Keeping the British Liberal Party flag flying high

From now the election results will be in the present tense, as reported in the BBT television coverage of them.

We have the first results from Glasgow. Socialist Labour have held Gorbals and Shettleston, with the Liberals in second place in both constituencies. Bruce Millan, who is a shadow Socialist Labour Scottish Office minister, is back in Shettleston. Big falls in the Conservative vote. From 15.3% to 8.0% in Gorbals, and from 25.5% to 13.9% in Shettleston, where they have fallen to third place. The SNP have 12.6% of the vote in Shettleston. This is the first time they have stood in the constituency.
 
We have the results from Ealing South, Feltham, and Vauxhall, which have been held by Conservative, Liberal and Socialist Labour respectively.

We are going over to Billericay for the declaration of the result. Heather Joan Harvey is defending the seat for the Liberals. The Conservative candidate is Robert McCrindle. The Returning Officer reads out the number of votes cast for each candidate:
....and I hereby declare that the said Robert McCrindle is duly elected to serve as member of Parliament for the Billericay constituency.
 
The Conservative majority in Billericay is only 0.3%. The previous Liberal majority was 2.2%.. The swing of 1,25% from Liberal to Conservative is about one percent lower than the national average so far.

Newport is the first result from Wales. It has stayed Liberal, but their majority over Socialist Labour is down from 15.1% to 8.9%. The Liberals have held Lincoln, with Socialist Labour replacing the Conservatives in second place. St. Pancras North has stayed Socialist Labour. Their majority over Liberal is up from 3.1% to 5.6%.. The Liberals have held the marginal seats of Beckenham and Oxford. In Oxford the Socialist Labour vote is up from 20.0% to 28.0%..

We have the first result in from Birmingham. Roy Hattersley is the new Socialist Labour MP for the Stechford constituency. He has increased the majority over Liberal from 2,8% to 7.7%. Robert Sheldon, who is on the Socialist Labour treasury team, is back in Ashton-under-Lyne. The Liberals have taken second place from Conservative here. Socialist Labour have also held Poplar. The Conservative candidate has lost his deposit.

Catriona Macleod, the Socialist Labour shadow Minister of Health, is back in Glasgow Maryhill. (1). The Conservatives have fallen into third place. The Conservatives have held Glasgow Pollok, with Socialist Labour have replaced the Liberals in second place. Socialist Labour have held the safe seat of Liverpool Scotland. The Conservative candidate just saved his deposit.

The result for Clapham has just been declared. It is a Liberal gain from Conservative with a majority of 41. "What is the reason for the Liberal gain here?" "There has been an increase in the ethnic minority population, and the constituency has been attracting so called 'young bohemians'." There is going to be a full recount in Ealing North. This is a seat which the Liberals are defending. The difference between them and the Conservatives is reported to be very close, and the recount has been requested by both candidates. Ian Mikardo, the Socialist Labour left winger, is back in Stepney. The Conservative candidate lost his deposit. George Darling, the former Socialist Labour shadow Minister of Transport, has held Sheffield Hillsborough.

(1) She is a fictional character.
 
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The Liberals have held Nottingham Central, with only a slight reduction in their majority over Conservative from 6.8% to 6.0%. We have just heard that Socialist Labour have taken East Ham North from the Liberals with a majority of 3.1%. The previous Liberal majority was 3.5%. ` Socialist Labour have held Birmingham Small Heath, and Gateshead East. In both constituencies the Conservatives are in third place, with the Liberals in second place.
 
Wallace Lawler, the Minister of Labour, is back in Birmingham Perry Barr. But his majority is down from 18.4% over Conservative to 14.4% over Socialist Labour. He was responsible for legislation banning the closed shop, and requiring ballots before strikes. The Conservatives have held Gillingham, and Socialiat Labour Sheffield Attercliffe. Socialiat Labour have taken Greenwich, and also South Shields from the Liberals, with majorities of 4.0% and 0.4% respectively. Their previous Liberal majorities were 3.3% and 6.2% respectively. Newcastle upon Tyne East has stayed Liberal, with Socialist Labour replacing Conservative in second place.

We have now had the results in from fifty constituencies. The state of the parties is Socialist Labour 22, Liberal 20. Conservative 8. Richard Dimbleby asks David Butler if Socialist Labour will be the largest party in the House of Commons.

"No they will not. I am confident that the Liberals will still be the largest party." Butler replies.

Robert Mackenzie asks Butler which party he thinks will come second.

"It is too early to say. We have not the rural seats in yet, except for Guildford, and the Conservatives are pinning their hopes on them."
 
If it's not too much to ask, can you produce a list of MPs for Sheffield constituencies since 1923?
Here is a list of MPs for Sheffield constituencies from 1923, and their party allegiances (Con = Conservative, Co-op = Co-operative, Lib = Liberal), Lab = Labour, Soc Lab = Socialist Labour):

Attercliffe: Cecil Wilson (Lab) 1923 to 7 February 1944 (Soc Lab from 1 March 1939), John Hynd ( Soc Lab ) 28 February 1944 to June 1969. He retired as an MP at the June 1969 general election.

Brightside: Arthur Ponsonby (Lab ) 1923 to 1936, (Independent Labour Party) December 1935 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab ) 1 March 1939 to 1942, Fred Marshall (Soc Lab) 1942 to 9 February 1968, Frank Hooley (Soc Lab) 28 March 1968 onwards.

Central: John Hope (Con) 1923 to 1928, Philip Hoffman (Lab) 1928 to 1932, William Boulton (Con) 1932 to 1946, when the constituency was abolished.

Ecclesall: Albert Harland (Con) 1923 to 1928, Samuel Roberts (Con) 1923 to 1936, Sir Geoffrey Ellis (Con) 1936 to 1946, when the constituency was abolished.

Hallam: Sit Frederick Sykes (Con) 1923 to 1942, Roland Jennings (Con) 1942 to 1960, John Osborn (Con) 1960 onwards.

Heeley: New constituency created for the 1946 general election. Peter Roberts (Con) 1946 to 1964, John Spence (Con) 1964 onwards.

Hillsborough: Albert Victor Alexander (Lab and Co-op) 1923 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab and Co-op) 1 March 1939 to 1950), George Darling (Soc Lab and Co-op) 1950 onwards.

Park: Richard Deans (Con); 1923 to 1928, George Lathan (Lab) 1928 to 1932, Richard Deans (Con) 1932 to 31 August 1938, no by-election because of general election, George Lathan (Lab) 1938 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab) 1 March 1939 to 1942, Thomas Burden (Soc Lab) 1942 to 1950, Fred Mulley (Soc Lab) 1950 onwards.

The Labour Party and the Independent Labour Party merged on 1 March 1939 and became the Socialiat Labour Party.

The Liberal vote collapsed in the 1922 general election when they lost three seats to Labour. They never fully recovered. Their best result since 1923 was coming within 2 percent of the winning Conservative in Hallam in the 1964 general election.
 
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The Conservatives have held Worcester. We have just had news that Socialist Labour have gained Glasgow Craigton from Conservative with a majority of 22.4%. The previous Conservative majority was 4.2%. Here are the percentage votes for each candidate (1964 general election):
Socialist Labour: 46.1 (35.7)
Conservative : 23.7 (39.9)
Liberal: 23.2 (23.0)
SNP: 7.0 (n/a)
(Communist: 1.4).
This is a swing of 13.3% from Conservative to Socialist Labour, the highest so far.

The Liberals have held Darlington and Newcastle upon Tyne West. Socialist Labour have taken Tottenham and Islington North from Liberal. Their majorities are 1.9% and 3.1% respectively. The Liberal majorities had been 4.7% and 4.3% respectively. Two more London seats have been held by Socialist Labour. Samuel Silkin, the shadow Solicitor-General is back in Islington South-west and Ronald Brown, the younger brother of Geotge Brown, has held Shoreditch and Finsbury. The Conservative candidate for Shoreditch has lost his deposit.

We have two results in from Birmingham. Socialist Labour have held Ladywood, and the Conservatives have won back Moseley, which they lost in 1964. Their majority is 4,2% , compared to the previous Liberal majority of 6.6%. The swing of 5.4% from Liberal to Conservative is the biggest so far. Liverpool Toxteth is another Conservative gain from Liberal. Here are the percentage votes:
Conservative: 34.6 (31.9)
Liberal: 33.6 (41.7)
Socialist Labour: 31.8 (26.4)
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Conservative majority 1.0 (Liberal: 9,8)
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David Butler: Birmingham and Liverpool swung heavily from Conservative to Liberal in 1964. In Moseley and Toxteth the Conservatives have recovered some of their losses they suffered then.

The Liberals have held Crewe, and Hartlepools, with Socialist Labour second in both constituencies. We are now going live to Preston Town Hall for the declaration for Preston North. Julian Amery, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, is defending the seat. The returning officer is reading out the result:
...........and I hereby declare that the said Julian Amery is hereby elected to serve as member of parliament for the Preston North constituency. Our reporter is now interviewing Mr Amery:
Congratulations on your election, sir.
Thank you.
The results so far have been disappointing for your party.
We have taken seats from the Liberals.
If the Conservative Party is still in third place when all the results have come in, should Sir Keith Joseph resign as party leader? Your name has been mentioned
as a future leader.
There is no vacancy for leader. The party has full confidence in Sir Keith. It is the Liberals who should be worried. They are losing seats to the Socialists and to us. Here the Socialist candidate has come second.
Thank you sir
Thank you.

While we have been listening to this fascinating interview, the result for Preston South has been been declared. It is a Conservative gain from Liberal.

Socialist Labour have held Manchester Exchange and Manchester Gorton. Their majorities over Liberal are down from 7.9% to 5.9%, and from 4,5% to 3,9% respectively. Socialist Labour have gained Warrington from the Liberals. Their majority is 8,9%, compared to the Liberal majority of 1.1%. In 1960 this seat went Conservative. Now they are in third place. Socialist Labour have held Bethnal Green, and Southwark with the Conservatives in third place in both seats. In Bethnal Green the Conservative candidate has lost his deposit.
 
Here is a list of MPs for Sheffield constituencies from 1923, and their party allegiances (Con = Conservative, Co-op = Co-operative, Lib = Liberal), Lab = Labour, Soc Lab = Socialist Labour):

Attercliffe: Cecil Wilson (Lab) 1923 to 7 February 1944 (Soc Lab from 1 March 1939), John Hynd ( Soc Lab ) 28 February 1944 to June 1969. He retired as an MP at the June 1969 general election.

Brightside: Arthur Ponsonby (Lab ) 1923 to 1936, (Independent Labour Party) December 1935 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab ) 1 March 1939 to 1942, Fred Marshall (Soc Lab) 1942 to 9 February 1968, Frank Hooley (Soc Lab) 28 March 1968 onwards.

Central: John Hope (Con) 1923 to 1928, Philip Hoffman (Lab) 1928 to 1932, William Boulton (Con) 1932 to 1946, when the constituency was abolished.

Ecclesall: Albert Harland (Con) 1923 to 1928, Samuel Roberts (Con) 1923 to 1936, Sir Geoffrey Ellis (Con) 1936 to 1946, when the constituency was abolished.

Hallam: Sit Frederick Sykes (Con) 1923 to 1942, Roland Jennings (Con) 1942 to 1960, John Osborn (Con) 1960 onwards.

Heeley: New constituency created for the 1946 general election. Peter Roberts (Con) 1946 to 1964, John Spence (Con) 1964 onwards.

Hillsborough: Albert Victor Alexander (Lab and Co-op) 1923 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab and Co-op) 1 March 1939 to 1950), George Darling (Soc Lab and Co-op) 1950 onwards.

Park: Richard Deans (Con); 1923 to 1928, George Lathan (Lab) 1928 to 1932, Richard Deans (Con) 1932 to 31 August 1938, no by-election because of general election, George Lathan (Lab) 1938 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab) 1 March 1939 to 1942, Thomas Burden (Soc Lab) 1942 to 1950, Fred Mulley (Soc Lab) 1950 onwards.

The Labour Party and the Independent Labour Party merged on 1 March 1939 and became the Socialiat Labour Party.

The Liberal vote collapsed in the 1922 general election when they lost three seats to Labour. They never fully recovered. Their best result since 1923 was coming within 2 percent of the winning Conservative in Hallam in the 1964 general election.
Thank you! I live in Sheffield so I was rather curious about the political details of the city ITTL. What's the most marginal seat in Sheffield after the General Election of 1964?
 
I apologise for bothering you again Pipisme, but may you please also produce a list of MPs for Islington constituencies since 1923?
Here is a list of MPs for Islington constituencies from 1923:
East: Arthur Comyns Carr (Lib) 1923 to 1936, Thelma Cazalet-Keir (Con) 1936 to 1938, Cyril Blackburn (Lib) 1938 to 1950, Thomas Herbert Billson (Lib) 1950 to 1960, Joel Freedman (Lib) 1960 onwards.

North: Norman Thomas Carr Sargant (Lib) 1923 to 1936, Albert Goodman (Con) 1936 to 22 August 1937 (he died on that date), Norman Thomas Carr Sargent (Lib) 13 October 1937 (by-election) to 1942, Frank Milton (Lib) 1942 to 1946, Wilfrid Sugden (Con) 1946 to 1950, Graham Page (Con) 1950 to 1955, Robert Burns (Lib) 1955 to 1964, Eric Thwaites (Lib) 1964 to 1969, Michael O'Halloran (Soc Lab) 1969 onwards.

South: Edward Brotherton-Radcliffe (Lib) 1923 to 1932, William Cluse (Lab)
1932 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab) 1 Mar 1939 to 1942, Tom Howard (Con) 1942 to 1946, when the constituency was abolished.

West: Frederick Montague (Lab) 1923 to 1 March 1939, (Soc Lab) 1 March 1939 to 1946, when the constituency was abolished.

South-west: new constituency created for the 1946 general election. Frederick Montague (Soc Lab) 1946 to 1950, George William Waddilove (Lib) 1950 to 1960, Samuel Silkin (Soc Lab) 1960 onwards.
 
The Liberals have held Bootle, Bury, Eccles, Ipswich, and Leeds North-East, while Chelsea, Liverpool Garston, and St. Marylebone have stayed Conservative. Socialist Labour have held Birmingham Aston, and Dagenham and taken Coventry South from the Liberals, jumping from third to first place and the Conservatives falling from second to third place. The Conservatives have also held Glasgow Knightswood. (1) We have just heard that Harold Gurden, the Conservative shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government, has lost Birmingham Selly Oak to the Liberals.

(1) Roughly corresponds to Glasgow Hillhead in OTL.
 
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Here are the percentage votes for Selly Oak (1964 election):
Harold Gurden (Conservative): 36.5 (39.1)
Liberal: 38.7 (37.2)
Socialist Labour: 24.8 (23.7)
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Liberal majority : 2.2 (Conservative majority: 1.9)
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This is a swing of 2.05% from Conservative to Liberal.

Barbara Castle is back in Leeds South. She is the Socialist Labour shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Also Rosa Bancroft, the Socialist shadow Minister of Education, has held East Ham South. (1) Honor Balfour, the Home Secretary is back in Rochdale. The Liberals have also held Royton and Leeds West.

Richard Crossman, the Socialist Labour shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government, is back in Coventry North-East. Socialist Labour have also held Coventry North-West, and Manchester Cheetham. In all these constituencies, the Conservative candidates have come third. Robert Carr, the Conservative shadow Leader of the House of Commons, has held Mitcham. His majority over Liberal is up from 0.7% to 1.8%. We are now going over to Mitcham, where our reporter is about to interview Mr. Carr.

Congratulations on your victory, sir.
Thank you.
What are your thoughts on the results so far.
They are disastrous for my party. They show that it is still unelectable.
Should Sir Keith Joseph resign as leader?
We need to await until all the results are in, but unless there is a significant increase in the number of Conservative MPs, he cannot with any integrity continue as leader.
What would you suggest as significant?
I would say up to at least 150 MPs. (2)
If Sir Keith resigns, will you stand for leader?
I do not have any ambition to be leader. But if my colleagues want me to stand in a leadership election, then I will give it the most careful consideration.
Thank you, Mr Carr.
Thank you, sir.

(1) Bancroft is a fictional character.

(2) In the 1964 general election, the Conservatives won 104 seats in the House of Commons, the Ulster Unionists 8 seats.
 
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