Keeping the British Liberal Party flag flying high

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pipisme

As regards membership of the European Economic Community [EEC], the Tories were against the UK joining, the Liberal manifesto said that a Liberal government would enter into negotiations about entry into the EEC and would join if the terms were right, though everyone knew that they would join whatever the terms were. The majority of the Socialist Labour Party was opposed to entry into the EEC, but a significant minority was in favour. The party's manifesto promised a referendum on whether or not the UK should join the EEC.

The Socialist Labour manifesto proposed that the policy of the Liberal/Socialist Labour coalition of 1955-58 of protecting the Lancashire cotton industry by tariffs and import controls would continue. This policy was continued when the Socialist Labour ministers left the coalition.
 

pipisme

Although British entry into the EEC was not a major issue in the election, it still attracted some interest.

Rosa Bancroft campaigned for her husband, Gwilym Edwards, who was fighting to keep his East Ham South seat for Socialist Labour. They were helped by their three eldest children, Isaac age 17, Sylvia age 13 and Megan age 12. William aged 8 was not interested in the election, while David and Naomi aged 6 and 3 respectively were too young to be interested. Isaac was in his final term in a comprehensive school. He had a place at the University of London to study law. He wanted to be a barrister.

Polling day was 2 June 1960. Three daily newspapers published opinion polls and thee average vote for each party was as follows:
Conservative: 43.6%
Liberal: 34.0%
Socialist Labour: 20.5%
Others: 1.9%.
The Conservative lead 9.6% was a national swing of 5.5% from Liberal to Conservative. Because of the extensive boundary changes it was not possible to give a precise projection of the result. However it would be somewhere in the range of a small Tory majority to a very small Liberal/Socialist Labour majority.

Polling stations were opened from 7am to 9 pm and voting was reported as brisk to heavy. The British Broadcasting Trust [BBT] reported the results, starting at 9.30pm. An innovation compared with previous results programmes was the swingometer. Also for the first time a panel of representatives from the three main parties were in the studio to discuss the results. These were Conservative: Peter Thorneycroft, the shadow financial secretary to the treasury; Liberal: Ruth Crisp English, the minister of health; and Socialist Labour: Goronwy Roberts, the number two in his party's shadow Welsh Office team. While they were waiting for the first result to be declared they argued about the opinion polls published that morning and what they indicated as regards the outcome of the election.

The first result was from Salford East at 10.03 am. This was a Conservative gain from Socialist Labour and Frank Allaun lost his seat. But the Tory majority was only 146. The percentage votes were as follows [1955 general election]:
Conservative: 35.9% [32.4%]
Frank Allaun: (Socialist Labour): 35.6% [36.8%]
Liberal: 28.5% [30.8%]
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Conservative majority: 0.3% [Socialist Labour majority: 4.4%]
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There was a swing of 2.35% from Socialist Labour to Conservative.
Because of the increase in turnout Allaun's numerical vote increased though his percentage vote fell.
 

pipisme

Two minutes after the Salford East declaration came that for Salford West. It was another Conservative gain from Liberal. The percentage votes were [1955 general election]:
Conservative: 39.3 [36.6]
Liberal: 33.2 [36.7]
Socialist Labour: 27.5 [26.7]
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Conservative majority: 6.1 [Liberal majority: 0.1%]
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The swing from Liberal to Conservative was 3.1%.

About four minutes later the BBT election night programme showed the live declaration from Cheltenham. The returning officer read out the votes for each candidate in alphabetical order. When he reached George Watson, the Liberal candidate, his supporters cheered loudly because they knew he had won. [1] The percentage votes were:
George Crimes Watson [Liberal]: 48.0 [41.0]
William Hicks Beach [Conservative]: 43.5 [42.9]
Socialist Labour Party candidate: 8.5 [16.1]
------------------------------------------------
Liberal majority: 4.5% [Conservative majority: 1.9]
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The turnout was 83.1% [76.5%]
There was a swing of 3.2% from Conservative to Liberal.

Within the next five minutes the results from Manchester Ardwick and Nottingham South were declared. In Ardwick Leslie Lever [Socialist Labour] was re-elected. His majority over Conservative increased from 11.4% to 16.3%, with both parties votes having increased at the expense of the Liberals. In Nottingham South William Clark was elected with a majority of 21.1% over Liberal. In 1955 the Conservative majority was 13.5% over Liberal. The Conservative and Socialist Labour vote increased, while the Liberal vote fell.

[1] Here is the Wikipedia entry for Watson: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Watson_(scholar)
 
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Thunderbolt

Election night already! I do enjoy these parts of your timeline the most.

I still think the Liberals are about to be out of Downing Street....
 

pipisme

Archangel said:
Sorry for the nitpicking, but I think you forgot to add Leslie Lever's name in the first segment.
Click to expand...

Leslie Lever was re-elected as Socialist Labour MP for Manchester Ardwick. The Socialist Labour candidate for Cheltenham who received 8.5% of the vote was someone else.
 

pipisme

Thunderbolt said:
Election night already! I do enjoy these parts of your timeline the most.

I still think the Liberals are about to be out of Downing Street....
Click to expand...

I'm glad you enjoy my coverage of election nights. In those days there were no exit polls which give the result, more or less accurately, as soon as the polls have closed.
 

pipisme

'We are now going over to Billericay for the declaration of the result there.' Richard Dimbleby, the presenter of the BBT election night programme, announces. He breaks off while the returning officer reads out the votes for each candidate. Scenes of Liberal supporters cheering the election of their candidate. 'This a new seat which the Conservatives hoped to take, but the Liberals have beaten them.' 'This constituency was carved out of the Liberal seat of Essex South-East, the psephologist, David Butler, says. Here are the percentage votes for each candidate:
Heather Joan Harvey [Liberal]: 42.9
Edward Gardner [Conservative]: 38.9
Socialist Labour candidate: 18.2
Liberal majority: 4.0%
Here is the Wikipedia entry for Harvey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Joan_Harvey. In OTL Gardner was elected Conservative MP for Billericay in 1959.

In the next few minutes results were declared consecutively for Ipswich, Edinburgh East and Eccles. Ipswich was held by the Liberals with their majority over Conservative increased from 8.3% to 17.8%. Butler attributed this to redistribution by which Conservative suburbs were hived off to Sudbury and Woodbridge. Edinburgh East was a Conservative gain from Liberal. A Liberal majority of 8.0% became a Tory majority of 3.8%. Attributed By Butler to redistribution. Eccles was also a Tory gain from Liberal. Their majority was 4.7% compared with the previous Liberal majority of 2.1%.
 

pipisme

Richard Dimbleby: 'We now have the first result from London. It's from the new constituency of Fulham and has been taken by Mr. John Hall for the Conservatives.' Here are the figures for Fulham:
John Hall [Conservative]: 41.2%
Liberal candidate: 31.3%
Socialist Labour candidate: 27.5%
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Conservative majority: 9.9%
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After a couple of minutes, Dimbleby announces, 'Sir John Dodd has been re-elected as the Liberal member for Oldham East. Sir John Dodd has been the MP for the constituency since 1946, and previously for the two-member constituency of Oldham from 1928. [1] He has held junior ministerial posts, and is a prominent Liberal backbencher, and generous benefactor of the town.' Here are the figures [1955 general election]
Sir John Dodd [Liberal]: 55.9% [58.7%
Conservative candidate: 25.7% [24.7%]
Socialist Labour candidate: 18.4% [16.6%]
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Liberal majority: 30.2% [34.0%]
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David Butler: 'This the biggest majority we have had so far and swing of only 1.9% from Liberal to Conservative.'

About three minutes later, Dimbleby announces. 'We have just had news that the Liberals have taken Oldham West from Socialist Labour, and Mr Hale is out.' The result comes up on the screen:
James Middleton [Liberal]: 39.3% [37.6%]
Leslie Hale [Socialist Labour]: 37.8% [38.3%]
Conservative candidate: 22.9% [24.1%]
----------------------------------------------------
Liberal majority: 1.5% [Socialist Labour majority: 0.7%]
----------------------------------------------------
Butler: 'A swing of just 1.1% from Socialist Labour to Liberal.'

Meanwhile the panel of politicians from each party [Peter Thorneycroft, Conservative; Ruth Crisp English, Liberal; Goronwy Roberts, Socialist Labour] were discussing the results declared so far. There was something to please all of them. The Conservatives had gained Eccles, Edinburgh East, Salford East and Salford West. The Liberals had taken Cheltenham and Oldham West, and the new seat of Billericay. Though Socialist Labour had lost two seats, and held only Manchester Ardwick, in most of the seats their vote had increased.

[1] Here is the Wikipedia entry for Dodd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dodd_(Liberal_politician). In this TL there was no Liberal National Party, so he stayed with the Liberals.
 

pipisme

Richard Dimbleby: 'Some more results have come in. Charles Longbottom has held York for the Conservatives. His majority over Liberal having increased from 7.5% to 11.8%. In Edinburgh North James Clyde has been re-elected with a majority of 14.7% over Liberal, compared with 13.9% previously. David Butler: A swing of only 0.4% from Liberal to Conservative because of boundary changes. Dimbleby: Richard Crossman has won the new constituency of Coventry North-East for Socialist Labour with a majority of 4.6% over Liberal. He had previously been the MP for Coventry East. We now have the second result from London. Charles Key has held Poplar for Socialist Labour. His majority over Liberal has gone up from 28.8% to 35.8%. Butler: This is a three and a half percent swing from Liberal to Socialist Labour.

Dimbleby: We have the first result from Manchester. It is the Exchange division in the city centre. William Griffiths, the Socialist Labour member has been returned with a majority of 6.7% over Conservative. Butler: The Liberals have fallen from second to third place. In the 1955 election they were 5.4% behind Griffiths. Dimbleby: We have news of the first Socialist Labour gain of the night. It is Enfield East and they have taken it from the Liberals in a close three-party contest. Let's have a look at the figures:
John Mackie [Socialist Labour]: 35.7% [34.9%]
Liberal Party candidate: 33.6% [36.9%]
Conservative Party candidate: 30.7% [28.2%]
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Socialist Labour majority: 2.1% [Liberal majority: 2.0%]
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Butler: That is a swing of 2.05% from Liberal to Socialist Labour.'
 

pipisme

In my coverage of the election results programme on BBT television I will not specify if the person talking is Richard Dimbeby or David Butler. It was Dimbleby unless it was Butler for psephological comments and information.

'Another Liberal gain from Conservative, the second of the night. This time it is Exeter.' The voting figures are shown on screen [1955 general election]:
Gordon Taylor [Liberal]: 43.9% [38.0%]
Rolf Dudley Williams [Conservative]: 41.2% [42.5%]
Socialist Labour candidate:14.9% [19.5%]
---------------------------------------------------
Liberal majority: 2.7% [Conservative majority: 4.5%]
---------------------------------------------------

'This is a swing of 3.6% from Conservative to Liberal. I think we can attribute the Liberal victory to boundary changes which transferred Conservative voting suburbs to the surrounding Tiverton constituency, and the fall in the Socialist Labour vote.'

'Iain Macleod, the shadow President of the Board of Trade, has been re-elected in Enfield West.' 'There was never any doubt that he would. His majority over Conservative has gone up from 15.1 percent to 22.6 percent. This a swing of 3.75 percent from Liberal to Conservative.' 'The first cabinet minister is back in the House of Commons. Ian McColl, the Secretary of State for Scotland has held Greenock.' 'His majority over Socialist Labour was 25.7 percent, down from 36.1 percent. A swing of 5.2 percent from Liberal to Socialist Labour.'
 

pipisme

'The Conservatives have held Hendon South. Sir Hugh Lucas-Tooth is back in the House of Commons, having been there since 1942. His majority over Liberal has increased from 7.8 percent to 17.2 percent.' 'That is a 4.7 percent swing from Liberal to Conservative.' 'We have just heard that the Conservatives have gained Torquay from Liberal. Let's have a look at the figures:
Frederic Bennett [Conservative]: 45.0% [44.2%]
Deryck Abel [Liberal]: 44.7% [45.0%]
Socialist Labour: 11.3% [10.8%]
-------------------------------------------------
Conservative majority: 0.3% [Liberal majority: 0.8%]
-------------------------------------------------
'A swing of only 0.55 percent from Liberal to Conservative.'
 

Thomas1195

Banned
Frankly initially I expect a Liberal-led Britain to propose a British-led trade bloc with those European countries plus Canada.
 

pipisme

'The Conservatives have gained Lincoln and Hendon North from Liberal.' In Lincoln a Liberal majority of 3.6 percent is now a Conservative majority of 5.6 percent.' 'This is a 4.6 percent swing from Liberal to Conservative. In Hendon North what had been a Liberal majority of 4.7 percent is now a Conservative majority of 4.1 percent.' 'A swing of 4.4 percent from Liberal to Conservative. In both of these constituencies the Socialist Labour vote has increased.'

'Walter Edwards has taken the new constituency of Stepney for Socialist Labour with a majority of 21.7 percent over Liberal. Mr Edwards had been the member for Stepney West. The Liberals have won Tottenham with a majority of 8.4 percent over Socialist Labour. This a new constituency. Socialist Labour have held Burnley. A small increase in their majority over Conservative from 8.0 percent to 10.5 percent. Let's have a look at the figures [1955 general election]:
Daniel Jones [Socialist Labour]: 46.0% [41.0%]
Conservative Party candidate: 35.5% [33.0%]
Liberal Party candidate: 18.5% [26.0%]
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Socialist Labour majority: 10.5% [8.0%]
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'A swing of 1.25 percent from Conservative to Socialist Labour with an above average fall in the Liberal vote.'

'The Liberals have held Heywood and Radcliffe. Their majority over Conservative is 1.7 percent. It had been 3.5 percent. The Conservatives had expected to gain this seat.' This is a swing of only 0.9 percent from Liberal to Conservative.' 'Wednesbury is a Liberal hold. But their majority over Conservative has fallen from 9.2 percent to 2.7 cent.' 'A below average swing of 3.25 percent from Liberal to Conservative.'

'We have just received news that the Conservatives have gained Ashton-under-Lyne from Liberal, with Socialist Labour in second place. A Liberal majority of 0.2 percent is now a Conservative majority of 7.9 percent.
 

pipisme

'Mr Sinclair Charles Wood, the Minister of State at the Board of Trade, has held Eton and Slough, but his majority over Conservative has fallen from 9.3% to 1.4%.' 'This is a swing of 3.95% from Liberal to Conservative.' 'Mr Benjamin Ashkenazi has been re-elected as the Liberal member for Stoke Newington and Hackney North. Only a small reduction in his majority over Socialist Labour from 2.9% to 1.8%. The Conservative has fallen. Let's have a look at the figures'. [1955 general election]:
Benjamin Ashkenazi [Liberal]: 35.7% [35.0%]
Socialist Labour candidate: 33.9% [32.1%]
Conservative candidate: 27.8% [29.0%]
Communist candidate: 2.6% [3.9%]
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Liberal majority: 1.8% [2.9%]
----------------------------
A swing of 0.55% from Liberal to Socialist Labour.

'The anti-semitic leaflets distributed by Conservative activists harmed the Tory party in the constituency.' 'Remind our viewers what happened, Richard.' 'Grossly offensive anti-semitic leaflets urging people to vote Conservative were posted through letter boxes in the constituency. The Conservative leadership and the local candidate profusely apologised for the leaflets and they were destroyed, and those responsible for them were expelled from the party.'

'Julian Amery, the son of the late Leopold Amery is back in Preston North. His majority over Liberal has increased from 7.85 to 17.1%'. 'This is a swing of 4.65% from Liberal to Conservative.' 'The Conservatives have held Merton and Morden with their majority having risen from 6.3% to 13.4%. They have also taken the new constituency of Sheffield Heeley with a majority of 23.4% over Liberal. Another London result has come in. Mr Robert Grant-Ferris has been re-elected as the Conservative member for Wandsworth Central.' 'But only a small increase in his majority over Liberal from 0.7% to 3.1%, which is a swing of only 1.2% from Liberal to Conservative.'
 
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