British General Election 1966

← 1964General election 19661970 →

(Share of votes in%)

 %

50

40

30th

20th

10

0

48.1

41.3

8.6

0.6

0.1

1.3

Labor

Tories

Liberals

NLP

RLP

Otherwise.

Gains and losses

compared to 1964

 % p

   4th

   2

   0

  -2

  -4

+4.0

-0.9

-2.6

-0.6

± 0.0

+0.1

Labor

Tories

Liberals

NLP

RLP

Otherwise.

1

364

12

3

250

1 364 12 3 250 

A total of 630 seats

• RLP : 1
• Labor : 364
• Liberals : 12
• NLP : 3rd
• Tories : 250

The early British general election in 1966 took place on March 31, 1966. When choosing the deputies were for the lower house (House of Commons) redefined.

Electoral system

The simple majority voting system was used for voting . There was no threshold clause .

Election result

The previously ruling Labor Party was able to consolidate its absolute majority; it expanded its lead over the Conservative Party (48.1 to 41.3%; two years earlier it had been 44.1 to 42.2%). The Liberal Party (1964: 11.2%; 1966 = 8.6%) also suffered losses.

Majorities by constituency

Political party		be right			Seats
		number	%	+/-	number	+/-
	Labor Party	13.096.629	48.1	+4.0	364	+47
	Conservative party	11,268,676	41.3	−0.9	250	−48
	Liberal party	2,327,457	8.6	−2.6	12	+3
	National Liberal Party	149,779	0.6	−0.6	3	−3
	Scottish National Party	128,474	0.5	+0.3	-	-
	Independent Republican	62,782	0.2	−0.2	-	-
	Communist Party of Great Britain	62.092	0.2	-	-	-
	Plaid Cymru	61,071	0.2	-	-	-
	Independent	35,039	0.1	-	-	-
	Republican Labor Party	26,292	0.1	-	1	+1
	Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)	22,167	0.0	-	-	-
	Others	24,289	0.1	-	-	-
	total	27.264.747	100.0		630
Eligible voters		35,957,245
voter turnout		75.8%
Source:

Others

With the general election on October 15, 1964 , a 13-year reign of the Tories came to an end. Alec Douglas-Home (1903–1995, Tories), who had been Prime Minister since October 1963, had lost his office as a result; Labor leader Harold Wilson (1916–1995) became the new Prime Minister. Wilson and his administration received much public support; therefore Wilson brought about early elections in 1966 (a common practice in the UK).

Web links

• Der Spiegel: Article on the election victory

See also

• United Kingdom Political System
• UK History # Since World War II

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} General Election Results 1885–1979 United Kingdom Election Results (English)