1959 United Kingdom general election

The 1959 United Kingdom general election happened on 8 October 1959. The Conservative Party led by Harold Macmillan won. They had also won the two last general elections before this. The Conservatives won more seats than they did in the last general election. This meant they got a bigger majority. The Labour Party lost 19 seats.

1959 United Kingdom general election

← 1955 8 October 1959 1964 →
← List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1955
List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1959 →

All 630 seats in the House of Commons
316 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout78.7%, Increase1.9%
  First party Second party Third party
  Harold Macmillan (cropped).jpg Hugh Gaitskell 1958.jpg Jo Grimond in 1963 (3x4 crop).jpg
Leader Harold Macmillan Hugh Gaitskell Jo Grimond
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Leader since 10 January 1957 14 December 1955 5 November 1956
Leader's seat Bromley Leeds South Orkney and Shetland
Last election 345 seats, 49.7% 277 seats, 46.4% 6 seats, 2.7%
Seats won 365 258 6
Seat change Increase20 Decrease19 Steady
Popular vote 13,750,875 12,216,172 1,640,760
Percentage 49.4% 43.8% 5.9%
Swing Decrease0.3% Decrease2.6% Increase3.2%

UK General Election, 1959.svg
Colours showing the winning party

Composition of the Commons in 1959.svg
Seats in the House of Commons after the election

Prime Minister before election

Harold Macmillan
Conservative

Prime Minister after election

Harold Macmillan
Conservative

The Conservatives got the most amount of votes in Scotland. However, they didn't win the most seats in that country. Both Jeremy Thorpe and Margaret Thatcher, first became a MP in the election.

1959 United Kingdom General Election Media