1966 United Kingdom general election

(Redirected from United Kingdom general election, 1966)

The 1966 United Kingdom general election happened on 31 March 1966. The Labour Party won with a landslide win. The Prime Minister Harold Wilson stayed in power.

1966 United Kingdom general election

← 1964 31 March 1966 1970 →
← List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1964
List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1966 →

All 630 seats in the House of Commons
316 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout75.8%, Decrease1.3%
  First party Second party Third party
  Harold Wilson (1967).jpg Heathdod (cropped).JPG Jo Grimond in 1963 (3x4 crop).jpg
Leader Harold Wilson Edward Heath Jo Grimond
Party Labour Conservative Liberal
Leader since 14 February 1963 28 July 1965 5 November 1956
Leader's seat Huyton Bexley Orkney and Shetland
Last election 317 seats, 44.1% 304 seats, 43.4% 9 seats, 11.2%
Seats won 364 253 12
Seat change Increase47 Decrease51 Increase3
Popular vote 13,096,951 11,418,433 2,327,533
Percentage 48.0% 41.9% 8.5%
Swing Increase3.9% Decrease1.5% Decrease2.7%

UK General Election, 1966.svg
Colours showing the winning party—as shown in § Results

Composition of the Commons in 1966.svg
Seats in the House of Commons after the election

Prime Minister before election

Harold Wilson
Labour

Prime Minister after election

Harold Wilson
Labour

Wilson decided to call a snap election because his government had a small majority. This made it hard for them to make new laws. This was the last general election with a voting age of 21. After the Representation of the People Act, 18 year-olds were allowed to vote in elections.[1]

1966 United Kingdom General Election Media

References

  1. "1969 Representation of the People Act". UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 August 2021.