Political elections for public offices in England
There are five types of elections in England : elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom , elections to the devolved London Assembly , local council elections, metro mayor elections, and the Police and crime commissioner elections, in addition to by-elections for each aforementioned election. Elections are held on Election Day , which is conventionally a Thursday.
Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 , all five types of elections are held after fixed periods, though early elections to the UK parliament occurred in both 2017 and 2019 .[ 1] [ 2] After winning the 2019 election, the Conservative Party committed to repealing the FTPA.[ 3] On 1 December 2020, in fulfilment of this manifesto pledge, the government published a draft Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (Repeal) Bill , which would repeal the FTPA and revive the royal prerogative power of dissolving Parliament as it existed before the Act.[ 4] The legislation was formally announced as the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill in the Queen's Speech of 11 May 2021, and granted Royal Assent on 24 March 2022.[ 5]
The three electoral systems used for elections in England are: first-past-the-post (for UK elections and local elections, though individual local authorities are able to move to STV under recent legislation), the additional member system (for Mayor and London Assembly elections) and the supplementary vote (for Police and Crime Commissioner elections; although proposals by the UK Government to change Assembly, Mayor and PCC elections to FPTP have been made).[ 6]
Since 1918, the Conservative Party has predominantly received the most English votes in UK general elections, winning a plurality 21 times out of 29. The other seven elections (1945 , 1950 , 1951 , 1966 , October 1974 , 1997 , 2001 and 2024 ) saw the popular vote in England being won by the Labour Party .[ 7]
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
315
N/A
65.0
~3,140,000
39.5
N/A
Liberal
107
22.1
~2,140,000
26.4
Labour
42
8.7
~1,810,000
22.5
Other parties
21
2.5
~690,000
8.5
485
100
~8,050,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
307
N/A
8
63.3
~4,810,000
41.1
N/A
Labour
95
43
19.6
~3,370,000
28.8
Liberal
75
32
15.5
~3,210,000
27.2
Other parties
8
13
1.6
~310,000
2.5
485
N/A
100
~11,700,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
221
N/A
86
45.6
~4,730,000
39.8
N/A
Labour
138
43
28.5
~3,550,000
29.7
Liberal
123
48
25.4
~3,570,000
29.9
Other parties
3
5
0.62
~70,000
0.6
485
N/A
100
~11,930,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
347
N/A
126
71.5
~6,460,000
47.7
N/A
Labour
109
29
22.4
~4,470,000
32.8
Liberal
19
104
3.9
~3,390,000
17.6
Other parties
10
7
1.9
~250,000
0.6
485
N/A
100
~13,560,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
226
N/A
117
46.6
~6,850,000
36.9
N/A
Conservative
221
126
45.5
~7,180,000
38.8
Liberal
35
16
7.2
~4,340,000
23.6
Other parties
3
7
2.0
~130,000
0.7
485
N/A
100
~18,500,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
436
N/A
215
89.9
~11,480,000
63.3
N/A
Labour
29
197
5.98
~7,180,000
30.2
Liberal
19
16
3.91
~1,040,000
6.0
Other parties
1
2
0.2
~100,000
0.5
485
N/A
100
~18,080,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
357
N/A
81
73.6
~9,990,000
54.5
N/A
Labour
116
87
23.9
~7,050,000
38.5
Liberal
11
16
2.26
~1,110,000
6.3
Other parties
1
2
0.2
~120,000
0.7
485
N/A
100
~18,270,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
331
215
64.9
~9,970,000
48.5
10.0%
Conservative
167
190
32.7
~8,270,000
40.2
14.5%
Liberal
5
6
0.98
~1,910,000
9.4
3.1%
Other parties
7
6
1.37
~380,000
1.9
510
100
~20,540,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
251
80
49.6
~11,050,000
46.1
2.4 %
Conservative
253
68
50.0
~10,500,000
43.8
3.6 %
Liberal
2
3
0.39
~2,250,000
9.4
506
100
~23,950,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
271
20
53.5
~11,620,000
48.76
4.9%
Labour
233
20
48.8
~11,630,000
48.80
2.7%
Liberal
2
0.39
~530,000
2.2
7.1%
506
100
~23,830,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
293
22
57.3
~11,170,000
50.4
1.6%
Labour
216
17
42.3
~10,360,000
46.8
2.0%
Liberal
2
0.39
~570,000
2.7
0.5%
511
100
~22,140,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
315
22
61.6
~11,560,000
50.0
0.4%
Labour
193
23
37.7
~10,090,000
43.6
3.2%
Liberal
3
1
0.59
~1,450,000
6.3
3.6%
511
100
~23,130,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
246
53
48.1
~9,980,000
43.5
0.1%
Conservative
262
53
51.2
~10,110,000
44.1
5.9%
Liberal
3
0.59
~2,780,000
12.1
5.8%
511
100
~22,940,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
285
39
55.8
~10,890,000
48.0
4.5%
Conservative
219
43
42.8
~9,690,000
42.7
1.4%
Liberal
6
3
1.17
~2,040,000
9.0
3.1%
511
100
~22,690,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
292
73
57.1
~11,280,000
48.3
5.6%
Labour
216
69
42.2
~10,130,000
43.4
4.6%
Liberal
2
4
0.39
~1,850,000
7.9
1.1%
511
100
~23,360,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
237
21
45.9
~9,840,000
37.7
5.7%
Conservative
268
24
51.9
~10,510,000
40.2
8.1%
Liberal
9
7
1.75
~5,570,000
21.3
13.4%
516
100
~26,140,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
255
18
49.4
~9,700,000
40.1
2.4%
Conservative
253
15
49.0
~9,410,000
38.9
1.3%
Liberal
9
1
1.55
~4,880,000
20.2
1.1%
516
100
~24,190,000
100
Party
Seats
Votes
Total
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
306
53
59.0
~12,260,000
47.2
8.3%
Labour
203
52
39.3
~9,530,000
36.7
3.4%
Liberal
7
1
1.35
~3,880,000
14.9
5.3%
516
100
~25,970,000
100
Party[ 8]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
362
N/A
N/A
37
69.2
11,711,519
46.0
1.2
Labour
148
N/A
N/A
45
28.3
6,862,422
26.8
9.8
Alliance
13
N/A
N/A
8
2.5
6,714,957
26.4
11.5
Other parties
0
N/A
N/A
—
183,748
0.7
0.5
25,472,646
72.5
Popular vote
Conservative
46.0%
Labour
26.8%
SDP–Liberal Alliance
26.4%
Other
0.7%
Parliament seats
Conservative
69.2%
Labour
28.3%
SDP–Liberal Alliance
2.5%
Party[ 9]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
358
9
13
4
68.5
12,546,186
46.2
0.2
Labour
155
13
6
7
29.6
8,006,466
29.5
2.5
Alliance
10
2
5
3
1.9
6,467,350
23.8
2.4
Other parties
0
0
0
—
113,520
0.4
0.3
27,133,522
75.4
2.9
Popular vote
Conservative
46.2%
Labour
29.5%
SDP–Liberal Alliance
23.8%
Other
0.4%
Parliament seats
Conservative
68.5%
Labour
29.6%
SDP–Liberal Alliance
1.9%
Party[ 10]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
319
1
40
39
60.9
12,796,772
45.5
0.8
Labour
195
40
0
40
37.2
9,551,910
33.9
4.4
Liberal Democrats
10
4
4
1.9
5,398,293
19.2
4.7
Other parties
0
0
0
—
401,531
1.4
1.0
28,148,506
78.0
Popular vote
Conservative
45.5%
Labour
33.9%
Liberal Democrats
19.2%
Other
1.4%
Parliament seats
Conservative
60.9%
Labour
37.2%
Liberal Democrats
1.9%
Party[ 11]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
328
133
1
132
62.0
11,347,882
43.5
9.6
Conservative
165
0
159
159
31.2
8,780,881
33.7
11.8
Liberal Democrats
34
26
1
25
6.4
4,677,565
18.0
1.3
Referendum
0
0
0
—
746,624
2.9
N/A
UKIP
0
0
0
—
103,521
0.4
N/A
Independent
1
1
0
1
0.2
69,464
0.3
0.2
Green
0
0
0
—
60,013
0.2
0.4
Liberal
0
0
0
—
44,516
0.2
Socialist Labour
0
0
0
—
44,114
0.2
N/A
BNP
0
0
0
—
35,181
0.1
0.1
Natural Law
0
0
0
—
25,958
0.1
0.1
Independent Labour
0
0
0
—
24,447
0.1
Speaker
1
1
0
1
0.2
24,447
0.1
N/A
Ind. Conservative
0
0
0
—
18,667
0.1
Prolife Alliance
0
0
0
—
13,890
0.1
N/A
Other parties
0
0
0
—
42,020
0.2
N/A
26,058,712
71.5
6.5
Popular vote
Labour
43.5%
Conservative
33.7%
Liberal Democrats
18.0%
Referendum
2.9%
Other
2.1%
Parliament seats
Labour
62.0%
Conservative
31.2%
Liberal Democrats
6.4%
Other
0.4%
Party[ 12]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
323
1
6
5
61.1
9,056,824
41.4
2.1
Conservative
165
8
8
31.2
7,705,870
35.2
1.5
Liberal Democrats
40
8
2
6
8.1
4,246,853
19.4
1.5
UKIP
0
0
0
—
374,775
1.7
1.3
Green
0
0
0
—
158,173
0.7
0.5
Independent
0
0
1
1
—
79,559
0.4
0.1
Socialist Alliance
0
0
0
—
55,295
0.3
N/A
Socialist Labour
0
0
0
—
51,299
0.2
0.1
BNP
0
0
0
—
46,851
0.2
0.1
Health Concern
1
1
0
1
0.2
28,487
0.1
N/A
Liberal
0
0
0
—
13,302
0.1
0.1
Other parties
0
0
0
1
—
53,474
0.2
N/A
21,870,762
59.1
12.2
Popular vote
Labour
41.4%
Conservative
35.2%
Liberal Democrats
19.4%
UKIP
1.7%
Other
1.5%
Parliament seats
Labour
61.1%
Conservative
31.2%
Liberal Democrats
7.6%
Other
0.2%
Party[ 13]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Labour
286
0
37
37
54.1
8,043,461
35.4
6.0
Conservative
194
32
3
29
36.7
8,116,005
35.7
0.5
Liberal Democrats
47
12
5
7
8.9
5,201,286
22.9
3.6
Respect
1
1
0
1
0.2
67,422
0.3
0.3
Health Concern
1
0
0
0.2
18,739
0.1
UKIP
0
0
0
0.0
592,417
2.6
0.9
Green
0
0
0
0.0
251,051
1.1
0.4
BNP
0
0
0
0.0
189,570
0.8
0.6
Veritas
0
0
0
0.0
39,044
0.2
New
Liberal
0
0
0
0.0
17,547
0.1
Others
0
0
0
0.0
177,343
0.8
N/A
22,713,855
61.0
1.9
Popular vote
Conservative
35.7%
Labour
35.4%
Liberal Democrats
22.9%
UKIP
2.6%
Greens
1.1%
Other
2.3%
Parliament seats
Labour
54.1%
Conservative
36.7%
Liberal Democrats
8.9%
Respect
0.2%
ICHC
0.2%
Party[ 14]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
297
95
4
91
55.7
9,908,169
39.5
3.8
Labour
191
2
89
87
35.8
7,042,398
28.1
7.4
Liberal Democrats
43
8
12
4
8.1
6,076,189
24.2
1.3
UKIP
0
0
0
—
866,633
3.5
0.9
BNP
0
0
0
—
532,333
2.1
1.3
Green
1
0
0
1
0.2
258,954
1.0
0.1
English Democrat
0
0
0
—
64,826
0.3
0.2
Respect
0
0
0
1
—
33,251
0.1
0.2
Speaker
1
1
0
1
0.2
22,860
0.1
Health Concern
0
0
0
1
—
16,150
0.1
Christian
0
0
0
0
—
15,841
0.1
N/A
National Front
0
0
0
0
—
10,400
0.0
TUSC
0
0
0
0
—
8,404
0.0
N/A
Socialist Labour
0
0
0
0
—
4,368
0.0
Other parties
0
0
0
0
—
224,341
0.9
25,085,097
65.5
4.5
Popular vote
Conservative
39.5%
Labour
28.1%
Liberal Democrats
24.2%
UKIP
3.5%
BNP
2.1%
Greens
1.0%
Other
1.5%
Parliament seats
Conservative
55.7%
Labour
35.8%
Liberal Democrats
8.1%
Greens
0.2%
Speaker
0.2%
Party[ 15]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
318
32
11
21
59.7
10,483,261
40.9
1.4
Labour
206
21
6
15
38.6
8,087,684
31.6
3.6
UKIP
1
1
0
1
0.2
3,611,367
14.1
10.7
Liberal Democrats
6
0
37
37
1.1
2,098,404
8.2
16.0
Green
1
0
0
0.2
1,073,242
4.2
3.2
Speaker
1
0
0
0.2
34,617
0.1
TUSC
0
0
0
—
32,868
0.1
0.1
NHA
0
0
0
—
20,210
0.1
New
Respect
0
0
0
—
9,989
0.0
0.1
Yorkshire First
0
0
0
—
6,811
0.0
New
English Democrat
0
0
0
—
6,431
0.0
0.2
CISTA
0
0
0
—
4,569
0.0
New
Monster Raving Loony
0
0
0
—
3,432
0.0
CPA
0
0
0
—
3,260
0.0
BNP
0
0
0
—
1,667
0.0
2.1
Class War
0
0
0
—
526
0.0
New
Other parties
0
0
0
—
127,133
0.5
0.2
25,571,204
65.9
0.4
Popular vote
Conservative
40.9%
Labour
31.6%
UKIP
14.1%
Liberal Democrats
8.2%
Greens
4.2%
Other
0.9%
Parliament seats
Conservative
59.7%
Labour
38.6%
Liberal Democrats
1.1%
UKIP
0.2%
Greens
0.2%
Speaker
0.2%
Party[ 16]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
296
8
30
22
55.5
12,344,901
45.4
4.4
Labour
227
27
6
21
42.6
11,390,099
41.9
10.3
Liberal Democrats
8
5
3
2
1.5
2,121,810
7.8
0.4
UKIP
0
0
1
1
—
557,390
2.1
12.1
Green
1
0
0
0.2
506,969
1.9
2.3
Speaker
1
0
0
0.2
34,299
0.1
Yorkshire
0
0
0
—
20,958
0.1
0.1
NHA
0
0
0
—
16,119
0.1
CPA
0
0
0
—
5,869
0.0
BNP
0
0
0
—
4,642
0.0
Monster Raving Loony
0
0
0
—
3,733
0.0
Women's Equality
0
0
0
—
3,066
0.0
English Democrat
0
0
0
—
1,913
0.0
Pirate
0
0
0
—
1,875
0.0
Workers Revolutionary
0
0
0
—
771
0.0
SDP
0
0
0
—
321
0.0
Others
0
0
0
—
151,054
0.6
0.4
Total
533
27,165,789
Turnout
69.1
Popular vote
Conservative
45.4%
Labour
41.9%
Liberal Democrats
7.8%
UKIP
2.1%
Green
1.9%
Other
0.9%
Parliament seats
Conservative
55.5%
Labour
42.6%
Liberal Democrats
1.5%
Green
0.2%
Speaker
0.2%
Party[ 17]
Seats
Votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net +/-
% seats
Total votes
% votes
Change
Conservative
345
52
3
49
64.7
12,710,845
47.2
1.7
Labour
180
1
48
47
33.7
9,152,034
34.0
7.9
Liberal Democrats
7
2
3
1
1.3
3,340,835
12.4
4.6
Green
1
0
0
0.2
819,751
3.0
1.2
Brexit Party
0
0
0
—
545,172
2.0
2.0
Yorkshire
0
0
0
—
29,201
0.1
UKIP
0
0
0
—
18,891
0.1
2.0
Liberal
0
0
0
—
10,876
0.0
Change UK
0
0
0
—
10,006
0.0
new
Monster Raving Loony
0
0
0
—
9,394
0.0
CPA
0
0
0
—
6,246
0.0
Animal Welfare
0
0
0
—
3,086
0.0
SDP
0
0
0
—
3,000
0.0
English Democrat
0
0
0
—
1,987
0.0
Libertarian
0
0
0
—
1,375
0.0
Workers Revolutionary
0
0
0
—
524
0.0
Advance
0
0
0
—
351
0.0
new
Others
0
0
0
—
246,094
0.9
0.8
26,909,668
67.4
1.7
Note: the above figures include the Speaker being counted in the Labour totals, despite the Speaker being non-partisan.
Popular vote
Conservative
47.2%
Labour
34.0%
Liberal Democrats
12.4%
Green
3.0%
Brexit Party
2.0%
Other
1.4%
Parliament seats
Conservative
64.7%
Labour
33.7%
Liberal Democrats
1.3%
Green
0.2%
Party[ 18]
Seats
Aggregate votes
Total
Gains
Losses
Net
Of all (%)
Total
Of all (%)
Difference
Labour
347
173
7
166
63.9
8,339,884
34.3
0.5
Conservative
116
1
230
229
21.4
6,279,411
25.9
21.3
Reform UK
5
5
0
5
0.9
3,726,224
15.3
13.3
Liberal Democrats
65
59
0
59
12.0
3,199,060
13.2
0.8
Green
4
3
0
3
0.7
1,780,226
7.3
4.3
Independent
5
5
0
5
0.9
513,266
2.1
1.4
Workers Party
0
0
0
—
208,234
0.9
0.9
Speaker
1
0
0
0.2
25,238
0.1
SDP
0
0
0
—
33,385
0.1
0.1
Yorkshire
0
0
0
—
17,227
0.0
TUSC
0
0
0
—
10,507
0.0
Rejoin EU
0
0
0
—
9,245
0.0
Liberal
0
0
0
—
5,894
0.0
UKIP
0
0
0
—
5,617
0.0
CPA
0
0
0
—
5,604
0.0
Heritage
0
0
0
—
5,441
0.0
Monster Raving Loony
0
0
0
—
5,421
0.0
English Democrat
0
0
0
—
5,182
0.0
Party of Women
0
0
0
—
5,077
0.0
Hampshire Ind.
0
0
0
—
2,872
0.0
Socialist Labour
0
0
0
—
2,397
0.0
Climate
0
0
0
—
1,863
0.0
Communist
0
0
0
—
1,585
0.0
Others
0
0
0
—
99,262
0.9
Total
543
24,288,122
60.0
7.4
Aggregate votes
Labour
34.4%
Conservative
25.9%
Reform UK
15.3%
Liberal Democrats
13.2%
Green
7.3%
Independent
2.1%
Other
1.7%
Members of parliament
Labour
64.1%
Conservative
21.4%
Liberal Democrats
12.0%
Reform UK
0.9%
Independent
0.9%
Green
0.7%
The mayor of London is elected by the supplementary vote method for a fixed term of four years, with elections taking place in May. As with most elected posts in the United Kingdom, there is a deposit (in this case of £10,000), which is returnable on the candidate's winning of at least 5% of the first-choice votes cast.
^ Worthy, Ben (19 April 2017). "Theresa May's snap election: historic or Pyrrhic?" . London School of Economics . Retrieved 20 May 2022 .
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^ Blewett, Sam (11 May 2021). "A brief look at the Bills included in the Queen's Speech" . Evening Standard . Retrieved 20 May 2022 .
^ Woodcock, Andrew (16 March 2021). "Priti Patel under fire over plan to change voting system for London mayor" . The Independent . Retrieved 30 September 2021 .
^ Pilling, Sam; Cracknell, Richard (18 August 2021). "UK Election Statistics: 1918-2021: A Century of Elections" (PDF) . House of Commons Library . pp. 20–21. Retrieved 30 September 2021 .
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^ Election 2015 Results England BBC News
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^ "Results of the 2024 General Election in England" . BBC News .
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