1964 United Kingdom general election

general election held on 15 October 1964

The 1964 United Kingdom general election happened on 15 October 1964. This was five years after the previous election. It resulted in the Conservatives, led by the current Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home losing. The Labour Party won the election. This meant Harold Wilson would become the new Prime Minister.[1] Labour got a overall majority of four seats.

1964 United Kingdom general election

← 1959 15 October 1964 1966 →
← List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1959
List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1964 →

All 630 seats in the House of Commons
316 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout77.1%, Decrease1.7%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Harold Wilson Alec Douglas-Home Jo Grimond
Party Labour Conservative Liberal
Leader's seat Huyton Kinross and
Western Perthshire
Orkney
and Shetland
Last election 258 seats, 43.8% 365 seats, 49.4% 6 seats, 5.9%
Seats won 317 304 9
Seat change Increase59 Decrease61 Increase3
Popular vote 12,205,808 12,002,642 3,099,283
Percentage 44.1% 43.4% 11.2%
Swing Increase0.3% Decrease6.0% Increase5.3%

Colours showing the winning party

Seats in the House of Commons after the election

Prime Minister before election

Alec Douglas-Home
Conservative

Prime Minister after election

Harold Wilson
Labour

The Labour Party got a lot more votes in Scotland than before. This was the start of them winning most seats in Scotland. They did this until Scottish National Party won more at the 2015 general election.

References change

  1. "A Life in Focus: Harold Wilson". The Independent. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2021.