1979 United Kingdom general election

An election was held on 3 May 1979 to elect all 635 seats of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party won the election and Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister. She was the first female Prime Minister of the UK.

1979 United Kingdom general election

3 May 1979
All 635 seats in the House of Commons 318 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	76.0%, 3.2%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Margaret Thatcher James Callaghan David Steel Party Conservative Labour Liberal Leader since 11 February 1975 5 April 1976 7 July 1976 Leader's seat Finchley Cardiff South East Roxburgh, Selkirk & Peebles Last election 277 seats, 35.8% 319 seats, 39.2% 13 seats, 18.3% Seats won 339 269 11 Seat change 62 50 2 Popular vote 13,697,923 11,532,218 4,313,804 Percentage 43.9% 36.9% 13.8% Swing 8.1% 2.3% 4.5%
Colours show the winning party—as shown in § Results
Composition of the House of Commons after the election
Prime Minister before election James Callaghan Labour Prime Minister after election Margaret Thatcher Conservative

The election happened because of a vote of no confidence in the James Callaghan passing by one vote in the House of Commons on the 28 March. This vote happened because Thatcher had brought it forward. It forced the election to happen.

1979 United Kingdom General Election Media

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    Conservatives

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    Labour

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    Liberals

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    Plaid Cymru: 2 seats   Social Democratic and Labour Party: 1 seat   Scottish National Party: 2 seats   Labour Party (UK): 269 seats   Independent Republican: 1 seat   Liberal Party (UK): 11 seats   Ulster Unionist Party: 5 seats   Ulster Popular Unionist Party: 1 seat   Conservative and Unionist Party (UK): 339 seats   United Ulster Unionist Party: 1 seat   Democratic Unionist Party: 3 seats

References

• Beckett, Andy (2009), When the Lights Went Out: Britain in the Seventies, Faber and Faber, ISBN 978-0-571-25226-8
• Butler, David; Kavanagh, Dennis (1980), The British General Election of 1979, London: Macmillan, ISBN 978-0-333-77875-3
• Campbell, John (2000), Margaret Thatcher, Volume One: The Grocer's Daughter, London: Jonathan Cape, ISBN 978-0-224-04097-6
• Caryl, Christian (2014), Strange Rebels: 1979 and the Birth of the 21st Century, Basic Books, ISBN 978-0-465-06564-6
• Hickson, Kevin; Seldon, Anthony (2004), New Labour, Old Labour: The Wilson and Callaghan Governments 1974–1979, Routledge, ISBN 978-1-134-38161-6
  • Witte, Rob (2014), Racist Violence and the State: A Comparative Analysis of Britain, France and the Netherlands, ISBN 978-1-317-88919-9
• Young, Hugo (1990), One of Us: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher, Pan Books, ISBN 978-0-330-31487-9