Electoral history of the Labour Party (UK)



The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom. Formed in 1900, it is one of the two main political parties along with the Conservative Party. In all general elections since 1918, Labour has been either the governing party or the Official Opposition. Since the 2010 general election, Labour has been the second largest party in the UK behind the Conservatives having lost the four last general elections. Since 1918, Labour have formed 11 governments.

This article encompasses detailed results of previous UK general elections, devolved national elections in Scotland and Wales, devolved London elections and European Parliament elections which the Labour Party have participated in.

Background


The Labour Party was founded at a conference in February 1900 in London as the Labour Representation Committee (LRC). The party was formed as an alliance between trade unions, ethical socialists and state socialists. Following the 1906 general election, the LRC became the current Labour Party.

Labour are one of the two main political parties in the United Kingdom, along with the Conservative Party. The Labour Party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum. In all general elections since 1918, Labour has been either the governing party or the Official Opposition. There have been six Labour prime ministers. Since 1918, Labour have formed 11 governments, compared to 13 for the Conservatives within this period. Since the 2010 general election, it has been the second-largest UK political party by the number of votes cast, behind the Conservative Party.

UK general elections


The first general election the party faced, then the Labour Representation Committee, was only six months after the inauguration of the party. Fifteen LRC candidates were put forward for the election, two of which were elected in 1900. In 1903, the Secretary of the LRC Ramsay MacDonald and the Liberal Party's Chief Whip Herbert Gladstone formed a secret electoral pact between the two parties. The party continued to grow over the following decade and by the December 1910 general election, Labour had 42 MPs.

Following the 1918 general election, Labour became the Official Opposition after the Conservatives went into coalition with the Liberal Party. Labour's first minority governments came following the 1923 and 1929 general elections, the latter being the first time Labour were the largest party in parliament by seats won. They formed their first majority government following the 1945 general election. However, after winning the 1950 general election, Labour would lose the following election in 1951 to the Conservatives despite gaining their highest share of votes to date at 48.8%. During the 1983 election, Labour posted their worst vote share in the post-war period at 27.6%. In 1997, a party record of 418 Labour MPs were elected. At the 2019 general election, 202 Labour MPs were elected, the lowest for the party since 1935. Since the 2010 general election, Labour have lost four consecutive general elections.

The latest general election was held on 4 July 2024. The voting system for general elections in the UK is the first past the post system. Labour won the election, with a landslide in seats of 411, but with fewer votes than 2019.


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Scottish Parliament elections
Following a referendum on devolution in September 1997, the Scottish people voted 'Yes' leading to the Scotland Act 1998. This act led to the formation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. After Scotland voted 'No' in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, additional powers were devolved to the Scottish Parliament after the Scotland Act 2016 reached royal assent. Elections to determine the composition of the Parliament take place once every five years under the additional member system. Overall, there are 73 constituency members (MSPs) and 56 regional members elected. Before 2016, elections were held every four years.

In the inaugural two elections, Labour were the largest party and formed a coalition with the Scottish Liberal Democrats on both occasions. However, Labour narrowly lost the 2007 election to the Scottish National Party (SNP). By seats won, Labour have been the third largest party in the Scottish Parliament behind the SNP and Conservatives since 2016. In the most recent election in 2021, Labour suffered their worst defeat in Holyrood after returning 22 MSPs.

Senedd elections
As part of Labour's 1997 winning UK general election manifesto, Labour committed to devolving power to Wales and Scotland subject to public consent from referendums. In July 1997, Labour released its white paper for devolution in Wales. This devolution deal would include 60 elected members who would take responsibility for £7 billion of funding. Furthermore, this new Assembly would have the right to pass secondary legislation in order to modify already existing laws. The devolution plans were endorsed by the public in the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum by 50.3% of the vote. The Government of Wales Act 1998 would receive royal assent with the Assembly to be formed following the first election in May 1999.

In 1999, the Welsh Assembly or Senedd Cymru was founded. From 1999 until 2011, Welsh Assembly elections were held once every four years, they are now held every five years. 40 Constituency Assembly Members (AMs) and 20 regional Assembly Members are elected at each election. The current voting system is the additional member system.

At every Senedd election, Labour has received the most votes and seats at each election, but has never formed a clear majority of seats. Labour formed a coalition with the Welsh Liberal Democrats from 2000 to 2003. From 2003 to 2007, Labour governed alone as a minority administration before serving in coalition with Plaid Cymru from 2007 to 2011. Labour have governed alone as a minority administration since 2011. Since 2021, Labour have had a formal cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru to help pass budgets and to work together on several policy areas.

London Assembly elections
London Assembly elections are held every four years. Overall, there are 14 constituency members and 11 London-wide members who are elected by a party-list system. The voting system is the additional member system. The assembly holds the mayor of London to account through London Assembly committees and also votes on the mayor's budget. The first London Assembly election was held in 2000. Labour gained the most seats out of all of the parties in 2012 (12), 2016 (12), 2021 (11) and 2024 (11).

London mayoral elections
Elections to decide the Mayor of London have taken place since 2000. Ken Livingstone won the inaugural mayoral election as an independent candidate, ahead of the Conservative Party in second place and the Labour Party in third. He would later become the candidate for Labour in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Livingstone won for Labour in 2004 before losing to the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson in both 2008 and 2012. These elections take place every four years with the incumbent mayor being Sadiq Khan of the Labour Party since 2016. The voting system for the mayoral elections from 2000 until 2021 was the supplementary vote system. However, for the election in 2024, the first past the post system was used instead. In 2024, Khan won a third successive term.

Combined authority elections
The first 'combined authority elections' took place in 2017 to determine six elected mayors (Metro-mayors) of different combined authorities in England. These elections stemmed from the 'devolution deals' policy announced by George Osborne in 2014. Combined authorities are local government institutions formed by two or more local councils.

The system of voting for these elections was originally the supplementary vote system. Ahead of the 2023 local elections, the first past the post system replaced the supplementary vote system for future combined authority elections. As of August 2023, there are seven Labour Party Metro Mayors in: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City region, West of England, South Yorkshire, North of Tyne, and West Yorkshire. The other two combined authorities (Tees Valley and West Midlands) are under the control of the Conservative Party.

European Parliament elections
During the UK's membership of the European Union (1973–2020), the UK participated in European Parliament elections, held every five years from 1979 until 2019. Elections to the European Parliament began in 1979, and were held under the first past the post system until the 1994 election. From 1999 onwards, a regional list system of proportional representation system was used.

Labour's best result was the 1994 election in terms of numbers of MEPs elected (62/87) and vote share (44%). The party earned more votes in 2004 than in 1999 but their vote share fell due to a higher turnout. In 2009, Labour finished behind the Conservatives and UKIP.