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] Conservative Party committed to repealing the FTPA.[3] 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] 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]
UK Parliament Since 1918, the Conservative Party has predominantly received the most English votes in UK general elections, winning a plurality 21 times out of 28. The other seven elections (1945 , 1950 , 1951 , 1966 , October 1974 , 1997 and 2001 ) saw the popular vote in England being won by the Labour Party .[7]
1918 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
1922 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 307 N/A 63.3 ~4,810,000 41.1 N/A Labour 95 19.6 ~3,370,000 28.8 Liberal 75 15.5 ~3,210,000 27.2 Other parties 8 1.6 ~310,000 2.5 485 N/A 100 ~11,700,000 100
1923 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 221 N/A 45.6 ~4,730,000 39.8 N/A Labour 138 28.5 ~3,550,000 29.7 Liberal 123 25.4 ~3,570,000 29.9 Other parties 3 0.62 ~70,000 0.6 485 N/A 100 ~11,930,000 100
1924 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 347 N/A 71.5 ~6,460,000 47.7 N/A Labour 109 22.4 ~4,470,000 32.8 Liberal 19 3.9 ~3,390,000 17.6 Other parties 10 1.9 ~250,000 0.6 485 N/A 100 ~13,560,000 100
1929 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Labour 226 N/A 46.6 ~6,850,000 36.9 N/A Conservative 221 45.5 ~7,180,000 38.8 Liberal 35 7.2 ~4,340,000 23.6 Other parties 3 2.0 ~130,000 0.7 485 N/A 100 ~18,500,000 100
1931 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 436 N/A 89.9 ~11,480,000 63.3 N/A Labour 29 5.98 ~7,180,000 30.2 Liberal 19 3.91 ~1,040,000 6.0 Other parties 1 0.2 ~100,000 0.5 485 N/A 100 ~18,080,000 100
1935 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 357 N/A 73.6 ~9,990,000 54.5 N/A Labour 116 23.9 ~7,050,000 38.5 Liberal 11 2.26 ~1,110,000 6.3 Other parties 1 0.2 ~120,000 0.7 485 N/A 100 ~18,270,000 100
1945 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Labour 331 N/A 64.9 ~9,970,000 48.5 N/A Conservative 167 32.7 ~8,270,000 40.2 Liberal 5 0.98 ~1,910,000 9.4 Other parties 7 1.37 ~380,000 1.9 510 N/A 100 ~20,540,000 100
1950 Party Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Labour 251 N/A 46.1 ~11,050,000 48.5 N/A Conservative 253 43.8 ~10,500,000 40.2 Liberal 2 0.98 ~2,250,000 9.4 Other parties 0 1.37 ~160,000 1.9 506 N/A 100 ~23,950,000 100
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
February 1974
October 1974
1979
1983 Party[8] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 362 N/A N/A 69.2 11,711,519 46.0 Labour 148 N/A N/A 28.3 6,862,422 26.8 Alliance 13 N/A N/A 2.5 6,714,957 26.4 Other parties 0 N/A N/A — 183,748 0.7 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%
1987 Party[9] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 358 9 13 68.5 12,546,186 46.2 Labour 155 13 6 29.6 8,006,466 29.5 Alliance 10 2 5 1.9 6,467,350 23.8 Other parties 0 0 0 — 113,520 0.4 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%
1992 Party[10] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 319 1 40 60.9 12,796,772 45.5 Labour 195 40 0 37.2 9,551,910 33.9 Liberal Democrats 10 4 4 1.9 5,398,293 19.2 Other parties 0 0 0 — 401,531 1.4 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%
1997 Party[11] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Labour 328 133 1 62.0 11,347,882 43.5 Conservative 165 0 159 31.2 8,780,881 33.7 Liberal Democrats 34 26 1 6.4 4,677,565 18.0 Referendum 0 0 0 — 746,624 2.9 N/A UKIP 0 0 0 — 103,521 0.4 N/A Independent 1 1 0 0.2 69,464 0.3 Green 0 0 0 — 60,013 0.2 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 Natural Law 0 0 0 — 25,958 0.1 Independent Labour 0 0 0 — 24,447 0.1 Speaker 1 1 0 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
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%
2001 Party[12] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Labour 323 1 6 61.1 9,056,824 41.4 Conservative 165 8 8 31.2 7,705,870 35.2 Liberal Democrats 40 8 2 8.1 4,246,853 19.4 UKIP 0 0 0 — 374,775 1.7 Green 0 0 0 — 158,173 0.7 Independent 0 0 1 — 79,559 0.4 Socialist Alliance 0 0 0 — 55,295 0.3 N/A Socialist Labour 0 0 0 — 51,299 0.2 BNP 0 0 0 — 46,851 0.2 Health Concern 1 1 0 0.2 28,487 0.1 N/A Liberal 0 0 0 — 13,302 0.1 Other parties 0 0 0 — 53,474 0.2 N/A 21,870,762 59.1
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%
2005 Party[13] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Labour 286 0 37 54.1 8,043,461 35.4 Conservative 194 32 3 36.7 8,116,005 35.7 Liberal Democrats 47 12 5 8.9 5,201,286 22.9 Respect 1 1 0 0.2 67,422 0.3 Health Concern 1 0 0 0.2 18,739 0.1 UKIP 0 0 0 0.0 592,417 2.6 Green 0 0 0 0.0 251,051 1.1 BNP 0 0 0 0.0 189,570 0.8 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
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%
2010 Party[14] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 297 95 4 55.7 9,908,169 39.5 Labour 191 2 89 35.8 7,042,398 28.1 Liberal Democrats 43 8 12 8.1 6,076,189 24.2 UKIP 0 0 0 — 866,633 3.5 BNP 0 0 0 — 532,333 2.1 Green 1 0 0 0.2 258,954 1.0 English Democrat 0 0 0 — 64,826 0.3 Respect 0 0 0 — 33,251 0.1 Speaker 1 1 0 0.2 22,860 0.1 Health Concern 0 0 0 — 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
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%
2015 Party[15] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 318 32 11 59.7 10,483,261 40.9 Labour 206 21 6 38.6 8,087,684 31.6 UKIP 1 1 0 0.2 3,611,367 14.1 Liberal Democrats 6 0 37 1.1 2,098,404 8.2 Green 1 0 0 0.2 1,073,242 4.2 Speaker 1 0 0 0.2 34,617 0.1 TUSC 0 0 0 — 32,868 0.1 NHA 0 0 0 — 20,210 0.1 New Respect 0 0 0 — 9,989 0.0 Yorkshire First 0 0 0 — 6,811 0.0 New English Democrat 0 0 0 — 6,431 0.0 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 Class War 0 0 0 — 526 0.0 New Other parties 0 0 0 — 127,133 0.5 25,571,204 65.9
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%
2017 Party[16] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 296 8 30 55.5 12,344,901 45.4 Labour 227 27 6 42.6 11,390,099 41.9 Liberal Democrats 8 5 3 1.5 2,121,810 7.8 UKIP 0 0 1 — 557,390 2.1 Green 1 0 0 0.2 506,969 1.9 Speaker 1 0 0 0.2 34,299 0.1 Yorkshire 0 0 0 — 20,958 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 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%
2019 Party[17] Seats Votes Total Gains Losses Net +/- % seats Total votes % votes Change Conservative 345 52 3 64.7 12,710,845 47.2 Labour 180 1 48 33.7 9,152,034 34.0 Liberal Democrats 7 2 3 1.3 3,340,835 12.4 Green 1 0 0 0.2 819,751 3.0 Brexit Party 0 0 0 — 545,172 2.0 Yorkshire 0 0 0 — 29,201 0.1 UKIP 0 0 0 — 18,891 0.1 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 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%
London mayor 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.
See also
References 
