Keeping the British Liberal Party flag flying high

[pipisme]

The Conservatives gained Gower, and Tynemouth from Labour, Tonbridge and Malling from Liberal, and Moray from SNP by a majority of 83 votes after a recount. Angus Robertson lost his seat. The percentage votes for each party in the four constituencies were:
Gower:
Conservative: 33.6 (29.5)
Labour: 32.4 (38.8)
Liberal: 21.8 (24.0)
Plaid Cymru: 11.8 (7,7)
Green: 0.4 (n/a).
Moray:
Conservative: 33.8 (35.4)
Angus Robertson (SNP): 33.6 (41.0)
Liberal: 20.5 (17.1)
Labour: 12.1 (6.5).
Tonbridge and Malling:
Conservative: 45,7 (44.8)
Liberal: 45.7 (43.7)
Labour: 12.4 (11.5).
Tynemouth:
Conservative: 39.8 (41.0)
Labour: 39.3 (41.4)
Liberal: 20.9 (17.6)

The Tories held Barry, Brigg and Scunthorpe, Havant and Waterloo, Hendon North, Kenilworth, Macclesfield, Poole, Romford, Shipley, Solihull, Surbiton, and West Bridgford.

Vince Cable, Minister of State for Prices and Consumer Protection in the Department of Trade and Industry, was back in York. His majority over Conservative was up from 0.5% to 8.6%. Labour also held Ayrshire North, Blackburn, Bradford West, Coventry South East, Derby South, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newport East, Pontypool, Preston, Swansea East and Walsall South.

The Liberals gained Eastleigh, and Guildford from Conservative. Nigel Jones, Minister of State, Department of Energy, was back in Cheltenham. As was Charles Kennedy, in Ross, Skye and Inverness West. He resigned from the cabinet as Transport Secretary in September 2001, after the car he was driving one evening in his highland constituency was involved in a car crash. Luckily the occupants of the cars involved were not seriously injured. But Kennedy was found to have more than the permitted amount of alcohol in his blood. He was badly shaken. He resigned as Transport Secretary. He realised that he needed to have treatment for his alcoholism. The percentage votes were:
Charles Kennedy: 59.4 (47.4)
Conservative: 19.6 (18.7)
SNP: 17.4 (20.3)
Labour: 3.1 (14.1)
Green: 0.5 (0.5)
-------------------------------------
Liberal majority: 39.8 (27.1)
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Norman Lamb, Liberal MP for Norfolk North, was promoted from Minister of State Department of Social Welfare to Transport Secretary. He was replaced at Social Welfare, by Ed Davey, Liberal MP, for Twickenham.

 

[sarahz]

The Conservatives gained Gower, and Tynemouth from Labour, Tonbridge and Malling from Liberal, and Moray from SNP by a majority of 83 votes after a recount. Angus Robertson lost his seat. The percentage votes for each party in the four constituencies were:
Gower:
Conservative: 33.6 (29.5)
Labour: 32.4 (38.8)
Liberal: 21.8 (24.0)
Plaid Cymru: 11.8 (7,7)
Green: 0.4 (n/a).
Moray:
Conservative: 33.8 (35.4)
Angus Robertson (SNP): 33.6 (41.0)
Liberal: 20.5 (17.1)
Labour: 12.1 (6.5).
Tonbridge and Malling:
Conservative: 45,7 (44.8)
Liberal: 45.7 (43.7)
Labour: 12.4 (11.5).
Tynemouth:
Conservative: 39.8 (41.0)
Labour: 39.3 (41.4)
Liberal: 20.9 (17.6)

The Tories held Barry, Brigg and Scunthorpe, Havant and Waterloo, Hendon North, Kenilworth, Macclesfield, Poole, Romford, Shipley, Solihull, Surbiton, and West Bridgford.

Vince Cable, Minister of State for Prices and Consumer Protection in the Department of Trade and Industry, was back in York. His majority over Conservative was up from 0.5% to 8.6%. Labour also held Ayrshire North, Blackburn, Bradford West, Coventry South East, Derby South, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newport East, Pontypool, Preston, Swansea East and Walsall South.

The Liberals gained Eastleigh, and Guildford from Conservative. Nigel Jones, Minister of State, Department of Energy, was back in Cheltenham. As was Charles Kennedy, in Ross, Skye and Inverness West. He resigned from the cabinet as Transport Secretary in September 2001, after the car he was driving one evening in his highland constituency was involved in a car crash. Luckily the occupants of the cars involved were not seriously injured. But Kennedy was found to have more than the permitted amount of alcohol in his blood. He was badly shaken. He resigned as Transport Secretary. He realised that he needed to have treatment for his alcoholism. The percentage votes were:
Charles Kennedy: 59.4 (47.4)
Conservative: 19.6 (18.7)
SNP: 17.4 (20.3)
Labour: 3.1 (14.1)
Green: 0.5 (0.5)
-------------------------------------
Liberal majority: 39.8 (27.1)
-------------------------------------
Norman Lamb, Liberal MP for Norfolk North, was promoted from Minister of State Department of Social Welfare to Transport Secretary. He was replaced at Social Welfare, by Ed Davey, Liberal MP, for Twickenham.

Those figures show T and M as a Tory seat before not a Liberal Seat.

 

[pipisme]

Those figures show T and M as a Tory seat before not a Liberal Seat.

The figures for Tonbridge and Malling for the 1997 general election should be Liberal - 44.8% and Conservative - 43.7%. Thanks for pointing out my error.

Charles Brodie (known as Chic Brodie), Minister of State at the Scottish Office, was back in Glasgow Kelvin. (1) The Liberals also held Carshalton and Wallington, Colne Valley, Finchley, and Totnes, with increased majorities except in Finchley. The percentage votes for Kelvin were:
Chic Brodie (Liberal): 34.8 (34.3)
Labour: 27.6 (30.6)
SNP: 18.4 (16.5)
Conservative: 17.8 (16.8)
Green: 1.4 (1.8)
----------------------------------
Liberal majority: 7.2 (3.7)
----------------------------------
Brodie was Liberal MP for Glasgow Knightswood from 1982 to 1991, for the successor constituency of Glasgow Kelvin from 1991 onwards.

After 200 results, the number of seats won by each party were: Labour - 115, Conservative - 51, Liberal - 30, SNP - 3, Plaid Cymru - 1.

(1) Here is Brodie's entry in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chic_Brodie_(politician)

 

[pipisme]

The declaration of the result for Epping Forest, the constituency of John Gummer, the Conservative Party leader, was broadcast live on radio and television. .The percentage votes for each party were:
John Gummer (Conservative): 55.4 (51.2)
Liberal: 27.6 (26.4)
Labour: 18.0 (22.4)
----------------------------------------------
Conservative majority: 27.8 (24.8)
----------------------------------------------
In interviews with the media, he said that there were some good results for his party, but it was still to early to know the final result. If no party won a majority of seats in the House of Commons, he would be willing to enter into negotiations with the Liberal Party for their support. Either in a coalition government, or confidence and supply. If he did not become Prime Minister after the election, there were members of the shadow cabinet who wanted to be leader of the party.

The Conservatives also held Acton and Ealing South, Ayr, Bromley, Cardiff North, Chislehurst, Chorley, Clitheroe, Crawley, Derby North, Dover and Deal, Fulham, Rossendale and Darwen, Ruislip and Northwood, Sutton Coldfield, Warrington South, Welwyn and Hatfield, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Worcestershire Mid. They gained Conwy from Liberal, and Roger Roberts, Minister of State Welsh Office, lost his seat. The percentage votes were:
Conservative: 30.0 (30.0)
Roger Roberts (Liberal): 28.4 (41.8)
Labour: 25.4 (21.5)
Plaid Cymru: 16,2 (6.7).

Robin Cook, the Health Secretary, was back in Glasgow Garscadden, as was Kim Howells, Minister of State Department of Trade and Industry in Pontypridd, and Dawn Primarolo, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in Bristol South. Labour also held Blackburn, Crewe and Nantwich, Deptford, Glasgow Pollok, Hammersmith, Leicester South, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Middlesbrough, Oxford East, Swansea West, Tottenham, and Vauxhall. In Oxford East, the Labour majority over Liberal fell from 16.6% to 2.6%. This was widely attributed to Liberal opposition to university tuition fees. The percentage votes were:
Labour: 35.5 (43.3)
Liberal: 32.9 (24.8)
Conservative: 25.0 (27.7)
Green: 6.6 (4.2).
Labour gained Blackpool South, Luton North, and Warwickshire North from Conservative.

Paddy Ashdown, the Defence Secretary, was back in Yeovil. The Liberals took Exeter from Conservative and Norwich South from Labour.

Annabelle Ewing held Perth and East Perthshire for the SNP. The percentage votes were;
SNP: 41.7 (39.8)
Conservative: 36.9 (35.9)
Liberal: 18,9 (21.4)
Labour: 2.5 (2.9)
------------------------------
SNP majority: 4.8 (3.9)
------------------------------

 

[pipisme]

John Redwood, the shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, was back in Wokingham. His majority over the Liberals was up from 3.8% to 11.0%, partly because of new housing in his constituency. If John Gummer did not become Prime Minister after the election, Redwood was expected to stand for the Conservative party leadership. The Conservatives also held Beckenham, Beverley, Bexleyheath, Bridlington, Bury St, Edmund, Colchester South and Maldon, Epsom and Ewell, Gillingham, Reigate, Stratford-on-Avon, and Upminster with Liberals in second place. They kept Benfleet, Bosworth, Brighton Woodingdean (OTL Brighton Kemptown) Great Yarmouth, and Southgate with Labour in second place.

Gavin Strang, the Energy Secretary, was back in Edinburgh East. The percentage votes were:
Gavin Strang (Labour): 34.8 (37.8)
Conservative: 25.6 (24.1)
SNP: 20.3 (18.4)
Liberal: 18.3 (18.3)
Green: 1.0 (1.4)
------------------------------------
Labour majority: 13.2 (9.2)
-----------------------------------
Jeremy Corbyn, the left wing Labour MP, was back in Birmingham Selly Oak. His majority over Conservative was down from 8.7% to 5.6%. Labour also held Birmingham Erdington, Brentford and Isleworth, Leicester East, Lewisham East, Thurrock, and Wembley, with the Tories in second place. Southwark and Bermondsey, and Wansbeck, were held by Labour with the Liberals in second place.

The Liberals gained Shrewsbury from Conservative and Chesterfield from Labour. They held Brecon and Radnor, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Croydon Central, Dartford, Hastings and Rye, and Weston-super-Mare, all with Conservatives in second place.

Plaid Cymru held Merioneth Nant Conwy. The percentage votes were:
Plaid Cymru: 51.0 (51.7)
Conservative: 24.9 (21.7)
Liberal: 18.0 (17.6)
Labour: 6.1 (9.0)
--------------------------------------------
Plaid Cymru majority: 26.1 (30.6)
--------------------------------------------

 

[pipisme]

John Major, the shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, was back in Huntingdon. His majority over Liberal was down from 6.2% to 3.4%. The percentage votes were:
John Major (Conservative: 46.2 (46.0)
Liberal: 42.8 (39.8)
Labour: 11.0 (14.2)
However Major received more numerical votes an in the 1997 general election because of the increase in the total votes cast. There was speculation that he might be the next leader of the Conservative party, though he has firmly denied having any ambitions in that way, and has insisted that Gummer has his full support as leader.

The Conservatives also held Aberdeen South, City of Chester, King's Lynn, and Wellingborough, with Labour in second place. The Liberals were second in the Conservative held seats of Banbury, Brentwood and Ongar, Cities of London and Westminster South, Croydon South, Holland with Boston, Hertfordshire North, New Forest, Rochford, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Rutland and Melton, St. Albans, Somerset North, and Sussex Mid. They gained Bridgwater from Liberal, and Galloway and Upper Nithsdale from SNP.

Labour took Bristol North West, Ealing North, and Ellesmere Port and Neston from Conservative. They held Aberdeen North, and Edinburgh Leith, with SNP in second place. Anne Begg, the MP for Aberdeen North, is a wheelchair user because she suffers from a rare blood disease.

 

[pipisme]

Anthony Blair, the shadow Housing and Local Government Secretary, was back in Dorking. His majority over Liberal was down from 24.6% to 22.4%. He wanted to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and would stand in the next leadership election.

The Liberals gained Teignmouth from Conservative with a majority of 7.8%.
The previous Conservative majority was 0.5%. The Liberals held Aberdeenshire West, and Wells, with the Conservatives in second place in both constituencies.

After 305 results declared, the number of seats for each party were: Labour - 148, Conservative - 107, Liberal - 44, SNP - 4, Plaid Cymru - 2.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Basingstoke, Edinburgh Pentlands, Paddington, with Labour in second place. George Galloway was the Labour candidate in Pentlands. He was elected Labour MP for Dunfermline East in the 1982 general election, but was deselected by the constituency Labour Party in 1990. Since that he had been trying unsuccessfully to return to the House of Commons as a Labour MP. The percentage votes for each party were as follows (1997 general election):
Conservative: 46.8 (40.2)
George Galloway (Labour): 26.2 (28.5)
Llberal: 15.6 (18.2)
SNP: 11.4 (12.4)
(Green: 0.7)
---------------------------------------------
Conservative majority: 11.7 (20.6)
---------------------------------------------
Colchester North, Congleton, Esher, Fareham, Hove, Northampton North, Shoreham, Sunbury-on-Thames, Woking, and Wycombe, stayed Conservative with the Liberals in second place.

 

[pipisme]

Labour gained Luton South, and Slough from Conservative. They held Ashfield, Barrow-in-Furness, Batley and Morley, Bristol East, Woolwich, and Workington, all with Conservative in second place. The Labour majority over Conservative in Workington fell from 20.6% to 5.6%. The percentage votes were:
Labour: 41.5 (50.7)
Conservative: 35.9 (30.1)
Liberal: 22.6 (19.2)
Workington was in Cumbria which had been badly hit by foot and mouth disease.

The Solicitor-General, Sir Archy Kirkwood, was back in Roxburgh and Berwickshire. The Liberals also held Greenwich where their majority over Labour rose from 2.0% to 3.8%. They took Farnham from Conservative and defeated Virginia Bottomley, the shadow Welfare Secretary. The percentage votes were:
Liberal: 47.6 (44.9)
Virginia Bottomley: 46.6 (45.3)
Labour: 5.8 (9.8).
The Liberals also gained Dorset West, and Westmorland and Lonsdale from Conservative. Tim Farron was the new MP for that constituency. They took Edinburgh South, and Pembrokeshire South from Labour. The percentage votes for Edinburgh South were:
Liberal: 32.2 (25.8)
Labour: 28.8 (32.3)
Conservative: 27.3 (29.1)
SNP: 11.7 (12.8).

David Steel, the Speaker of the House of Commons, was back in Edinburgh West. His majority over SNP went up from 53.8% to 57.6%.

 

[pipisme]

Malcolm Rifkind, the shadow Foreign Secretary, who was re-elected in Edinburgh Pentlands, was MP for that constituency from 1974 to 1983, when he lost it to the Liberals. He regained it from them in 1991. His name regularly came up as a future leader of the Conservative Party. Michael Howard, the shadow Energy Secretary, was back in Folkestone and Hythe. His majority over Liberal was down from 6.9% to 5.7%. The Tories also held Bedfordshire South West, Chertsey and Walton, Grantham, Honiton, Horncastle, Sevenoaks, Southend East, and Thirsk and Malton, with the Liberals in second place. In Harrow West, Northampton South, Norwich North, Peterborough, and Stafford, Labour came second. The SNP were in second place in Banff, and Angus North and Mearns. The Conservatives gained Eastbourne from the Liberals.

Diane Abbott, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, was back in Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Labour also held Accrington, Derbyshire North East, Islington North, and Mansfield. They gained Edmonton from Conservative.

 

[pipisme]

The Liberals held Falmouth and Camborne, Louth, Margate, Oxford West and Abingdon, and Watford, all with Conservative in second place. In Oxford West the Liberal majority increased from 4.6% to 21.0%. The percentage votes for each party were:
Liberal: 57.3 (48.0)
Conservative: 36.3 (43.4)
Labour: 3.8 (6.7)
Green: 2.6 (1.9).
The Liberals took Isle of Ely from Conservative.

Alex Salmond was back in Aberdeenshire East for the SNP. His majority over Conservative was up from 3.5% to 4.4%.

There was a recount in Stevenage, where the Conservatives were defending a majority of 11.6% over Labour.

 

[pipisme]

Boris Johnson, the editor of The Spectator , was elected Conservative MP for South Norfolk, where John MacGregor, a junior Transport Minister in the June 1996 to April 1997 Conservative government was retiring.

He wanted to be selected as Conservative candidate for Henley, following the retirement of Michael Heseltine, instead the local Conservative association chose David Cameron instead, who was elected MP for the constituency. This fuelled the rivalry between the two men. They were both at Oxford University, but Cameron graduated with a First, but Johnson had to be content with an Upper Second.

 

[pipisme]

Michael Ancrum, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, was back in Devizes, as was Kenneth Clarke, the shadow Home Secretary, in Rushcliffe. The Liberals came second in both constituencies. Clarke was thought to be too liberal ever to become leader of the Conservative Party. The Tories also held Aldershot, Ashford, Aylesbury, Bedfordshire Mid, Chesham and Amersham, Dorset South, Forest of Dean, Harlow, Harrogate, Hendon South, Hertford and Stortford, Kinross and West Perthshire, Lichfield and Tamworth, Monmouth, Norfolk South West, Reading West, Richmond (Yorkshire), Runcorn, Staffordshire Mid, Stroud, Wanstead and Woodford, and Worcestershire South.

Labour kept Barnard Castle, Leyton, and Monmouthshire North, and Southall.

The declaration of the result for Leominster, the constituency of the Liberal leader, Bethan Nash, was broadcast life on radio and television. She increased her majority over Conservative from 11.4% to 13.5%. The percentage votes were:
Bethan Nash (Liberal): 53.8 (53.4)
Conservative: 40.3 (41.0)
Labour: 3.0 (3.5)
Green: 2.9 (2.1).
She was greeted with exuberant cheers by Liberal Party members and supporters. She and her husband hugged each other. In her victory speech she said that the Liberal Party was gaining seats from Conservative and Labour all over the country. She confirmed that she was prepared to negotiate with Conservative and Labour, about Liberal support for a coalition government, or a confidence and supply agreement. She would prefer coalition as this would mean that Liberal ministers would make decisions.

Michael Meadowcroft, the Trade and Industry Secretary, was back in Leeds West. His majority over Labour was up from 11.9% to 16.7%. The percentage votes were:
Michael Meadowcroft (Liberal): 44.9 (42.3)
Labour: 28.2 (30.4)
Conservative: 21.9 (20,7)
Green: 5.0 (6.6).

The Liberals also held Bodmin, Cardiff Central, Cornwall North, Leeds North West, Scarborough and Whitby, and Upminster. They gained Salisbury, Taunton, Tavistock, and Winchester from Conservative.

There was a third recount in Birmingham Hall Green. After 407 results had been declared the number of seats won by each party were: Labour- 166, Conservative - 164, Liberal - 69, SNP - 5, Plaid Cymru - 2, Speaker - 1.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Aldridge-Brownhills, Bolton West, Brighouse and Spenborough, Derbyshire South West, and Leeds North East with Labour in second place. The Labour candidate for Leeds North East was Liz Truss. She studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Merton College, Oxford. She was Chair of the Oxford University Labour Club. She graduated with Upper Second Class Honours. After leaving university, she became a teacher in an inner city comprehensive school in Leeds. She has been praised as a deeply committed and inspirational teacher. She co-authored a Labour Party pamphlet on economic policy. She gave a much acclaimed speech at the Labour Party conference in September 2001. Like her parents, she was idealistic and on the left wing of the Labour Party. She reduced the Conservative majority from 8.4% to 2.4%. Timothy Kirkhope, the Conservative MP, was on the shadow Home Affairs team, and had been an Assistant Government Whip in the Conservative government from June 1996 to April 1997. The percentage votes were:
Timothy Kirkhope (Conservative): 37.6
Liz Truss (Labour): 35.2 (31.2)
Liberal: 27.2 (29.2).
It was the biggest percentage increase in the Labour vote in a Leeds constituency. At 26 years old, Truss was tipped to have a brilliant future ahead of her in the Labour Party.

After three recounts, Birmingham Hall Green stayed Conservative by a majority of 38 (0.1%) over Labour. The percentage votes were:
Conservative: 40.3 (39.1)
Labour: 40.2 (34.5)
Liberal: 19.5 (26.4)
-------------------------------------------
Conservative majority: 0.1 (4.6)
------------------------------------------
The Conservatives kept Arundel, Blaby, Blackpool North, Bournemouth Moordown (OTL Bournemouth West), Braintree, Derbyshire South East, and Stowmarket, with the Liberals in second place.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Barnet, Cambridgeshire East, Cambridgeshire West, Canterbury, Chichester, Christchurch and Lymington, and Gravesend. In all except Barnet and Gravesend, the Liberals were in second place.

David Blunkett, Education and Science Secretary, Paul Boateng, Minister of State Housing and Local Government, and Yvette Cooper, Under Secretary Department of Health, were back in Sheffield Brightside, Willesden West, and Pontefract and Castleford respectively, As was Dennis Skinner in Bolsover. Labour also held Bassetlaw, Bothwell, Bow and Poplar, Bristol East, Bury South, Dunbartonshire West, Durham North West, Great Grimsby, Leigh, Liverpool West Derby, Paisley South, St. Helen's North, and West Bromwich West. They gained Brighton Montpelier from Conservative.

Donald Foster, Minister of State Employment held Bristol West. He increased his majority from 0.07% to 3.2%. The percentage votes were:
Donald Foster (Liberal): 38.4 (38.62)
Conservative: 35.2 (38.55)
Labour: 22.9 (18,23)
Green: 3.5 I4.6).
The Liberals also held Bath, Cambridge, Gainsborough, Hertfordshire South, and Sowerby, and gained Orpington from Conservative. Labour were second in Cambridge, and the Conservatives in the other constituencies.

Chris Patten, retired as Liberal MP for Bath and Home Secretary, because he had been appointed British High Commissioner in New Zealand. Stephen Williams was elected Liberal MP for Bath.

After 452 results had been declared the number of seats won by each party were: Labour - 184, Conservative - 183, Liberal - 76, SNP - 5, Plaid Cymru - 3, Speaker - 1.

 

[idumea]

Liz Truss in TTL's left-wing Labour and standing in Leeds makes perfect, awful sense, although I would not bet on her staying there for much longer. Her early republicanism which led her to OTL Liberal Democrats will have been tempered by the very different monarchies and geopolitics in this world and it was opposition to Anthony Blair that led her to the Conservatives. Liz's economic views at this time were not too dissimilar to Michael Meadowcroft's but both of TTL Liberal and Labour are too enamoured with the state to hold her attention forever.

 

[sarahz]

Liz Truss in TTL's left-wing Labour and standing in Leeds makes perfect, awful sense, although I would not bet on her staying there for much longer. Her early republicanism which led her to OTL Liberal Democrats will have been tempered by the very different monarchies and geopolitics in this world and it was opposition to Anthony Blair that led her to the Conservatives. Liz's economic views at this time were not too dissimilar to Michael Meadowcroft's but both of TTL Liberal and Labour are too enamoured with the state to hold her attention forever.

Thank goodness the Tory right is welcome to her in any universe...... Its not so much the ideas as the total lack of originality or humility

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives held Beeston, Bromsgrove, Coventry South West, Croydon North East, Flintshire West, Harborough, Hornchurch, Loughborough, and Ramsgate.

Chris Smith, the Paymaster-General, was back in Islington South and Finsbury. Labour also held Ayrshire South, Bethnal Green and Stepney, Brixton, Coventry North West, Don Valley, Glasgow Provan, Hackney South and Shoreditch, Hampstead and Highgate, Hornsey and Wood Green, Lewisham West, Stockton North, and Streatham. There was a recount in Croydon North West where Labour were defending a majority of 4.6% over Conservative in the 1997 general election.

The Liberals kept Chippenham, Dorset North, and Peebles and Selkirk. Caernarfon stayed with Plaid Cymru. The SNP gained Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber from Liberal by a majority of 1.9%. Russell Johnston, who retired from the House of Commons, had a majority of 0.8% in the 1997 general election. The percentage votes were:
SNP: 28.9 (26.4)
Liberal: 27.0 (27.2)
Conservative: 24.0 (25.3)
Labour: 20.1 (19,4)
(Green: 1.7).

By now John Gummer had arrived at Conservative Central Office. He was greeted warmly by party activists, but the atmosphere was sombre and subdued. There was not the victory party which had been prepared. Most were pessimistic that the Liberals would join a Conservative led coalition government, or give a Conservative government confidence and supply.

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives gained Wakefield from Labour. They held Dudley West, Erith and Crayford, and Staffordshire South, with Labour in second place, and Halifax, Northamptonshire South, Petersfield, Sudbury and Woodbridge, Woodspring, and Worthing, with the Liberals in second place.

Labour took Wotton-under-Edge (in south Gloucestershire) from Conservative. They held Birmingham Hodge Hill, Birmingham Small Heath, Birmingham Sparkbrook, Durham North, Hayes and Harlington, Southampton Itchen, with the Conservatives in second place, The Liberals came second in the Labour held seats of Blaydon, Knowsley South, and Manchester Gorton.

David Alton, the Minister of State Overseas Development, held Liverpool Mossley Hill, with Labour in second place. They also held Plymouth Sutton in which the Conservatives came second.

The SNP gained Dundee East from Labour by a majority of 2.5%. The Labour majority in the 1997 general election was 10.7%. The percentage votes were:
SNP: 34.7 (25.9)
Labour: 32.2 (36.6)
Conservative: 22.8 (23.6)
Liberal: 10.3 (13.9).

With 501 results now declared, the number of seats for each party were: Labour - 207, Conservative - 202, Liberal - 81 , SNP - 7, Plaid Cymru - 3, Speaker - 1. However the total Conservative vote was higher than Labour's, and the Liberals were close behind Labour,

 

[pipisme]

The Conservatives gained Ormskirk from Labour. They held Enfield, Gloucester, and Worcester with Labour in second place, and Harwich, Lowestoft, Oswestry, Surrey East, and Surrey North West with the Liberals in second place.