Home > UK general election, 1979

The British general election of May 3, 1979 was a pivotal point in 20th century British politics. The victory of the Conservatives and their radical leader Margaret Thatcher would ultimately mark the end of consensus politics in Britain.

The election was precipitated by a lost vote of confidence for the ruling Labour government under Jim Callaghan. Labour had been in power from February 1974, with Callaghan succeeding Harold Wilson after his surprise resignation in April 1976. The administration had been a minority government for most of its term, and from March 1977 to August 1978Events January January 1 The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. January 1 Air India's Boeing 747 explodes near Bombay 213 dead. January 4 Referendum in Chile supports policies of Augusto Pinochet. the government had reached an agreement with the Liberal Party, in a so-called Lib-Lab PactLib-Lab Pact has been the term used to describe a working arrangement between the UK's political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party. There have been four such arrangements at the national level. In many local councils t. Callaghan had been tempted to call an election in the autumn of 1978Events January January 1 The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. January 1 Air India's Boeing 747 explodes near Bombay 213 dead. January 4 Referendum in Chile supports policies of Augusto Pinochet., which it is likely he would have won, albeit with a small majority. Instead he decided that the political situation would be more favourable in 1979, and waited. Unfortunately for him, a series of industrial disputes in the winter of 1978-79, led to widespread strikes which would ultimately lead to the downfall of the Labour Government. This period of industrial strife would later become known as the ' Winter of Discontent'. When the Scottish Nationalist Party withdrew support for the Scottish Devolution bill, a vote of no confidence was held on March 28, 1979 which the Government lost, forcing an election to be called.

Margaret Thatcher had come to head her party in 1975Events January January 1 Watergate scandal: John N. Mitchell, H. Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman are found guilty of the Watergate cover-up and are sentenced to 30 months to 8 years in jail on February 21 January 5 The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, i, replacing Edward HeathThe Right Honourable Sir Edward Richard George Heath KG, MBE (born July 9, 1916) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. His spell in office represented a transition between the tr. The Conservatives campaigned on economic issues - promising to control inflationFor alternative meanings see inflation (disambiguation). In economics, inflation is a fall in the market value or purchasing power of money. This is equivalent to a rise in the general level of prices. Inflation is the opposite of deflation. Zero or very, check the unions, and hoping to downplay the high personal unpopularity of their leader. They also called on the advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi to help with their campaign, which was highly influential in the final analysis.

A Conservative victory had seemed almost certain, the overall swing of 5.2% was the largest since 1945 and gave the Conservatives a workable majority of 43 for the country's first woman Prime Minister.

Total number of votes cast: 31,221,362. All parties gaining more than 1,000 votes shown.

N.B. The Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party had folded in 1978. Of its 3 MPs, 2 joined the Ulster Unionist Party (one held his seat, the other lost to the Democratic Unionist Party) and the 3rd defended and held his seat for the United Ulster Unionist Party.

James Kilfedder had been previously elected as an Ulster Unionist MP, but left the party, defending and holding his seat as an Independent Ulster Unionist. He subsequently founded the Ulster Popular Unionist Party but did not use that label in this election.

See also MPs elected in the UK general election, 1979.