United Kingdom general election, February 1974

  • Tories: 297
  • Labour: 301
  • Otherwise:. 37

The UK general election in February 1974 took place on 28 February 1974. It was the first of two general election that took place this year, and until 2010 the only election since the Second World War, in which no party won an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons ( hung parliament ). Although the ruling Conservative Party of Edward Heath was just the most votes. However, most parliamentary seats received the Labour Party under Harold Wilson, inter alia, due to the decision of the members of the Ulster Unionist Party, not to submit to the Conservatives.

The British economy had from the beginning of the first oil crisis ( October 1973 ) big trouble. In March 1973, the Bretton Woods system collapsed (a system almost rigid exchange rates ); Since then, the price of the pound sterling made ​​free on the stock exchanges.

After failed negotiations between Edward Heath and the Chairman of the Liberal Party, Jeremy Thorpe, Heath resigned and Wilson became Prime Minister for the second time. This called a general election in September for October 10, 1974.

In the elections in February 1974, the election results in Northern Ireland more significantly from the rest of the UK. All twelve elected members came from local parties, and thus followed the decision of the Ulster Unionist Party, the Conservatives to withdraw their support in protest against the Sunningdale Agreement. In addition, in Wales won the first time candidates of Plaid Cymru at a regular election ( previously they had won in a by-election ).

Electoral system

Was chosen according to the simple majority system. A restrictive clause did not exist.

Election results

Total number of votes: 31,321,982. Some small parties with shares of votes under 0.1 % are not shown. The seats of the Ulster Unionists were compared with those of the Unionists in the 1970 election. The Protestant Unionist Party became the core of the Democratic Unionist Party, its candidates were compared with the results of the Protestant Unionist in 1970. 1970 The only elected members of the Republican Labour Party later left the party to co-found the Social Democrat and Labour Party.

Pictures of United Kingdom general election, February 1974

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