1959 United Kingdom general election in England

none 1959 United Kingdom general election in England England parliamentary no 1955 United Kingdom general election in England 1955 List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1955 1964 United Kingdom general election in England 1964 List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1959 All 511 English seats in the House of Commons 78.9% ( 2.0 pp) List of MPs elected in the 1964 United Kingdom general election 8 October 1959 Harold Macmillan (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Harold Macmillan 10 January 1957 Conservative Party (UK) Bromley 293 seats, 50.4% 315speaker 22 11,559,240 50.0% 0.4 pp Hugh Gaitskell crop.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Hugh Gaitskell 14 December 1955 Labour Party (UK) Leeds South 216 seats, 46.8% 193 23 10,085,097 43.6% 3.2 pp Jo Grimond in 1963 (3x4 crop).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Jo Grimond 5 November 1956 Liberal Party (UK) Orkney and Shetland 2 seats, 2.6% 3 1 1,449,593 6.3% 3.7 pp On Thursday 8 October 1964, the 1959 United Kingdom general election was held in England, to elect all 630 members of the House of Commons, with 511 constituencies being in England. As in the rest of the United Kingdom, in England, the Conservative Party along with allies, the National Liberal Party, registered a landslide victory over the Labour Party. This was the parties' third consecutive victory overall. Candidates Below is a table summarising the candidates of the 1959 general election in England.https://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 21 8 August 2026https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/general-elections/32 UK General Elections Results 1832-2019 12 August 2026British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 39 2006 Affiliation CandidatesLabour Party 511Conservative Party 484speakerLiberal Party 191National Liberal Party 25Communist Party of Great Britain 10Independent 3Independent Liberal 2The candidates that stood were Simon Knott in Barons Court and Jack Norton in Devizes.Union Movement 1Candidate Oswald Mosley stood in Kensington North.Independent Conservative 1Candidate Harry W. Maynard stood in Birmingham Hall Green.Lancastrian Party 1Candidate Tom Emmott stood in Nelson and Colne.National Labour Party 1Candidate William Webster stood in St Pancras North.Fellowship Party 1General Secretary of the Fellowship Party Ronald Mallone stood in Woolwich West.Socialist Party of Great Britain 1Candidate Jack L. Read stood in Bethnal Green.Alert Party 1Candidate George Forrester stood in Lewisham South.Independent Labour Party 1Candidate William Henry Christopher stood in Walthamstow East.Total 1,234 Analysis The victory of the Conservative Party and its allies the National Liberal Party in England was even more remarkable than in the nation as it won over 120 more seats than Labour with just over 50% of the voteshare. It was the only election between the 1945 and 1979 general elections in which a party won over 300 seats in England. It was also the best performance of the Conservative Party in England since 1935 and conversely the worst for the Labour Party in England since 1935.Harmer Emily The Candidates: Making the House (of Commons) Their Home? 2021-10-06 Women, media and elections 21–57 http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781529204940.003.0002 2024-09-28 Policy Press 10.1332/policypress/9781529204940.003.0002 978-1-5292-0494-0 subscription Craig Frederick Walter Scott British electoral facts 1832-1987 1989 Parliamentary research services 978-0-900178-30-6 Fifth Dartmouth (N.-E) Also, these elections marked the last time when the Conservative Party won over 50 per cent vote share in England. Conservative Party In terms of seats, the Conservative Party won Acton, Barons Court, Birmingham All Saints, Birmingham Sparkbrook, Birmingham Yardley, Brierley Hill, Bristol North West, Clapham, Cleveland, Coventry South, South East Derbyshire, The Hartlepools, Holborn and St Pancras South, Keighley, Lowestoft, Meriden, Newcastle upon Tyne East, Nottingham West, Reading, Rochester and Chatham, Rugby, Uxbridge, Wellingborough and Willesden East from the Labour Party. In addition, future Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher in Finchley. Nicholas Ridley also entered Parliament in Cirencester and Tewkesbury, replacing retiring Speaker of the House of Commons William Morrison. Morrison would go onto serve as the Governor-General of Australia in 1960. National Liberal Party The National Liberals, however, declined slightly in vote share and seats. It retained its seats of Bedfordshire South, Bradford North, Bradford West, Plymouth Devonport, Harwich, Holland with Boston, Huntingdonshire, Luton, Norfolk Central, St Ives, Sheffield Hallam and Sheffield Heeley. The party gained Bristol North East, with candidate Alan Hopkins entering Parliament. However, the party lost Newcastle upon Tyne North to its ally the Conservative Party. This was due to the Conservative's gain at the 1957 Newcastle-upon-Tyne North by-election, which was cause by the elevation of sitting MP Gwilym Lloyd George to a peerage. William Elliott retained the seat in this election unopposed by the National Liberals, representing a gain for the Conservatives. Elliot would retain the seat until 1983. Additionally, the National Liberals lost Torrington to the Conservatives. Following the elevation of the sitting MP to a peerage, the Liberal Party candidate Mark Bonham Carter won the seat in the 1958 Torrington by-election. However, Conservative candidate Percy Browne won the seat from the Liberals at this election, but it represented a gain from the National Liberals in comparison to 1955, again with the National Liberals not opposing the Conservatives. With the two losses to the Conservatives, but with one gain to Labour, along with the Conservatives' wins across England along with its few losses, the alliance between the parties increased its seats by 22. Labour Party Conversely, the Labour Party lost several seats in England to the Conservatives and the National Liberals. However, the party gained Oldham East and Rochdale from the Conservatives. Herbert Morrison, who had served in several positions in the Attlee ministry, left Parliament after this election.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/background/pastelec/ge59.shtml BBC Politics 97: 8 October 1959 13 June 2026 Liberal Party The Conservatives also lost North Devon to the Liberal Party. Jeremy Thorpe, future leader of the Liberal Party, in the seat North Devon. Results +PartyBritish Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 2006SeatsAggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%)   Conservative (Total) 315 27 5 22 61.6 11,559,240 50.0 0.4 Conservative Party (UK) 302speaker Figure includes Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Harry Hylton-Foster in Cities of London and Westminster, elected as such just after the general election. 26 3 23 59.1 11,037,998 47.7 0.1 National Liberal Party (UK, 1931) 13 1 2 1 2.5 521,242 2.3 0.3   Labour 193 2 25 23 37.8 10,085,097 43.6 3.2   Liberal 3 1 0 1 0.6 1,449,593 6.3 3.7   Communist 0 0 0 — 12,204 0.1   Independent 0 0 0 — 5,753 0.0   Independent Liberal 0 colspan=3 Did not stand in 1955 — 4,473 0.0   Union Movement 0 colspan=3 New — 2,821 0.0 New   Ind. Conservative 0 0 0 — 1,955 0.0   Lancastrian Party 0 colspan=3 New — 1,889 0.0 New   National Labour 0 colspan=3 New — 1,685 0.0 New   Fellowship 0 colspan=3 New — 1,189 0.0 New   Socialist (GB) 0 colspan=3 Did not stand in 1955 — 899 0.0   Alert Party 0 colspan=3 New — 788 0.0 New   Ind. Labour Party 0 0 0 — 183 0.0 Total 511 0 100.0 23,127,769 100.0 0.0 Registered voters, and turnout 29,303,126 78.9https://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 2.0 Popular vote #ddd 600px 410px Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 50.0 Labour Labour Party (UK) 43.6 Liberal Liberal Party (UK) 6.3 Other #777777 0.2 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 61.6 Labour Labour Party (UK) 37.8 Liberal Liberal Party (UK) 0.6 By region Note: the following tables indicate the results according to the regions of England which were established in 1994, based on the county boundaries established in the 1974 local government reforms. These regions were not used at the time for the purposes of this election. East Midlands Parliamentary constituencies in the East Midlands + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Labour Party (UK) 20 0 3 3 52.6 48.9 0.1 Conservative Party (UK) 18 3 0 3 47.4 46.9 2.9 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0 0 0.0 4.2 2.8   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 Total 38 East of England Parliamentary constituencies in the East of England + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Conservative Party (UK) 36 1 0 1 87.8 51.2 1.6 Labour Party (UK) 5 0 1 1 12.2 40.2 4.8 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0 0 0.0 8.4 6.2   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 0.2 Total 41 Greater London Parliamentary constituencies in London + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Conservative Party (UK) 60 6 0 6 58.8 49.4 0.1 Labour Party (UK) 42 0 6 6 41.2 43.3 4.5 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0 0 0.0 6.9 4.3   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.4 0.1 Total 102 North East England Parliamentary constituencies in North East England + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Labour Party (UK) 21 0 3 3 67.7 56.7 1.0 Conservative Party (UK) 10 3 0 3 32.3 41.9 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0 0 0.0 1.5 1.1   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 Total 31 North West England Parliamentary constituencies in North West England + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Conservative Party (UK) 44 0 2 2 53.0 50.3 1.7 Labour Party (UK) 38 2 0 2 45.8 44.9 0.9 Liberal Party (UK) 1 0 0 1.2 4.6 2.5   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 Total 83 South East England Parliamentary constituencies in South East England + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Conservative Party (UK) 57 2 0 2 93.4 58.8 1.2 Labour Party (UK) 4 0 2 2 6.6 33.6 4.2 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0 0 0.0 7.6 5.6   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.2 Total 61 South West England Parliamentary constituencies in South West England + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Conservative Party (UK) 37 2 1 1 82.2 50.9 2.2 Labour Party (UK) 7 0 2 2 15.6 34.2 3.9 Liberal Party (UK) 1 1 0 1 2.2 14.7 6.5   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 0.5 Total 45 West Midlands Parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Conservative Party (UK) 29 7 0 7 53.7 50.7 1.5 Labour Party (UK) 25 0 7 7 46.3 45.9 3.5 Liberal Party (UK) 0 0 0 0.0 3.2 2.0   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 Total 54 Yorkshire and the Humber Parliamentary constituencies in Yorkshire and the Humber + Party Seats Aggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Change (%) Labour Party (UK) 31 0 1 1 55.4 50.2 2.1 Conservative Party (UK) 24 1 0 1 42.9 44.8 0.5 Liberal Party (UK) 1 0 0 1.8 4.9 1.6   Others 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 Total 56 See also 1959 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland 1959 United Kingdom general election in Scotland 1959 United Kingdom general election in Wales Notes References Further reading "1959: Macmillan wins Tory hat trick", BBC News. Sanders, David. "Pre-election polling in Britain, 1950–1997." Electoral Studies 22.1 (2003): 1-20. Ridge-Newman, Anthony, and Anthony Ridge-Newman. "1959 General Election, Tories and TV 1958–63." The Tories and Television, 1951-1964: Broadcasting an Elite (2017): 111–129. Politics England United Kingdom #England General Election Category:1950s in England 1959