Keeping the British Liberal Party flag flying high

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Ayr, Epsom and Ewell, and gained Crosby, and Derbyshire South East from Liberal. They also won the new constituencies of Beeston, Epping Forest, and Wirral. The Liberals held Brighouse and Spenborough, Keighley, Middleton and Prestwich, Pudsey, and Wellingborough. Socialist Labour kept Barnsley, Dundee East, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth, and took Dundee West from Liberal. The SNP came second in both the Dundee constituencies, and in Stirling where the Socialist Labour majority was only 1.2%. Here are the percentage votes for each party (1969 general election):
Socialist Labour: 35.4 (36,1)
SNP: 34.2 (13.7)
Liberal: 18.0 (28.8)
Conservative: 12.4 (22.0)
----------------------------------------------
Socialist Labour majority: 1.2 (7.3)
----------------------------------------------

 

[pipisme]

The media were out in force in Nelson town hall for the declaration of the result for Nelson and Colne, where Edward Shackleton, the leader of the Socialist Labour Party and Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, was defending his seat. His wife, Betty, and children, Alexandra and Charles were with him. The returning officer read out the number of votes cast for each candidate. Shackleton was re- elected with a very latge majority, up from 40.7% to 50.6%. Here are the percentage votes for each candidate:
Edward Shackleton (Socialist Labour): 68.1 (64.1)
Conservative: 17.5 (12.5)
Liberal : 14.4 (23.4).
After Shackleton's victory speech to the hall full of wildly cheering supporters, reporters interviewed him. They told him that it was looking probable that his party would be the largest in the House of Commons, and asked him how he felt about becoming Prime Minister. He said that he was ready to accept the responsibilities of office, and serve his country.

Socialist Labour also held Bradford West, Bristol South. Bristol South East. Hamilton, and Jarrow, and gained Bristol North East from Conservative. The Tories kept Brighton Montpelier and Brighton Woodingdean, Bristol North West and Bristol West. The Liberals held Bradford North, and Winchester.

After 355 results the state of the parties was Socialist Labour - 157, Conservative - 106, Liberal - 87, NILP - 3. Progressive - 2.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives hold Aldershot, Dover and Deal (formerly Dover), Essex South East, Lewes, Warwick and Leamington, and Windsor and Maidenhead (formerly Windsor). They gain Canterbuty, Colchester, Derbyshire South West, Reigate, Shipley, and Staffordshire South West from Liberal, and as expected win the new seats of Arundel, Lichfield and Tamworth, and Marlow.

Eichard Wainwright, the Home Secretary, was back in Scarborough and Whitby. His majority over Conservative up from 12.7% to 17.5%. The Liberals also held Colne Valley, Faversham, Folkestone and Hythe, Hemel Hempstead. Hertfordshire South West, Lowestoft, Nantwich, Rugby, Sevenoaks, Stroud, and Darwen by 28 votes over Conservative after two recounts. The Liberals won the new constituencies of Brentwood and Ongar, Harlow, Hertford and Stevenage, Hertfordshire East, Hertfordshire South, Horsham and Crawley, and Tonbridge and Malling.

Socialist Labour kept Aberavon, Caerphilly, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Pontypool, Pontypridd, and Skelmersdale. They gained Ayrshire Central from Conservative, and also Ormskirk because of major boundary chamges, and Crewe from Liberal.

With 400 results declared, the number of seats won by each party were as follows:
Socialist Labour - 168, Conservative - 121, Liberal - 106, NILP - 3, Progressive - 2.

 

[clem attlee]

Where is the Marlow constituency? The Liberals are doing unusually well in the commuter belt around London: Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Herts.

 

[pipisme]

Where is the Marlow constituency? The Liberals are doing unusually well in the commuter belt around London: Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Herts.

Marlow is in south Buckinghamshire. It roughly corresponds to Beaconsfield in OTL.

 

[clem attlee]

Marlow is in south Buckinghamshire. It roughly corresponds to Beaconsfield in OTL.

Thanks. So, why the appeal to bourgeois commuters? Sevenoaks and Tonbridge have scarcely ever been won by the Liberals.

 

[pipisme]

Thanks. So, why the appeal to bourgeois commuters? Sevenoaks and Tonbridge have scarcely ever been won by the Liberals.

The Liberal success in these constituencies was attributed to their freeze on railway fares, and to their policy of Britain joining the European Economic Community. However the Liberal majorities over Conservative were small. In Sevenoaks 3.3%, down from 7.3%, and in Tonbridge and Malling only 0.8%.

 

[clem attlee]

The Liberal success in these constituencies was attributed to their freeze on railway fares, and to their policy of Britain joining the European Economic Community. However the Liberal majorities over Conservative were small. In Sevenoaks 3.3%, down from 7.3%, and in Tonbridge and Malling only 0.8%.

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[sarahz]

The Liberal success in these constituencies was attributed to their freeze on railway fares, and to their policy of Britain joining the European Economic Community. However the Liberal majorities over Conservative were small. In Sevenoaks 3.3%, down from 7.3%, and in Tonbridge and Malling only 0.8%.

What about the somewhat stronger OTL seat of Maidstone?

 

[pipisme]

What about the somewhat stronger OTL seat of Maidstone?

Stanley Blow, Minister of State at Department of Environment, held Maidstone with a majority of 4.7% over Conservative, down from 7.9%. The Liberals also held Bedfordshire South, Cheadle, Eastleigh, Farnham, High Peak, Kidderminster, Loughborough, Rossendale, Shrewsbury, Sowerby, Wells, Welwyn Garden City, Wokingham and Yeovil, and gained Woking from Conservative. Here are the percentage votes for Woking:
Liberal: 46.5 (43,1)
Conservative: 44.9 (43.5)
Socialist Labour: 8.6 (13.0)
----------------------------------------
Liberal majority: 1.6 (Conservative majority: 0.8)
-----------------------------------------
The swing from Conservative to Liberal was 1.2%.

The Conservatives kept Ashford Burton, Frome, Lancaster, Melton. North Fylde, Northwich, Royal Tunbridge Wells, South Fylde. They took Chorley, Harrogate, Henley, Leek, Macclesfield, and Monmouth from Liberal, and gained Renfrewshire East from Socialist Labour where there were substantial boundary changes. The Tories won the new seats of Bromsgrove and Redditch, and Surrey North West.

James Callaghan, the Minister of Labour, was back in Cannock, as was John Smith, Minister of State at Department of Trade and Industry, in Renfrewshire West. Socialist Labour also held Dunbartonshire West, and Southall, and gained Dunbartonshire East from Liberal and The Wrekin from Conservative.

After 440 results the state of the parties was Socialist Labour - 174, Conservative - 139, Liberal - 122, NILP - 3, Progressive - 2.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Aylesbury, Dorking, Harborough, and gained West Bridgford from Liberal. They also won the new seats of Margate, and Ramsgate. The Liberals held Eastbourne, Gloucestershire South, Harwich, Maldon, and St. Albans, and won the new constituency of Shoreham. They took Chelmsford from Conservative with a majority of 5.6%. In the 1969 general election, the Conservative majority was 5.5%. Here are the percentage votes for each party (1969 election):
Liberal: 47.1 (36.9)
Conservative: 41.5 (42.4)
Socialist Labour: 12.4 (20.7)
There were major boundary changes in this constituency.
Socialist Labour gained Nuneaton from Liberal.

At 4.20 am the last overnight result was declared. The state of the parties after 454 results was Socialist Labour - 175, Conservative - 145, Liberal - 129, NILP - 3, Progressive - 2.

 

[pipisme]

The election results programme on BBT television resumed at 9am on 21 June 1974. There was analysis and discussion of the overnight results, and speculation about results to be declared, and the likely outcome of the election. The Socialist Labour lead over Conservative was now down to thirty seats, with little change in the Conservative lead over Liberal. In the opinion of David Butler, the psephologist on the BBT, the final outcome depended on the rural seats still to be declared. If the Liberals held on to the seats they were defending and even gained a few, they would go into second place. But they were too far behind Socialist Labour to go into first place. On the other hand if the Tories gained enough seats from Liberal and Socialist Labour they would take first place. So the final result would be Tories in first, second or third place; Liberals in second or third place, Socialist Labour in first or second place. But no party would have an overall majority in the House of Commons.

The first result in the morning was declared just after 10 am. It was Bothwell, which was held by Socialist Labour. This was followed by Clitheroe, a Conservative gain from Liberal. Then came Forest of Dean, and Totnes which both stayed Liberal.

 

[pipisme]

At 10.35 am Edward Shackleton arrived at Euston by train from Manchester. The leader of the Socialist Labour Party, Foreign Secretary, and likely the next Prime Minister, was met by a media scrum. He was interviewed by David Dimbleby for BBT television. The questions and answers were as expected.

Results continued to be declared. Margaret Thatcher, a junior shadow Housing Minister, was back in Surrey East. The Conservatives also held Bedford gained Barry,, Stratford on Avon, and Weston-super- Mare from Liberal, and won the new seats of Chertsey and Walton, and Mid Sussex . The Liberals kept Devizes, and Gainsborough, and won the new constituency of Braintree.

Socialist Labour held Bothwell, Consett, Ince, Mansfield, Rother Valley, and Wrexham, and won the new seat of East Kilbride. The SNP came fourth in Bothwell with 12.9% of the vote, and second in East Kilbride with 30.5%,. In Northern Iteland, the Progressives held Armagh, with a majority of 0.9% over Ulster Unionist, reduced from 5,1% in the 1969 general election.

With 475 results declared, the state of the parties was Socialist Labour - 182, Conservative - 153, Liberal - 134, NILP - 3, Progressive - 3. .

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives hold Abingdon, Cambridgeshire, East Grinstead, Fife East, Grantham, Morecambe and Lonsdale, and New Forest, and gained Hitchin, Honiton, Knutsford, and Northamptonshire South from Liberal. In Hitchin the Conservative majority over Liberal was 11.1% compared with a Liberal majority of 7.1% in the 1969 election. The high swing from Liberal to Conservative was because the Stevenage part of the conatituency was transferred to the new Hertford and Stevenage constituency which was won by the Liberals.

Louth, Oswestry, and Westbury all stayed Liberal. George Thomas, Minister of State at the Welsh Office, was back in Ebbw Vale. Socialist Labour also held Abertillery, Bedwellty, Durham, Fife West, Goole, and Llanelli, and took Kettering, and Rutherglen from Liberal, The SNP came second in Fife West with 24.9% of the vote, and third in Rutherglen with 24.1%. The Ulster Unionists held Antrim East, and Antrim South.

Five hundred constituencies had declared their results, and the number of seats won by each party were as follows: Socialist Labour - 191, Conservative - 164, Liberal - 137, NILP - 3, Progressive - 3, Ulster Unionist - 2.

 

[Anglo Scorpion]

Pipisme, can you produce a list of MPs for Birmingham constituencies since 1923?

 

[pipisme]

Pipisme, can you produce a list of MPs for Birmingham constituencies since 1923?

I cannot give a list of MPs for Birmingham constituencies since 1923, but here are the Birmingham constituencies and the parties which won them from 1923 to 1974.

Aston: 1923 - Conservative, 1928-1932 - Labour, 1936-1950 - Conservative, 1955- Socialist Labour, 1960- Conservative, 1964-1969- Socialist Labour, 1974 constituency abolished,
Deritend: 1923 - Conservative, 1928-1932- Labour, 1936-1946 - Conservative , 1950 - 1955- Socialist Labour. 1960 constituency abolished.
Duddeston: 1923 - Conservative, 1928 - 1932 - Labour, 1936 - 1938 - Conservative, 1942 - 1955 - Socialist Labour. 1960 constituency abolished.
Edgbaston: 1923 - 1974 - Conservative
Erdington: 1923 - 1942 - Conservative, 1946 - 1950 - Socialist Labour, 1955 - Conservative. 1960 constituency abolished. 1974 constituency restored - Socialist Labour.
Hall Green: 1946 - 1964 - Conservative, 1969 - Liberal, 1974 - Conservative
Handsworth: 1923 - 1964, 1969 - Liberal, 1974 - Conservative
King's Norton: 1923 - Conservative, 1928 - 1932- Labour, 1936 - 1955 - Conservative. Constituency abolished.
Ladywood: 1923 - Conservative, 1928 - Labour, 1932 - 1942 - Conservative , 1946 - 1974 - Socialist Labour.
To be continued.

 

[pipisme]

Continuation of Birmingham results from 1923.
Ladywood: 1923 - 1960 - Conservative, 1964 - Liberal, 1969 - Conservative, 1974 constituency abolished
Northfield: 1946 - Conservative, 1950 - 1955 - Liberal, 1960 - Conservative, 1964 - 1969 - Liberal, 1974 - Socialist Labour.
Perry Barr: 1946 - Conservative, 1950 - Socialist Labour, 1955 - 1974 - Liberal.
Selly Oak: 1960 - 1964 - Conservative, 1969 - Liberal, 1974 - Conservative.
Small Heath: 1946 - 1974 - Socialist Labour,
Sparkbrook: 1923 - 1946 - Conservative, 1950 - 1955 - Socialist Labour, 1960 - Conservative, 1964 - 1974 - Socialist Labour.
Stechford: 1946 - 1974 - Socialist Labour.
West Birmingham: 1923 - 1942 - Conservative, 1946 constituency abolished.
Yardley: 1923 - 1936 - Conservative, 1938 - Liberal, 1942 - 1960 - Conservative,
1964 - Liberal, 1969 - Socialist Labour, 1974 - Conservative.

 

[pipisme]

Edward Shackleton was driven by car from Euston station to Transport House, the head office of the Socialist Labour Party. There he was greeted warmly by party workers. After speaking to them, he and party officials watched the election results programme on television.

Sir Emlyn Hooson, the Attorney-General, was back in Anglesey. But his majority over Socialist Labour was down from 5.8% to 1.3% . The Liberals also held Bosworth, Carmarthen, Chippenham. Conwy, Falmouth and Camborne, Flintshire East and Flintshire West. Plaid Cymru came second in Carmarthen. Here are the percentage votes:
Liberal: 38.5 (49.9)
Plaid Cymru : 29.4 (19.3)
Socialist Labour: 24.0 (23.4)
Conservative: 8.1 (7.4)
-----------------------------------
Liberal majority: 9.1 (26.5)
-----------------------------------

 

[pipisme]

Socialist Labour kept Ashfield, Ilkeston, and Penistone. John Quinn, the Northern Ireland minister, was back in Down East for the Progressive Party. His majority over Ulster Unionist was down from 4.5% to 1.6%. The Ulster Unionists held Antrim North.

The counts for the two Aberdeenshire constituencies took place in Aberdeen city hall. The first to declare was Aberdeenshire West. This was held by Ivor Davies, the Prime Minister, by a majority of 11.8%, down from 16,9%. Here are the percentage votes:
Ivor Davies (Liberal): 49.3 (50.7)
Conservative: 37.5 (33.8)
SNP: 15.1 (4.6)
Socialist Labour: 8.1 (10.3).
The swing of 2.55% from Liberal to Conservative was in line with the average British swing, but smaller than the average Scottish swing. The constituency included the middle class suburbs of Aberdeen. The media were there in force, and Davies was interviewed by reporters. He was asked if he would be resigning. He said he was waiting until all the results had come in before he made a decision. He left the city hall and was driven to Dyce airport , where he boarded a plane to London.

Douglas Henderson gained Aberdeenshire East for the SNP from the Tories. His majority was 7.9%, compared to the previous Tory majority of 4.1%. Here are the percentage votes:
Douglas Henderson (SNP): 45.5 (29.0)
Patrick Wolridge-Gordon (Conservative): 28.6 (33.1)
Socialist Labour: 14.2 (13.3)
Liberal: 11.7 (24.6)

Enoch Powell, who was in the shadow treasury team, was back in Kenilworth. The Tories also held Bute and North Ayrshire, and Petersfield, and took Isle of Ely from Liberal. The Liberals held Brigg and Scunthorpe, Buckingham, Salisbury, and Truro. Judith Hart, the Minister of Health, held Lanarkshire North for Socialist Labour. Stirlingshire West also stayed Socialist Labour. Their majority over SNP was 4.9%, compared to 24.7% over Conservative in the 1969 general election.

After 525 results the state of the parties was Socialist Labour - 196, Conservative - 168, Liberal - 150, Progressive - 4, NILP - 3, Ulster Unionist - 3, SNP - 1.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Banbury, Barkston Ash (in Yorkshire, west of York), Isle of Wight, Taunton, Wycombe, and Yarmouth. Hugh Fraser, the shadow Leader of the House, won the new constituency of Stafford and Stone. The Tories also won the new constituency of Sudbury and Woodbridge.

Mark Bonham Carter, the Minister of Environment Protection, is back in Devon North. His majority over Conservative is down from 31.9% to 23.0%. The Liberals also kept Basingstoke, Cornwall North, Hereford, Newbury, Pembrokeshire, and Tiverton. Claire Brooks held Skipton for the Liberals, but her majority over Conservative is down from 8.8% to 0.8%. The Liberals have won the new constituency of Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire. (1)

Socialist Labour have held Ayrshire South, Dearne Valley, Kilmarnock, Lanark, Morpeth, and Newton. The SNP came fourth in Ayrshire South, and Kilmarnock with 16,3% and 12.7% respectively, and third in Lanark with 21.5%.

The SNP gained Angus South from Liberal and Donald Leach, Minister of State at the Scottish Office, lost his seat. The SNP majority over Conservative was 1.4%. In the 1969 general election, the Liberal majority over Conservative was 10.4%. North Down stayed Ulster Unionist, but their majority over Progressive fell from 11.7% to 3.6%.

With 550 results declared, the number of seats won by each party were as follows:
Socialist Labour - 202, Conservative - 176, Liberal - 159, Progressive - 4, Ulster Unionist - 4, NILP - 3, SNP. With 88 results to be declared, it was now impossible for any party to win an overall majority in the House of Commons.

(1) Roughly equivalent to Kingswood in OTL.