberal Alliance. The massive increase of support for the Alliance at the expense of Labour meant that, in many seats,June 2018 the collapse in the Labour vote allowed the Conservatives to gain. Despite winning over 25% of the national vote, the Alliance got fewer than 4% of seats, 186 fewer than Labour. The most significant Labour loss of the night was Tony Benn, who was defeated in the revived Bristol East seat. SDP President Shirley Williams, then a prominent leader in the Social Democratic Party, lost her Crosby seat which she had won in a by-election in 1981. Bill Rodgers, another leading figure in the Alliance (like Williams, one of the "Gang of Four") also failed to win his old seat that he previously held as a Labour MP. In Scotland, both Labour and the Conservatives sustained modest losses to the Alliance. Labour remained by far the largest party, with 41 seats to 21 for the Scottish Conservatives. The Scottish Conservatives have been unable to match their 1983 Westminster seat total since, although they did record a slightly larger share of the Scottish vote in 2017, by which time the Scottish National Party had become the dominant party in Scotland with the Conservatives being the largest unionist party, with 13 seats won in 2017; their strongest performance in Scotland in 34 years. On a nationwide basis, the 1983 UK general election was the worst result in Labour's modern history until the 2019 general election, in terms of seats won. The result in 1983 remains the worst-ever modern performance for Labour in England. Summary of seats returned + centre|420px PartyBritish Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher 50 Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 2006 Leader MPs Aggregate votes Of total Of total Conservative and Unionist Party Margaret Thatcher 397 397 650 1 yes Conservative Party (UK) 13,012,316 42.4% 42.4 Conservative Party (UK) Labour Party Michael Foot 209Includes 7 Co-operative Party MP, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance.speaker 209 650 1 yes Labour Party (UK) 8,456,934 27.6% 27.6 Labour Party (UK) SDP–Liberal Alliance 23 23 650 1 yes SDP–Liberal Alliance 7,780,949 25.4% 25.4 SDP–Liberal Alliance Liberal Party David Steel 17 17 650 1 yes Liberal Party (UK) 4,210,115 13.7% 13.7 Liberal Party (UK) Social Democratic Party Roy Jenkins 6 6 650 1 yes Social Democratic Party (UK) 3,570,834 11.6% 11.6 Social Democratic Party (UK) Ulster Unionist Party James Molyneaux 11 11 650 1 yes Ulster Unionist Party 259,952 0.8% 0.8 Ulster Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party Ian Paisley 3 3 650 1 yes Democratic Unionist Party 152,749 0.5% 0.5 Democratic Unionist Party Scottish National Party Gordon Wilson 2 2 650 1 yes Scottish National Party 331,975 1.1% 1.1 Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Dafydd Wigley 2 2 650 1 yes Plaid Cymru 125,309 0.4% 0.4 Plaid Cymru Social Democratic and Labour Party John Hume 1 1 650 1 yes Social Democratic and Labour Party 137,012 0.4% 0.4 Social Democratic and Labour Party Sinn Féin Ruairí Ó Brádaigh 1 1 650 1 yes Sinn Féin 102,701 0.3% 0.3 Sinn Féin Ulster Popular Unionist Party James Kilfedder 1 1 650 1 yes Ulster Popular Unionist Party 22,861 0.1% 0.1 Ulster Popular Unionist Party Full results centre|500x500px +Results of the June 1983 general election to the House of Commons of the United KingdomPartyhttps://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/general-elections/39 UK General Elections Results 1832-2019 12 August 2026British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 49-50 2006LeaderCandidatesMPsAggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of total (%) Total Of total (%) Change (%)   Conservative MargaretThatcher 633 397 48 10 38 61.1 13,012,316 42.4 1.5   Labour MichaelFoot 633Includes 17 Co-operative Party candidates, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance. 209Includes 7 Co-operative Party MPs, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance.speaker 4 56 52Includes 10 Co-operative Party MPs, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance. 32.2Includes 1.1% for the Co-operative Party, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance. 8,456,934 Includes 299,080 for the Co-operative Party, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance. 27.6Includes 1.0% for the Co-operative Party, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance. 9.3Includes 0.6% for the Co-operative Party, as part of the Labour-Co-op alliance.   SDP–LiberalAlliance 633 23 colspan=2 New 14 3.5 7,780,949 25.4 NewLiberal Party (UK) DavidSteel 322 17 8 0 8 2.6 4,210,115 13.7 0.1Social Democratic Party (UK) RoyJenkins 311 6 colspan=2 New 6 0.9 3,570,834 11.6 New   SNP GordonWilson 72 2 0 0 0.3 331,975 1.1 0.5   UUP JamesMolyneaux 16 11 3 1 2 1.7 259,952 0.8   DUP IanPaisley 14 3 2 1 1 0.5 152,749 0.5 0.3   SDLP JohnHume 17 1Leader John Hume in the new seat of Foyle was a notional 'hold' on the new boundaries compared with 1979. 0 1Gerry Fitt in Belfast West. 1 0.2 137,012 0.4   Plaid Cymru DafyddWigley 38 2 0 0 0.3 125,309 0.4   Sinn Féin Ruairí ÓBrádaigh 14 1Gerry Adams in Belfast West. colspan=2 Did not stand in 1979 1 0.2 102,701 0.3   Alliance OliverNapier 12 0 0 0 — 61,275 0.2 0.1   Ecology MultipleLeaders 109 0 0 0 — 54,299 0.2 0.1   Independent 85Includes official Liberal candidates who were not given national Alliance endorsement against SDP candidates in three constituencies: Liverpool Broadgreen, Hackney South and Shoreditch, and Hammersmith. 0 0 0 — 35,482 0.1 0.1   NationalFront AndrewBrons 60 0 0 0 — 27,065 0.1 0.5   UPUP JamesKilfedder 1 1James Kilfedder in North Down. colspan=2 New 1 0.2 22,861 0.1 New   IndependentLabour 8 0 0 0 — 17,077 0.1   Workers' Party TomásMac Giolla 14 0 0 0 — 14,650 0.0   BNP JohnTyndall 54 0 colspan=3 New — 14,621 0.0 New   IndependentConservative 11 0 0 0 — 13,086 0.1   Communist GordonMcLennan 35 0 0 0 — 11,606 0.0 0.1   IndependentSocialist 1Candidate Gerry Fitt in Belfast West. 0 colspan=3 New — 10,326 0.0 New   WorkersRevolutionary MichaelBanda 21 0 0 0 — 3,798 0.0   Monster Raving Loony DavidSutch 12Figure includes two candidates who simply stood as 'Loony Society' candidates in Dulwich and Kingston-upon-Thames.https://www.loonyparty.com/history-4/general-election-results-1966-200/ The Official Monster Raving Loony Party: Official Monster Raving Loony Party General Election Results 1966-2005 6 October 2026 0 colspan=3 New — 3,623 0.0 New   Pro-CorporalPunishment 3 0 colspan=3 New — 2,113 0.0 New   Wessex Regionalists AlexanderThynn 10 0 0 0 — 1,750 0.0   Anti-CommonMarket 3 0 0 0 — 1,177 0.0   MebyonKernow RichardJenkin 2 0 0 0 — 1,151 0.0   IndependentDUP 1Candidate William Campbell Gault stood in Belfast North. 0 colspan=3 New — 1,134 0.0 New   IndependentCommunist 1Candidate Ronald Parkinson stood in Hertsmere. 0 colspan=3 Did not stand in 1979 — 1,116 0.0   Associates withLicences 4 0 colspan=3 New — 934 0.0 New   Nationalist Party AndrewFountaine 5 0 colspan=3 New — 874 0.0 New   IndependentLiberal 2 0 colspan=3 New — 656 0.0 New   Labour and Trade Union PeterHadden 1Candidate Frances Cullen stood in Belfast East. 0 colspan=3 New — 584 0.0 New   Revolutionary Communist FrankFuredi 3 0 colspan=3 New — 581 0.0 New   Sparethe Earth 1Candidate Thomas Layton stood in Hove. 0 colspan=3 New — 524 0.0 New   Women forLife on Earth 1Candidate R. Johnson stood in Henley. 0 colspan=3 New — 517 0.0 New   Parties with fewer than 500 votes each 48 0 colspan=3 — 8,360 0.0   Other non-contested 0 0 colspan=2 4*2 Independent Unionist seats: James Kilfedder retained North Down but with his own party; the new seat of Strangford was a notional seat for Independent Unionist. 1 Independent Republican seat of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. 1 United Ulster Unionist Party seat of Mid Ulster. — 0 0.0 Blank and invalid votes 51,104https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf UK Election Statistics: 1918-2023, A Century of Elections Cracknell Richard Uberoi Elise Burton Matthew 9 August 2023 House of Commons Library 32 8 August 2026 — — Total 2,578 650 0 100.0 30,671,137All valid votes excluding spoiled votes. 100.0 0.0 Registered voters, and turnout 42,197,344Butler's British Political Facts David Butler Roger Mortimore Andrew Blick 380 Palgrave Macmillan 978-1-137-56708-6 72.7https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf UK Election Statistics: 1918-2023, A Century of Elections Cracknell Richard Uberoi Elise Burton Matthew 9 August 2023 House of Commons Library 29 8 August 2026 3.3 Votes summary Results of the UK General Election, 1983.svg Seats won in the election (outer ring) against number of votes (inner ring) 250px left top triangle Popular vote #ddd 600px 500px Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 42.43 Labour Labour Party (UK) 27.57 SDP–Liberal SDP–Liberal Alliance 25.37 Others #a9a9a9 4.63 Seats summary Parliamentary seats #ddd 600px 500px Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 61.08 Labour Labour Party (UK) 32.15 SDP–Liberal SDP–Liberal Alliance 3.54 Others #a9a9a9 3.23 left Election 1983 Polls.jpg Data from Guardian daily polls published in The Guardian between May and June 1983. Colour key: BLUE solid 5px Conservative RED solid 5px Labour ORANGE solid 5px Alliance BLACK solid 5px Others 350px bottom triangle left 1983 UK General Election-Gallagher Index.svg The disproportionality of the House of Commons in the 1983 election was "20.62" according to the Gallagher Index, mainly between the Conservatives and the Alliance. 350px bottom triangle Results by voter characteristics +Ethnic group voting intentionSaggar Shamit https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.15976631 Race and representation: Electoral politics and ethnic pluralism in Britain 2000 Manchester University PressEthnic groupPartyLabourConservativeSDP/LibOtherEthnic minority (non-White)83%7%n/a10%AsianRace And British Electoral Politics https://www.routledge.com/Race-And-British-Electoral-Politics/Saggar/p/book/9781857288308 2025-10-07 Routledge & CRC Press en81%9%9%n/aAfro-Caribbean88%7%5%n/a Incumbents defeated PartyNameConstituencyOffice held whilst in ParliamentYear electedDefeated byPartyLabour Party (UK)Tony BennBristol South East (contested Bristol East)Secretary of State for Energy (1975–1979)1950Benn did not serve during his Viscountcy between 1960 and 1963.Jonathan SayeedConservative Party (UK)Albert BoothBarrow and FurnessSecretary of State for Employment (1976–1979)1966Cecil FranksConservative Party (UK)Arthur DavidsonAccrington (contested Hyndburn)Shadow Attorney General (1982–1983)1966Ken HargreavesConservative Party (UK)Neil CarmichaelGlasgow Kelvingrove (contested Glasgow Hillhead)Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Industry (1975–1976)1962Roy Jenkins MPSocial Democratic Party (UK)Bob CryerKeighley1974Gary WallerConservative Party (UK)Joseph DeanLeeds WestLord Commissioner of the Treasury (1978–1979)1974Michael MeadowcroftLiberal Party (UK)David EnnalsNorwich NorthSecretary of State for Social Services (1976–1979)1974Patrick ThompsonConservative Party (UK)John GarrettNorwich South1974John PowleyConservative Party (UK)Ted GrahamEdmontonLord Commissioner of the Treasury (1976–1979)1974Ian TwinnConservative Party (UK)William HomewoodKettering (contested Corby)1979William PowellConservative Party (UK)Frank HooleySheffield Heeley (contested Stratford-on-Avon)1966Alan HowarthConservative Party (UK)Russell KerrFeltham and Heston1966Patrick GroundConservative Party (UK)Joan LestorEton and Slough (contested Slough)Chair of the Labour Party (1977–78)1966John WattsConservative Party (UK)Alex LyonYork1966Conal GregoryConservative Party (UK)Jim MarshallLeicester South1974Derek SpencerConservative Party (UK)Roland MoyleLewisham EastMinister of State for Health (1976–1979)1966Colin MoynihanConservative Party (UK)Stan NewensHarlow1974Jerry HayesConservative Party (UK)Oswald O'BrienDarlington1983Michael FallonConservative Party (UK)Christopher PriceLewisham West1974John MaplesConservative Party (UK)Gwilym RobertsCannock (contested Cannock and Burntwood)1974Gerald HowarthConservative Party (UK)John SeverBirmingham Ladywood, contested (Meriden)1977Iain MillsConservative Party (UK)John SpellarBirmingham Northfield1982Roger Douglas KingConservative Party (UK)David StoddartSwindonLord Commissioner of the Treasury (1975–1978)1970Simon CoombsConservative Party (UK)Shirley SummerskillHalifaxUnder-Secretary of State for the Home Department (1976–1979)1964Roy GalleyConservative Party (UK)Ann TaylorBolton West (contested Bolton North East)1974Peter ThurnhamConservative Party (UK)John TilleyLambeth Central (contested Southwark and Bermondsey)1978Simon Hughes MPLiberal Party (UK)Frank WhiteBury and Radcliffe (contested Bury North)1974Alistair BurtConservative Party (UK)Phillip WhiteheadDerby North1970Greg KnightConservative Party (UK)William WhitlockNottingham NorthUnder-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1968–1969)1959Richard OttawayConservative Party (UK)Kenneth WoolmerBatley and Morley (contested Batley and Spen)1979Elizabeth PeacockConservative Party (UK)Social Democratic Party (UK)Tom BradleyElected as a Labour MPLeicester East1962Peter BruinvelsConservative Party (UK)Christopher Brocklebank-FowlerElected as a Conservative PartyNorth West Norfolk1970Henry BellinghamConservative Party (UK)Ronald BrownHackney South and Shoreditch1964Brian SedgemoreLabour Party (UK)Richard CrawshawLiverpool Toxteth (contested Liverpool Broadgreen)Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (1979–1981)1964Terry FieldsLabour Party (UK)George CunninghamIslington South and Finsbury1970Chris SmithLabour Party (UK)Tom EllisWrexham (contested Clwyd South West)1970Robert HarveyConservative Party (UK)David GinsburgDewsbury1959John WhitfieldConservative Party (UK)John GrantIslington Central (contested Islington North)Under-Secretary of State for Employment (1976–1979)1970Jeremy CorbynLabour Party (UK)John HoramGateshead West (contested Newcastle upon Tyne Central)Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (1976–1979)1970Piers MerchantConservative Party (UK)Ednyfed Hudson DaviesCaerphilly (contested Basingstoke)1979Andrew HunterConservative Party (UK)Edward LyonsBradford West1966Max MaddenLabour Party (UK)Dickson MabonGreenock and Port Glasgow (contested Inverclyde)Minister for Energy (1976–1979)1955Anna McCurleyConservative Party (UK)Tom McNallyStockport South (contested Stockport)1979Anthony FavellConservative Party (UK)Bryan MageeLeyton1974Harry CohenLabour Party (UK)Bob MitchellSouthampton Itchen1971Christopher ChopeConservative Party (UK)Eric OgdenLiverpool West Derby1964Bob WareingLabour Party (UK)William RodgersStockton-on-Tees (contested Stockton North)Secretary of State for Transport (1976–1979)1962Frank CookLabour Party (UK)John RoperFarnworth (contested Worsley)SDP Chief Whip (1981–83)1970Terry LewisLabour Party (UK)Neville SandelsonHayes and Harlington1971Terry DicksConservative Party (UK)Jeffrey ThomasAbertillery (contested Cardiff West)1970Stefan TerlezkiConservative Party (UK)Michael ThomasNewcastle upon Tyne East1974Nick BrownLabour Party (UK)James WellbelovedErith and Crayford1965David EvennettConservative Party (UK)Shirley WilliamsCrosby (elected as SDP)Secretary of State for Education and Science (1976–1979)1981Malcolm ThorntonConservative Party (UK)Conservative Party (UK)David MylesBanffshire (contested Orkney and Shetland)1979Jim WallaceLiberal Party (UK)Iain SproatAberdeen South (contested Roxburgh and Berwickshire)1970Archy KirkwoodLiberal Party (UK)Delwyn WilliamsMontgomeryshire1979Alex CarlileLiberal Party (UK)Hamish GrayRoss and Cromarty (contested Ross, Cromarty and Skye)Minister of State for Energy (1979–1983)1970Charles KennedySocial Democratic Party (UK)Independent politicianBen FordBradford North1964Geoffrey LawlerConservative Party (UK)Arthur LewisNewham North West1945Tony BanksLabour Party (UK)Michael O'HalloranIslington North1969Jeremy CorbynLabour Party (UK)Gerry FittElected as a SDLP MPBelfast West1966Gerry AdamsSinn FéinSinn FéinOwen CarronFermanagh and South Tyrone1981Ken MaginnisUlster Unionist PartyLiberal Party (UK)Bill PittCroydon North West1981Humfrey MalinsConservative Party (UK) Opinion polls Opinion polling for the 1983 United Kingdom general election October 1974 1979 1983 1987 1992 center|thumb|613x613px|Conservative Party (UK) solid 5px Conservative yes Labour Party (UK) solid 5px Labour yes SDP–Liberal Alliance solid 5px SDP–Liberal Alliance yes See also List of MPs elected in the 1983 United Kingdom general election 1983 United Kingdom general election in England 1983 United Kingdom general election in Scotland 1983 United Kingdom general election in Wales 1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland 1983 United Kingdom local elections Notes 40em References Further reading Butler David E. David Butler (psephologist) etal The British General Election of 1983 1984 , the standard scholarly study F. W. S. Craig F. W. S. Craig British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987 1989 Dartmouth Gower 0900178302 Clarke Harold D. William Mishler Paul Whiteley Recapturing the Falklands: models of Conservative popularity, 1979–83 British Journal of Political Science 20 63–81 1 1990 10.1017/S0007123400005706 154466533 Manifestos The Challenge of Our Times, 1983 Conservative Party manifesto The New Hope for Britain, 1983 Labour Party manifesto Working Together for Britain, 1983 SDP–Liberal Alliance manifesto collapsed 1983 General election General election Category:Premiership of Margaret Thatcher Category:Michael Foot Category:History of the Conservative Party (UK)