United Kingdom general election, 1966
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| 1959 election United Kingdom general election, 1959 This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan... • MPs MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1959 This is a list of members of Parliament elected to the 42nd Parliament of the United Kingdom at the 1959 general election, held on 8 October 1959.Notable newcomers to the House of Commons included Margaret Thatcher, Nicholas Ridley, Jim Prior, Peter Tapsell, John Morris and Jeremy Thorpe... |
| 1964 election United Kingdom general election, 1964 The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power... • MPs MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1964 This is a list of members of Parliament elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom at the 1964 general election, held on 15 October 1964, for the 43rd Parliament of the United Kingdom.... |
| 1966 election • MPs MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1966 This is a list of members of Parliament elected to the 44th Parliament of the United Kingdom at the 1966 general election, held on 31 March 1966.Notable newcomers to the House of Commons included David Owen, John Nott, Michael Heseltine, Jack Ashley, Donald Dewar, Gwyneth Dunwoody, John Pardoe and... |
| 1970 election United Kingdom general election, 1970 The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their... • MPs MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1970 This is a list of Members of Parliament elected to the 45th Parliament of the United Kingdom in the 1970 general election held on 18 June 1970.Notable newcomers to the House of Commons included John Prescott, Norman Tebbit, Ian Paisley, John Smith, Neil Kinnock, Kenneth Clarke, John Gummer, Alan... |
| February 1974 election United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... • MPs |
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs. Wilson's hope that he would be returned to office with a larger majority had been encouraged by the government's victory in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in Kingston upon Hull North. In the end the hope was vindicated: the Labour government was returned with a much larger majority of 96.
Prior to the general election, in 1965, Labour had actually performed poorly in local elections, and lost at a crucial by-election, cutting their majority to just 2. Labour ran its campaign with the slogan "You know Labour government works".
Shortly after the local elections, Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
was replaced with Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, as leader of the Conservative party.
The Conservative campaign, although more professional than previously, had not really had time to prepare, and with Heath only having just settled in the year before, there had been little time for him to become well known among the British public. As for the Liberals money was an issue, 2 elections in the space of just 2 years had left the party in a tight financial position.
The election night was broadcast live on the BBC, and was presented by Cliff Michelmore
Cliff Michelmore
Arthur Clifford "Cliff" Michelmore CBE is a British television presenter and producer. He is best known for the BBC television programme Tonight, which he presented from 1957 to 1965....
, Robin Day
Robin Day
Sir Robin Day, OBE was a British political broadcaster and commentator. His obituary in the Guardian stated that "he was the most outstanding television journalist of his generation...
, Robert McKenzie and David Butler. The election was replayed on the BBC parliament channel on the 40th anniversary of the event.
Timeline
The Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
announced on 28 February that Parliament would be dissolved on 10 March, for an election to be held on 31 March. The key dates were as follows:
| Thursday 10 March | Dissolution of the 43rd parliament MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1964 This is a list of members of Parliament elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom at the 1964 general election, held on 15 October 1964, for the 43rd Parliament of the United Kingdom.... and campaigning officially begins |
| Monday 21 March | Last day to file nomination papers; 1,707 candidates enter to contest 630 seats |
| Wednesday 30 March | Campaigning officially ends |
| Thursday 31 March | Polling day |
| Saturday 1 April | The Labour Party wins with an improved majority of 96 |
| Monday 18 April | 44th parliament MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1966 This is a list of members of Parliament elected to the 44th Parliament of the United Kingdom at the 1966 general election, held on 31 March 1966.Notable newcomers to the House of Commons included David Owen, John Nott, Michael Heseltine, Jack Ashley, Donald Dewar, Gwyneth Dunwoody, John Pardoe and... assembles |
| Thursday 21 April | State Opening of Parliament State Opening of Parliament In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles... |
National opinion poll summary
Research Services : 3% swing to Labour (forecast majority of 101)National Opinion Polls : 3.5% swing to Labour (forecast majority of 115)
Gallup : 4.5% swing to Labour (forecast majority of 150)
Express (known as Harris): 7.5% swing to Labour (forecast majority of in excess of 255)
Results
|}All parties shown. The Conservative figure includes Ulster Unionists and National Liberals
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
.
| Government's new majority | 98 |
| Total votes cast | 27,264,747 |
| Turnout | 75.8% |
Votes summary
Headline Swing: 2.70% to LabourSeats summary
Seats changing hands
From Conservative to Labour (46 seats): Aberdeen South, Bebington, Bedford, Bedfordshire South, Berwick and East Lothian, Billericay, Birmingham Perry Barr, Bradford West, Brentford and Chiswick, Bristol North East, Bristol North West, Cambridge,Cardiff North, Chislehurst, Conway, Croydon South, Eton and Slough, Exeter, Hampstead, Harrow East, High Peak, Hornchurch, Ilford South, Lancaster, Lewisham North, Lewisham West, Middleton and Prestwich, Monmouth, Norwood, Nottingham South, Oxford,
Plymouth Sutton, Portsmouth South, Preston North, Reading, Rugby, Rushcliffe, Sheffield Heeley, Smethwick, Southampton Test, Stretford, The Wrekin, Uxbridge, Walthamstow East, Yarmouth and York
From Conservative to Liberal (4 seats): Aberdeenshire West, Cheadle, Cornwall North, and Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles
From Labour to Liberal (1 seat): Colne Valley
From Liberal to Labour (2 seats): Cardiganshire and Caithness and Sutherland
Televised declarations
(From BBC Parliament Replay.)These declarations were covered live by the BBC where the returning officer was heard to say "duly elected".
| Constituency | Winning party 1964 | Constituency result 1966 by party | Winning party 1966 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Con | Lab | Lib | PC | SNP | Others | |
| Cheltenham |
22,683 | 19,768 | hold |
|||
| Wolverhampton North East |
12,965 | 21,067 | hold |
|||
| Wolverhampton South West |
21,466 | 14,881 | hold |
|||
| Salford West Salford West (UK Parliament constituency) Salford West was a parliamentary constituency in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester from 1885 until 1983. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- History :... |
13,257 | 19,237 | hold |
|||
| Salford East Salford East (UK Parliament constituency) Salford East was a parliamentary constituency in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.... |
9,000 | 18,409 | hold |
|||
| Exeter Exeter (UK Parliament constituency) Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.... |
18,613 | 22,189 | 4,869 | gain |
||
| Devon North |
15,631 | 6,127 | 16,797 | hold |
||
| Smethwick Smethwick (UK Parliament constituency) Smethwick was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Smethwick in Staffordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.... |
14,550 | 18,440 | 508 gain |
|||
| Nelson and Colne Nelson and Colne (UK Parliament constituency) Nelson and Colne was a constituency in Lancashire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.... |
13,829 | 18,406 | 5,117 hold |
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| Leyton Leyton (UK Parliament constituency) Leyton was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Leyton in North-East London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:... |
18,157 | 26,803 | 3,851 | 441 recovery |
||
| Huyton Huyton (UK Parliament constituency) Huyton was a county constituency in the United Kingdom. Created in 1950, it was centred on Huyton in North West England. Its one and only Member of Parliament throughout its existence was Labour MP Harold Wilson, who served as prime minister from 1964 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1976.The... |
20,182 | 41,132 | 585 hold |
|||
| Billericay Billericay (UK Parliament constituency) Billericay was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.It returned Conservative MPs at every election except 1966.... |
38,371 | 40,013 | 7,587 | gain |
||
| Preston South Preston South (UK Parliament constituency) Preston South was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Preston in Lancashire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.... |
17,931 | 20,720 | hold |
|||
| Bexley Bexley (UK Parliament constituency) Bexley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Bexley district of south-east London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:... |
26,377 | 24,044 | 4,405 | hold |
||
| Brentford and Chiswick Brentford and Chiswick (UK Parliament constituency) Brentford and Chiswick was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Brentford and Chiswick districts of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.... |
14,031 | 14,638 | 2,063 | gain |
||
| Aberdeenshire West |
13,956 | 6,008 | 15,151 | gain |
||
| Taunton Taunton (UK Parliament constituency) Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset... |
22,359 | 19,216 | 5,460 | hold |
||
| Monmouth Monmouth (UK Parliament constituency) Monmouth is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post of election... |
25,654 | 28,619 | gain |
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- The 5,117 votes polled for the "Others" in Nelson and Colne were all polled for Patrick Downey, uncle of Lesley Ann Downey who had been murdered by the Moors MurderersMoors murdersThe Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around what is now Greater Manchester, England. The victims were five children aged between 10 and 17—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans—at least...
. Downey advocated the return of hanging.
Manifestos
- Action Not Words: The New Conservative Programme - 1966 Conservative manifesto.
- Time for Decision - 1966 Labour Party manifesto.
- For All the People: the Liberal Plan of 1966 - 1966 Liberal Party manifesto.