UK general election, 1974 (February)

UK general election, 1974 (February)

The UK general election of February 1974 was held on February 28, 1974. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the only election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party. The incumbent Conservative government of Edward Heath polled the most votes by a tiny margin, but the Tories were overtaken in terms of Commons seats by Harold Wilson's Labour Party due to the decision by Ulster Unionist MPs not to take the Conservative whip. After failed negotiations between Heath and Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe, Heath resigned and Wilson returned for his second spell as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He would call another election in October of the same year.

This election saw Northern Ireland diverging heavily from the rest of the UK, with all twelve MPs elected being from local parties, following the decision of the Ulster Unionists to withdraw support from the Conservative Party in protest over the Sunningdale Agreement.

Party Votes Seats Loss/Gain Share of Vote (%)

Conservative 11,872,180 297 - 33 37.9

Labour 11,645,616 301 + 13 37.2

Liberal 6,059,519 14 + 8 19.3

SNP 633,180 7 + 6 2.0

Ulster Unionist 232,103 7 - 1 0.8

Plaid Cymru 171,374 2 + 2 0.5

SDLP 160,137 1 + 1 0.5

Pro-Assembly Unionist 94,301 0 0.3

National Front 76,865 1 + 1 0.2

VUUP 75,944 3 + 3 0.2

Democratic Unionist 58,656 1 0.2

Communist 32,743 0 0.1

Alliance (NI) 22,660 0 0.1

Unity 17,593 0 0.0

Labour (NI) 17,284 0 0.0

The seats won by the Ulster Unionists are compared with those won by Unionist MPs in the 1970 election, and the seat won by the Democratic Unionist candidate is compared with the result of the Protestant Unionist in 1970.

Party	Votes	Seats	Loss/Gain	Share of Vote (%)
Conservative	11,872,180	297	- 33	37.9
Labour	11,645,616	301	+ 13	37.2
Liberal	6,059,519	14	+ 8	19.3
SNP	633,180	7	+ 6	2.0
Ulster Unionist	232,103	7	- 1	0.8
Plaid Cymru	171,374	2	+ 2	0.5
SDLP	160,137	1	+ 1	0.5
Pro-Assembly Unionist	94,301	0		0.3
National Front	76,865	1	+ 1	0.2
VUUP	75,944	3	+ 3	0.2
Democratic Unionist	58,656	1		0.2
Communist	32,743	0		0.1
Alliance (NI)	22,660	0		0.1
Unity	17,593	0		0.0
Labour (NI)	17,284	0		0.0