Editing 1970 United Kingdom general election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1970 United Kingdom general election
| country = United Kingdom
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1966 United Kingdom general election
| previous_year = 1966
| outgoing_members = List of MPs elected in the 1966 United Kingdom general election
| next_election = February 1974 United Kingdom general election
| next_year = Feb 1974
| elected_members = List of MPs elected in the 1970 United Kingdom general election
| seats_for_election = All [[List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (1955–1974)|630 seats]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]
| majority_seats = 316
| elected_mps = List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1970
| election_date = 18 June 1970
| opinion_polls = #Opinion poll summary
| turnout = 28,305,534<br>72.0% ({{decrease}}3.8 [[Percentage point|pp]])

<!--      Conservative     -->| image1 = [[File:Golda Meir and Edward Heath cropped (cropped).jpg|160x160px]]
| leader1 = [[Edward Heath]]
| leader_since1 = [[1965 Conservative Party leadership election|28 July 1965]]
| party1 = Conservative Party (UK)
| leaders_seat1 = [[Bexley (UK Parliament constituency)|Bexley]]
| last_election1 = 253 seats, 41.9%
| seats1 = '''330'''
| seat_change1 = {{increase}}77
| popular_vote1 = '''13,145,123'''
| percentage1 = '''46.4%'''
| swing1 = {{increase}}4.5 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!--      Labour      -->| image2 = [[File:Aankomst_Premier_Wilson_en_Minister_Brown_op_vliegvel_Ypenburg,_v.l.n.r._Ministe,_Bestanddeelnr_920-1137_(crop).jpg|160x160px]]
| leader2 = [[Harold Wilson]]
| leader_since2 = [[1963 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|14 February 1963]]
| party2 = Labour Party (UK)
| leaders_seat2 = [[Huyton (UK Parliament constituency)|Huyton]]
| last_election2 = 364 seats, 48.0%
| seats2 = 288{{efn|group=note|name=speaker|The seat and vote count figures for Labour given here include the Speaker of the House of Commons}}
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}}75
| popular_vote2 = 12,208,758
| percentage2 = 43.1%
| swing2 = {{decrease}}4.9 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!--       Liberal     -->| image3 = {{eppt|Liberal Party (UK)}}
| leader3 = [[Jeremy Thorpe]]
| leader_since3 = [[1967 Liberal Party leadership election|18 January 1967]]
| party3 = Liberal Party (UK)
| leaders_seat3 = [[North Devon (UK Parliament constituency)|North Devon]]
| last_election3 = 12 seats, 8.5%
| seats3 = 6
| seat_change3 = {{decrease}}6
| popular_vote3 = 2,117,035
| percentage3 = 7.5%
| swing3 = {{decrease}}1.0 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| map_image = UK General Election, 1970.svg
| map_size = 200px
| map_caption = Colours denote the winning party—as shown in {{slink||Results}}
| map2_image = File:1970 UK GE Westminster diagram.svg
| map2_caption = Composition of the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] after the election
| title = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
| posttitle = Prime Minister after election
| before_election = [[Harold Wilson]]
| before_party = Labour Party (UK)
| after_election = [[Edward Heath]]
| after_party = Conservative Party (UK)
}}
The '''1970 United Kingdom general election''' was held on Thursday 18 June 1970. It resulted in a surprise victory for the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] under leader [[Edward Heath]], which defeated the governing [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] under Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]]. The [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]], under its new leader [[Jeremy Thorpe]], lost half its seats. The Conservatives, including the [[Ulster Unionist Party]] (UUP), secured a majority of 30 seats. This general election was the first in which people could vote from the age of 18, after passage of the [[Representation of the People Act 1969|Representation of the People Act]] the previous year, and the first UK election in which party affiliations of candidates were put on the ballots.<ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1968/dec/10/use-of-political-descriptions-in HC Deb 10 December 1968 vol 775 cc242-87]</ref>

Most opinion polls prior to the election indicated a comfortable Labour victory, and put Labour up to 12.4% ahead of the Conservatives. On election day, however, a late swing gave the Conservatives a 3.4% lead and ended almost six years of Labour government, although Wilson remained leader of the Labour Party in opposition. Writing in the aftermath of the election, the political scientist [[Richard Rose (political scientist)|Richard Rose]] described the Conservative victory as "surprising" and noted a significant shift in votes between the two main parties.<ref name="RoseTimes">{{cite book |author1=Richard Rose |author-link1=Richard Rose (political scientist) |title=The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970 |date=1970 |publisher=Times Newspapers Limited |location=London |page=31 |chapter=Voting Trends Surveyed}}</ref> ''[[The Times]]'' journalist George Clark wrote that the election would be "remembered as the occasion when the people of the United Kingdom hurled the findings of the opinion polls back into the faces of the pollsters".<ref name="ClarkTimes">{{cite book |author1=George Clark |title=The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970 |date=1970 |publisher=Times Newspapers Limited |location=London |page=26 |chapter=The General Election Campaign, 1970}}</ref>

The result would provide the mandate for Heath as Prime Minister to begin formal negotiations for the United Kingdom to become a member state of the [[European Communities]] (EC)—or the "Common Market" as it was more widely known at the time, before it later became the [[European Union]]; the [[Accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities|UK officially joined the EC]] on 1 January 1973, along with the Republic of Ireland and Denmark.

Frontbench Labour politicians [[George Brown, Baron George-Brown|George Brown]] and [[Jennie Lee, Baroness Lee of Asheridge|Jennie Lee]] were voted out at this election.

This marked the end of a series of elections where both main parties won over 40% of the vote.  This would not occur again for the Conservatives for [[1979 United Kingdom general election|nine years]]; Labour would wait [[1997 United Kingdom general election|27]]. 

The result was cast as a two-party politics outcome, with no third party reaching 10% of the (total) vote. Such an outcome would not happen again until [[2017 United Kingdom general election|the 2017 election]].

The election was the last in which a nationwide UK party gained seats in [[Northern Ireland]].<ref>{{citation |first=Dan |last=Keohane |year=2000 |title=Security in British Politics 1945–99 |page=183}}</ref> The UUP sat with the Conservative Party at [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Westminster]], traditionally taking the Conservative parliamentary [[Whip (politics)|whip]]. To all intents and purposes the UUP functioned as the Northern Ireland branch of the Conservative Party. However, hardline unionist [[Ian Paisley]] unseated the UUP incumbent in [[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|North Antrim]], a clear sign that the UUP's complete dominance over unionist politics in Northern Ireland was already starting to weaken. In 1972, in protest over the permanent prorogation of the [[Parliament of Northern Ireland]],  Westminster UUP MPs withdrew from the alliance.<ref>{{citation |first1=Stuart |last1=Bell |first2=Anthony |last2=Seldon |title=The Heath Government 1970–74: A Reappraisal}}</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2018}}
{{UK general election navigation|clear=none|1964|1966|1970|February 1974|October 1974}}

==Election date==
The date of 18 June was supposedly chosen because [[Harold Wilson]] wanted as [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] to go to the polls before the [[Decimal Day|introduction of decimal coinage]] in early 1971, for which his government had been responsible and which he thought was hugely unpopular,<ref name="Joe Haines 2003">{{citation |first=Joe |last=Haines |title=Glimmers of Twilight |location=London |publisher=Politico's Publishers |year=2003}}</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2018}} and because Wilson sought to gain some momentum by surprising the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]], who were expecting an October election.<ref name="Joe Haines 2003"/>{{page needed|date=June 2018}}

==Overview==
Commentators believed that an unexpectedly bad set of balance of payments figures (a £31-million trade deficit) published three days before the election and a loss of national prestige after the England football team's defeat by West Germany on 14 June in the [[1970 FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] contributed to the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] defeat.<ref name=SusVic>{{citation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/4393297.stm |title=1970: Heath's surprise victory |date=5 April 2005 |work=BBC News |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Iain Macleod.jpg|thumb|Shadow Chancellor [[Iain Macleod]] campaigning in [[York]].]]
Other factors that were cited as reasons for the Conservative victory included union indiscipline, rising prices, the risk of devaluation, the imposition of [[Selective Employment Tax]] (SET), and a set of jobless figures released on final week of the campaign showing unemployment at its highest level since 1940. Interviewed by [[Robin Day]], the outgoing Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]] highlighted the possibility that "complacency engendered by the opinion polls" may have resulted in a poor turnout of Labour supporters.<ref name="BBC Election Results Programme 1970">{{citation |title=BBC Election Results Programme |date=18–19 July 1970}}</ref>

As [[1966 FIFA World Cup|defending world champions]], England's venture in the World Cup attracted a much keener public interest than the general election did.<ref>{{citation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/in_depth/election_battles/1970_over.stm|title=Heath: The victory few predicted |work=BBC News |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref> However an analysis by pollster [[Matt Singh]] for the 50th anniversary of the election concluded that the late swing had been caused by the weak economic data and that there was "no evidence" that the World Cup had influenced the outcome.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-19|title=Did England's World Cup defeat win the 1970 election for the Tories?|url=https://capx.co/did-englands-world-cup-defeat-win-the-1970-election-for-the-conservatives/|access-date=2020-06-19|website=CapX|language=en-GB}}</ref>

American pollster Douglas Schoen and [[Oxford University]] academic [[R. W. Johnson]] asserted that [[Enoch Powell]] had attracted 2.5 million votes to the Conservatives, although the Conservative vote only increased by 1.7 million. Johnson later stated "It became clear that Powell had won the 1970 election for the Tories&nbsp;... of all those who had switched their vote from one party to another, 50 per cent were working class Powellites".<ref>{{citation |first=Simon |last=Heffer |title=Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell |location=London |publisher=Phoenix |year=1999 |page=568|title-link=Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell }}</ref> The Professor of Political Science [[Randall Hansen]] assessed a range of studies, including some which contended that Powell had made little or no difference to the result, but concluded that "At the very least, Powell's effect was likely to have fired up the Conservative vote in constituencies which would have voted Tory in any event".<ref>{{citation |first=Randell |last=Hansen |title=Citizenship and Immigration in Post-War Britain |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000|isbn=9781280904448}}</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2018}} Election night commentators [[Michael Barratt (television presenter)|Michael Barratt]] and Jeffrey Preece dismissed any special "Powell factor", as did Conservative MPs [[Reginald Maudling]], [[Timothy Raison]] and [[Hugh Dykes]].<ref name="BBC Election Results Programme 1970"/>

The 1970–74 Parliament has to date been the only time since the 1924–29 Parliament in which the Conservative Party were only in government for one term before returning to opposition.

The most notable casualty of the election was [[George Brown, Baron George-Brown|George Brown]], deputy leader of the Labour Party, who lost to the Conservative candidate in the [[Belper (UK Parliament constituency)|Belper]] constituency. Brown had held the seat since 1945. Labour [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Arts and Heritage|Minister for the Arts]], [[Jennie Lee, Baroness Lee of Asheridge|Jennie Lee]] lost her [[Cannock (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock]] seat, held by Labour since [[1935 United Kingdom general election|1935]]  on a swing of 10.7% to the Conservatives in what [[Richard Rose (political scientist)|Richard Rose]] called "the biggest upset" of the election.<ref name="TimesGuide1970Rose">{{cite book |author1=Richard Rose |author-link1=Richard Rose (political scientist) |title=The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970 |date=1970 |publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd |location=London |page=31 |chapter=Voting Trends Surveyed}}</ref>

Unusually for the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]], the by-elections between 1966 and 1970 had proved almost fruitless, with many Liberal candidates losing deposits. The one exception was its [[1969 Birmingham Ladywood by-election|by-election gain of Birmingham Ladywood]] in June 1969; this was promptly lost in the 1970 general election. The party found itself struggling to introduce its new leader [[Jeremy Thorpe]] to the public, owing to the extensive coverage and attention paid to [[Enoch Powell]]. The election result was poor for the Liberals, with Thorpe only narrowly winning his own seat in [[North Devon]].<ref name="SusVic"/> Indeed, of the six MPs returned, three (Thorpe, [[David Steel]] and [[John Pardoe]]) were elected by a majority of less than 1,000 votes.<ref name="TimesGuide1970p250">{{cite book |title=The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970 |date=1970 |publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd |location=London |page=250}}</ref>

The BBC's election coverage was led by [[Cliff Michelmore]], along with [[Robin Day]], [[David Butler (psephologist)|David Butler]] and [[Robert McKenzie (psephologist)|Robert McKenzie]].<ref name=SusVic/> There were periodic cutaways to the BBC regions. This coverage has been rerun on [[BBC Parliament]] on several occasions, including on 18 July 2005 as a tribute to [[Edward Heath]] after his death the previous day. Its most recent screening was on the 20th of June 2020, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its first transmission.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v9jgf |title=BBC Election 1970 |publisher=BBC Parliament |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025182710/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v9jgf |archive-date=25 October 2010}}</ref> The BBC coverage was parodied by ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' in its famous "[[Election Night Special]]" sketch.

Both BBC and [[ITN]] carried their 1970 election night broadcasts in colour, although segments broadcast from some remote locations and some BBC and ITN regional bureaus were transmitted in black-and-white. Some [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] regions were not yet broadcasting in colour at the time of the 1970 elections.

The [[right to vote]] in this election was widened by the Labour government's [[Sixth Reform Act]], which reduced the [[voting age]] from 21 to 18 years. The United Kingdom was the first major democratic nation to extend suffrage to this age group.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Loughran |first1=Thomas |last2=Mycock |first2=Andrew |last3=Tonge |first3=Jonathan |date=2021-04-03 |title=A coming of age: how and why the UK became the first democracy to allow votes for 18-year-olds |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13619462.2021.1890589 |journal=Contemporary British History |language=en |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=284–313 |doi=10.1080/13619462.2021.1890589 |s2cid=233956982 |issn=1361-9462}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Loughran |first1=Thomas |last2=Mycock |first2=Andrew |last3=Tonge |first3=Jonathan |date=2021-11-03 |title=Lowering the voting age: three lessons from the 1969 Representation of the People's Act |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/lessons-from-the-1969-representation-of-the-peoples-act/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=British Politics and Policy at LSE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bingham |first=Adrian |date=25 June 2019 |title='The last milestone' on the journey to full adult suffrage? 50 years of debates about the voting age |url=https://www.historyandpolicy.org/index.php/policy-papers/papers/the-last-milestone-on-the-journey-to-full-adult-suffrage |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=History & Policy}}</ref> Case law subsequently established the right for [[undergraduate students]] to vote in the constituency of their university. This followed an appeal to the [[High Court of Justice|High Court]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephen D. Fisher & Nick Hillman |title=Do students swing elections? Registration, turnout and voting behaviour among full-time students |url=https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Do-students-swing-elections.pdf |publisher=HEPI |page=4}}</ref>

==Timeline==
The Prime Minister, [[Harold Wilson]], visited [[Buckingham Palace]] on 18 May and asked the Queen to [[Dissolution of the Parliament of the United Kingdom|dissolve Parliament]] on 29 May, announcing that the election would be held on 18 June. The key dates were as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="width:25%"|Friday 29 May||Dissolution of the [[List of MPs elected in the 1966 United Kingdom general election|44th Parliament]] and campaigning officially begins
|-
|Monday 8 June||Last day to file nomination papers
|-
|Wednesday 17 June|| Campaigning officially ends
|-
|Thursday 18 June|| Polling day
|-
|Friday 19 June|| The Conservative Party wins power with a majority of 31
|-
|Monday 29 June||[[List of MPs elected in the 1970 United Kingdom general election|45th Parliament]] assembles
|-
|Thursday 2 July||[[State Opening of Parliament]]
|}

==Opinion poll summary==
Summary of the final polling results before the general election.<ref>{{citation |last=Abrams |first=M. |year=1970 |title=The Opinion Polls and the 1970 British General Election |journal=The Public Opinion Quarterly |volume=34 |number=2 |pages=317–324|doi=10.1086/267808 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! colspan=2|Party !! Marplan !! Gallup !! National opinion polls (NOP) !! [[Opinion Research Centre]] (OPC) !! Harris
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
| 41.5% || 42.0% || 44.1% || 46.5% || 46.0%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
| 50.2% || 49.0% || 48.2% || 45.5% || 48.0%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Liberal Party (UK)}}
| 7.0% || 7.5% || 6.4% || 6.5% || 5.0%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Other parties}}
| 1.3% || 1.5% || 1.3% || 1.5% || 1.0%
|- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight: bold; background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan=2 scope=row | Labour lead
| 8.7% || 7.0% || 4.1% || &minus;1.0% || 2.0%
|- class="sortbottom" style="background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan=2 | Fieldwork dates
| 11–14 June || 14–16 June || 12–16 June || 13–17 June || 20 May{{snd}}16 June
|- class="sortbottom" style="background: #f2f2f2;"
! colspan=2 | Sample size
| 2,267 || 2,190 || 1,562 || 1,583 || 4,841
|}

==Results==
This was the first general election where 18-year-olds had the right to vote. Therefore, despite 1.1 million more people voting in 1970 compared to 1966, turnout actually fell by 3%. This 72% turnout was the lowest since [[1935 United Kingdom general election|the 1935 general election]] and compared with a post-War high of 84% in [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950]]. [[Richard Rose (political scientist)|Professor Richard Rose]] described the low turnout, which he noted was "one of the lowest since the introduction of the democratic franchise", as surprising to politician and pollsters. Changes to electoral law as part of the [[Representation of the People Act 1969]] had made postal voting easier and polling stations were open an hour later than in past elections, and this would have been expected to improve turnout. On top of this it was reported by Rose that an estimated 25% of 18- to 21-year-olds who were now eligible to vote had not put their names on the electoral register, meaning the turnout was even lower than the percentage figure suggested. Rose also argued that the turnout figures in Britain were "now among the lowest in the Western world."<ref name="RoseTimes"/> Because the previous election had been in 1966, some people had not had their chance to vote in a general election until the age of 25. Labour's number of votes, 12.2 million, was ironically the same amount they had needed to win in 1964. The Conservative vote surge cost Labour in many marginal seats. Rose suggested the absolute fall in the number of Labour votes suggested that many of the party's supporters had decided to abstain. He also noted that the Labour Party's local organisation was poorer than that of the Conservatives, but did not feel this was a significant factor in Labour supporters failing to come out to vote for the Party given that this organisational difference had been the case in past elections without having this effect.<ref name="RoseTimes"/> For the Liberals, a small 1% drop in their vote share saw them lose 6 seats, 3 of which were held by the narrowest of margins.

In the end the Conservatives achieved a swing of 4.7%, enough to give them a comfortable working majority. As for the smaller parties, they increased their number in the Commons from 2 to 6 seats.

The [[Scottish National Party]] won its first ever seat at a general election (they had won several by-elections previously, going back as far as [[1945 Motherwell by-election|1945]]), although they did lose Hamilton, which they won in a by-election in 1967.
{{Election summary begin with leaders| title = UK General Election 1970}}
[[File:1970 UK parliament.svg|center|300px]]
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |leader     = [[Edward Heath]]
  |candidates = 628
  |seats      = 330
  |gain       = 80
  |loss       = 3
  |net        = +77
  |votes      = 13,145,123
  |votes %    = 46.4
  |seats %    = 52.4
  |plus/minus = +4.5
  |government = yes
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |leader     = [[Harold Wilson]]
  |candidates = 625
  |seats      = 288{{efn|group=note|name=speaker}}
  |gain       = [[Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |loss       = 77
  |net        = &minus;76
  |votes      = 12,208,758
  |votes %    = 43.1
  |seats %    = 45.7
  |plus/minus = &minus;4.9
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Liberal Party (UK)
  |leader     = [[Jeremy Thorpe]]
  |candidates = 332
  |seats      = 6
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 6
  |net        = &minus;6
  |votes      = 2,117,035
  |votes %    = 7.5
  |seats %    = 1.0
  |plus/minus = &minus;1.0
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Scottish National Party
  |leader     = [[William Wolfe]]
  |candidates = 65
  |seats      = [[Western Isles (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |gain       = [[Western Isles (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = +1
  |votes      = 306,802
  |votes %    = 1.1
  |seats %    = 0.2
  |plus/minus = +0.6
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Plaid Cymru
  |leader     = [[Gwynfor Evans]]
  |candidates = 36
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 175,016
  |votes %    = 0.6
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = +0.4
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Unity (Northern Ireland)
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 5
  |seats      = 2
  |gain       = 2
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = +2
  |votes      = 140,930
  |votes %    = 0.50
  |seats %    = 0.3
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent politician
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 40
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 39,264
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = 0.0
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Communist Party of Great Britain
  |leader     = [[John Gollan]]
  |candidates = 58
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 37,970
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = &minus;0.1
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Protestant Unionist Party
  |leader     = [[Ian Paisley]]
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = [[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |gain       = [[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = +1
  |votes      = 35,303
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 0.2
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Republican Labour Party
  |leader     = [[Gerry Fitt]]
  |candidates = [[Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = [[Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 30,649
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 0.2
  |plus/minus =  ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Labour
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 3
  |seats      = [[Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |gain       = [[Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = +1
  |votes      = 24,685
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 0.2
  |plus/minus = +0.1
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Conservative
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 8
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 24,014
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = +0.1
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Democratic Party (UK, 1969)
  |leader     = [[Desmond Donnelly]]
  |candidates = 5
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 15,292
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = National Democratic Party (UK, 1966)
  |leader     = David Brown
  |candidates = 4
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 14,276
  |votes %    = 0.1
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = National Front (United Kingdom)
  |leader     = [[John O'Brien (British politician)|John O'Brien]]
  |candidates = 10
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 11,449
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = National Democratic Party (Northern Ireland)
  |leader     = [[Gerry Quigley]]
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 10,349
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Vectis National Party
  |leader     = R. W. Cawdell
  |candidates = [[Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 1,607
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Liberal
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 1,456
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = 0.0
}}
{{Election summary with leaders|
  |party      = [[World Government Party|World Government]]
  |leader     = Gilbert Young
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 1,016
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Mebyon Kernow
  |leader     = Len Truran
  |candidates = [[Falmouth and Camborne (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 960
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Independent Labour Party
  |leader     = [[Emrys Thomas]]
  |candidates = [[Halifax (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 847
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = 0.0
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = British Movement
  |leader     = [[Colin Jordan]]
  |candidates = [[Birmingham Aston (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 704
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary with leaders|
  |party      = [[Independent Progressive Party (UK)|Independent Progressive]]
  |leader     = 
  |candidates = [[Norwich North (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 658
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary party with leaders|
  |party      = Socialist Party of Great Britain
  |leader     = ''N/A''
  |candidates = 2
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 376
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = 0.0
}}
{{Election summary with leaders|
  |party      = [[Young Ideas Party|Young Ideas]]
  |leader     = [[Screaming Lord Sutch]]
  |candidates = [[Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 142
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
{{Election summary with leaders|
  |party      = [[British Commonwealth Party|British Commonwealth]]
  |leader     = 
  |candidates = [[Birmingham Small Heath (UK Parliament constituency)|1]]
  |seats      = 0
  |gain       = 0
  |loss       = 0
  |net        = 0
  |votes      = 117
  |votes %    = 0.0
  |seats %    = 
  |plus/minus = ''N/A''
}}
|-
|+ style="caption-side: bottom; font-weight:normal" |All parties shown.{{efn|group=note|name=NInote|The Conservative figure includes eight [[Ulster Unionists]], and the Labour figure includes seven [[Northern Ireland Labour Party]] candidates.}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%"
|'''Government's new majority'''
|'''30'''
|-
|Total votes cast
|28,305,534
|-
|Turnout
|72%
|}

===Votes summary===

{{bar box
|title=Popular vote
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=360px
|bars=
{{bar percent|'''Conservative'''|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|46.44}}
{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|43.13}}
{{bar percent|Liberal|{{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}|7.48}}
{{bar percent|SNP|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|1.08}}
{{bar percent|Others|#A9A9A9|1.86}}
}}

===Seats summary===
{{bar box
|title=Parliamentary seats
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=360px
|bars=
{{bar percent|'''Conservative'''|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|52.38}}
{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|45.71}}
{{bar percent|Liberal|{{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}|0.95}}
{{bar percent|SNP|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|0.16}}
{{bar percent|Others|#A9A9A9|0.79}}
}}

==Televised declarations ==
These declarations were covered live by the BBC where the returning officer was heard to say "duly elected".

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ From BBC Parliament Replay
!rowspan=2|Constituency
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Winning party 1966
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" |Constituency result by party
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Winning party 1970
|-
!Con
!Lab
!Lib
!Others
|-
!scope=row|[[Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)|Guildford]]
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|align=right|27,203
|align=right|13,108
|align=right|8,822
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Cheltenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Cheltenham]]
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|align=right|22,823
|align=right|14,213
|align=right|8,431
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Salford West (UK Parliament constituency)|Salford West]]
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|align=right|14,310
|align=right|16,986
|align=right|
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Wolverhampton North East]]
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|align=right|15,358
|align=right|17,251
|align=right|
|align=right|1,592
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Salford East (UK Parliament constituency)|Salford East]]
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|align=right|9,583
|align=right|15,853
|align=right|3,000
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Wolverhampton South West]]
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|align=right|26,252
|align=right|11,753
|align=right|2,459
|align=right|318
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Newcastle upon Tyne Central]]
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|align=right|4,256
|align=right|13,671
|align=right|1,433
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Newcastle upon Tyne North]]
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|align=right|15,978
|align=right|12,518
|align=right|
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[Exeter (UK Parliament constituency)|Exeter]]
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|align=right|21,680
|align=right|20,409
|align=right|6,672
|align=right|
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} gain
|-
!scope=row|[[North Devon (UK Parliament constituency)|North Devon]]
| {{Party name with colour|Liberal Party (UK)}}
|align=right|18,524
|align=right|5,268
|align=right|18,893
|align=right|175
| {{Party name with colour|Liberal Party (UK)}} hold
|-
!scope=row|[[West Aberdeenshire]]
| {{Party name with colour|Liberal Party (UK)}}
|align=right|18,396
|align=right|6,141
|align=right|12,847
|align=right|2,112
| {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} gain
|}

==Incumbents defeated==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! colspan="2" |Party
!Name
!Constituency
!Office held whilst in Parliament or by-election
!Defeated by
! colspan="2" |Party
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="62" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|[[Donald Dewar]]
|[[Aberdeen South (UK Parliament constituency)|Aberdeen South]]
|
|[[Iain Sproat]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Edwin Brooks]]
|[[Bebington (UK Parliament constituency)|Bebington]]
|
|[[Eric Cockeram]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Brian Parkyn]]
|[[Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)|Bedford]]
|
|[[Trevor Skeet]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Gwilym Roberts]]
|[[South Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Bedfordshire South]]
|
|[[David Madel]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[George Brown, Baron George-Brown|George Brown]]
|[[Belper (UK Parliament constituency)|Belper]]
|[[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy Leader of the Labour Party]]
|[[Geoffrey Stewart-Smith]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Eric Moonman]]
|[[Billericay (UK Parliament constituency)|Billericay]]
|
|[[Robert McCrindle]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Christopher Price (politician)|Christopher Price]]
|[[Birmingham Perry Barr]]
|
|[[Joseph Kinsey (politician)|Joseph Kinsey]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Ioan Evans (politician)|Ioan Evans]]
|[[Birmingham Yardley]]
|[[Comptroller of the Household]]
|[[Derek Coombs]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Robert Howarth]]
|[[Bolton East]]
|
|[[Laurance Reed]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Gordon Oakes]]
|[[Bolton West]]
|
|[[Robert Redmond]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Woodrow Wyatt]]
|[[Bosworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Bosworth]]
|
|[[Adam Butler (British politician)|Adam Butler]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Norman Haseldine]]
|[[Bradford West]]
|
|[[John Wilkinson (British politician)|John Wilkinson]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Colin Jackson (politician)|Colin Jackson]]
|[[Brighouse and Spenborough]]
|
|[[Wilfred Proudfoot]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Dennis Hobden]]
|[[Brighton Kemptown]]
|
|[[Andrew Bowden]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Raymond Dobson]]
|[[Bristol North East]]
|Assistant Whip
|[[Robert Adley]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[John Ellis (Labour politician)|John Ellis]]
|[[Bristol North West]]
|
|[[Martin McLaren]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Robert Maxwell]]
|[[Buckingham (UK Parliament constituency)|Buckingham]]
|
|[[Bill Benyon|William Benyon]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Jennie Lee, Baroness Lee of Asheridge|Jennie Lee]]
|[[Cannock (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock]]
|[[Minister for the Arts (United Kingdom)|Minister for the Arts]]
|[[Patrick Cormack]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Ted Rowlands]]
|[[Cardiff North (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiff North]]
|
|[[Michael Roberts (politician)|Michael Roberts]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Alistair Macdonald]]
|[[Chislehurst (UK Parliament constituency)|Chislehurst]]
|
|[[Patricia Hornsby-Smith]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Ednyfed Hudson Davies]]
|[[Conway (UK Parliament constituency)|Conway]]
|
|[[Wyn Roberts]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[David Winnick]]
|[[Croydon South (historic UK Parliament constituency)|Croydon South]]
|
|[[Sir Richard Thompson, 1st Baronet|Richard Thompson]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Sydney Irving]]
|[[Dartford (UK Parliament constituency)|Dartford]]
|[[Chairman of Ways and Means]]
|[[Peter Trew]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[David Ennals]]
|[[Dover (UK Parliament constituency)|Dover]]
|[[Minister of State for Social Services]]
|[[Peter Rees, Baron Rees|Peter Rees]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Stan Newens]]
|[[Epping (UK Parliament constituency)|Epping]]
|
|[[Norman Tebbit]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Gwyneth Dunwoody]]
|[[Exeter (UK Parliament constituency)|Exeter]]
|[[Parliamentary Secretary]] at the [[Board of Trade]]
|[[John Hannam]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[John Dunwoody]] 
|[[Falmouth and Camborne]]
|
|[[David Mudd]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Terence Boston]]
|[[Faversham (UK Parliament constituency)|Faversham]]
|
|[[Roger Moate]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Jack Diamond, Baron Diamond|John Diamond]]
|[[Gloucester (UK Parliament constituency)|Gloucester]]
|[[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]]
|[[Sally Oppenheim]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Albert Murray, Baron Murray of Gravesend|Albert Murray]]
|[[Gravesend (UK Parliament constituency)|Gravesend]]
|[[Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport]]
|[[Roger Lowrey White|Roger White]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Ben Whitaker (politician)|Ben Whitaker]] 
|[[Hampstead (UK Parliament constituency)|Hampstead]]
|[[Parliamentary Secretary]] to the [[Minister of Overseas Development]]
|[[Geoffrey Finsberg]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Roy Roebuck]]
|[[Harrow East]]
|
|[[Hugh Dykes]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Peter Jackson (politician)|Peter Jackson]]
|[[High Peak (UK Parliament constituency)|High Peak]]
|
|[[Spencer Le Marchant]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Alan Lee Williams]]
|[[Hornchurch (UK Parliament constituency)|Hornchurch]]
|
|[[John Loveridge]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Arnold Shaw (politician)|Arnold Shaw]]
|[[Ilford South]]
|
|[[Albert Cooper (UK politician)|Albert Cooper]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Dingle Foot]]
|[[Ipswich (UK Parliament constituency)|Ipswich]]
|[[Solicitor General for England and Wales]]
|[[Ernle Money]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[John Binns (British politician)|John Binns]]
|[[Keighley (UK Parliament constituency)|Keighley]]
|
|[[Joan Hall (UK politician)|Joan Hall]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Derek Page, Baron Whaddon|John Page]] 
|[[King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)|King's Lynn]]
|
|[[Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Stanley Henig]]
|[[Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)|Lancaster]]
|
|[[Elaine Kellett-Bowman]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Harold Davies, Baron Davies of Leek|Harold Davies]]
|[[Leek (UK Parliament constituency)|Leek]]
|[[Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister]]
|[[David Knox (UK politician)|David Knox]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[James Dickens]]
|[[Lewisham West (UK Parliament constituency)|Lewisham West]]
|
|[[John Gummer]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[William Howie]]
|[[Luton (UK Parliament constituency)|Luton]]
|[[Comptroller of the Household]]
|[[Charles Simeons]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Jeremy Bray]]
|[[Middlesbrough West]]
|
|[[John Sutcliffe (British politician)|John Sutcliffe]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Denis Coe]]
|[[Middleton and Prestwich]]
|
|[[Alan Haselhurst]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea|Donald Anderson]]
|[[Monmouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Monmouth]]
|
|[[John Stradling Thomas]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Bert Hazell]]
|[[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|Norfolk North]]
|
|[[Ralph Howell]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[George Perry (British politician)|George Perry]]
|[[Nottingham South]]
|
|[[Norman Fowler]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[John Horner (British politician)|John Horner]]
|[[Oldbury and Halesowen]]
|
|[[John Heydon Stokes|John Stokes]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Evan Luard]]
|[[Oxford (UK Parliament constituency)|Oxford]]
|
|[[Montague Woodhouse, 5th Baron Terrington|Montague Woodhouse]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Ronald Atkins]]
|[[Preston North]]
|
|[[Mary Holt]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Peter Mahon (politician)|Peter Mahon]]
|[[Preston South]]
|
|[[Alan Green (MP)|Alan Green]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[John Lee (Labour politician)|John Lee]]
|[[Reading (UK Parliament constituency)|Reading]]
|
|[[Gerard Vaughan (British politician)|Gerard Vaughan]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Anne Kerr (politician)|Anne Kerr]]
|[[Rochester and Chatham]]
|
|[[Peggy Fenner]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Antony Gardner]]
|[[Rushcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)|Rushcliffe]]
|
|[[Kenneth Clarke]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Frank Hooley]]
|[[Sheffield Heeley]]
|
|[[John Deane Spence|John Spence]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Bob Mitchell (British politician)|Bob Mitchell]]
|[[Southampton Test]]
|
|[[James Hill (Conservative politician)|James Hill]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Arnold Gregory]]
|[[Stockport North (UK Parliament constituency)|Stockport North]]
|
|[[Idris Owen]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Ernest Davies (Stretford MP)|Ernest Davies]]
|[[Stretford (UK Parliament constituency)|Stretford]]
|
|[[Winston Churchill (1940–2010)|Winston Churchill]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Gerry Fowler|Gerald Fowler]]
|[[The Wrekin (UK Parliament constituency)|The Wrekin]]
|
|[[Anthony Trafford]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[John Ryan (British politician)|John Ryan]]
|[[Uxbridge (UK Parliament constituency)|Uxbridge]]
|
|[[Charles Curran (politician)|Charles Curran]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Malcolm Macmillan]]
|[[Western Isles (UK Parliament constituency)|Western Isles]]
|
|[[Donald Stewart (Scottish politician)|Donald Stewart]]
! class="unsortable" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" |
|[[Scottish National Party]]
|-
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Hugh Gray (politician)|Hugh Gray]]
|[[Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Yarmouth]]
|
|[[Anthony Fell (politician)|Anthony Fell]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="6" |{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|[[Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking|Kenneth Baker]]
|[[Acton (UK Parliament constituency)|Acton]]
|Elected in the [[1968 Acton by-election]]
|[[Nigel Spearing]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Donald Williams (politician)|Donald Williams]]
|[[Dudley (UK Parliament constituency)|Dudley]]
|Elected in the [[1968 Dudley by-election]]
|[[John Gilbert, Baron Gilbert|John Gilbert]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Esmond Wright]]
|[[Glasgow Pollok (UK Parliament constituency)|Glasgow Pollok]]
|Elected in the [[1967 Glasgow Pollok by-election]]
|[[James White (Scottish politician)|James White]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Bruce Campbell (barrister)|Bruce Campbell]]
|[[Oldham West]]
|Elected in the [[1968 Oldham West by-election]]
|[[Michael Meacher]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Christopher Ward (British politician)|Christopher Ward]]
|[[Swindon (UK Parliament constituency)|Swindon]]
|Elected in the [[1969 Swindon by-election]]
|[[David Stoddart, Baron Stoddart of Swindon|David Stoddart]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Fred Silvester]]
|[[Walthamstow West]]
|Elected in the [[1967 Walthamstow West by-election]]
|[[Eric Deakins]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="5" |{{party shortname linked|Liberal Party (UK)}}
|[[Wallace Lawler]]
|[[Birmingham Ladywood]]
|Elected in the [[1969 Birmingham Ladywood by-election]]
|[[Doris Fisher, Baroness Fisher of Rednal|Doris Fisher]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Michael Winstanley]]
|[[Cheadle (UK Parliament constituency)|Cheadle]]
|
|[[Tom Normanton]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Richard Wainwright (politician)|Richard Wainwright]]
|[[Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Colne Valley]]
|
|[[David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere|David Clark]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Eric Lubbock]] 
|[[Orpington (UK Parliament constituency)|Orpington]]
|[[Liberal Chief Whip]]
|[[Ivor Stanbrook]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Alasdair Mackenzie]]
|[[Ross and Cromarty (UK Parliament constituency)|Ross and Cromarty]]
|
|[[Hamish Gray]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
! class="unsortable" style="background-color: {{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Ulster Unionist]]
|[[Henry Clark (Northern Irish politician)|Henry Clark]]
|[[North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)|Antrim North]]
|
|[[Ian Paisley]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" |
|[[Democratic Unionist]]
|-
! class="unsortable" style="background-color: {{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" |
|[[James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn|James Hamilton]]
|[[Fermanagh and South Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)|Fermanagh and South Tyrone]]
|
|[[Frank McManus (Irish politician)|Frank McManus]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Unity (Northern Ireland)}}" |
|[[Unity (Northern Ireland)|Unity]]
|-
! class="unsortable" style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" |
|[[Scottish National Party]]
|[[Winnie Ewing]]
|[[Hamilton (UK Parliament constituency)|Hamilton]]
|Elected in the [[1967 Hamilton by-election]]
|[[Alexander Wilson (Scottish politician)|Alex Wilson]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
! class="unsortable" style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" |
|[[Plaid Cymru]]
|[[Gwynfor Evans]]
|[[Carmarthen (UK Parliament constituency)|Carmarthen]]
|Elected in the [[1966 Carmarthen by-election]]
|[[Gwynoro Jones]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="1" |{{party shortname linked|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
|
|[[Democratic Party (UK, 1969)|Democratic Party]]
|[[Desmond Donnelly]]
|[[Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Pembrokeshire]]
|Former Labour MP
|[[Nicholas Edwards]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|{{party shortname linked|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|}

==See also==
*[[List of MPs elected in the 1970 United Kingdom general election]]
*[[1970 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland]]
*[[1970 United Kingdom general election in Scotland]]
*[[1970 United Kingdom general election in England]]
*[[1970 United Kingdom local elections]]

==Notes==
{{notelist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{citation |last=Butler |first=David E. |author-link=David Butler (psephologist) |display-authors=etal |title=The British General Election of 1970 |year=1971 |postscript=,}} the standard scholarly study.
*{{citation |author-link=F. W. S. Craig |first=F. W. S. |last=Craig |title=British Electoral Facts: 1832–1987 |year=1989 |location=Dartmouth |publisher=Gower |isbn=0900178302 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html United Kingdom election results—summary results 1885–1979] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223222448/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/geresults.html |date=23 February 2008 }}

===Manifestos===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100213135915/http://www.conservative-party.net/manifestos/1970/1970-conservative-manifesto.shtml ''A Better Tomorrow''], 1970 Conservative Party manifesto
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170509104426/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/man/lab70.htm ''Now Britain's strong{{snd}}let's make it great to live in''], 1970 Labour Party manifesto
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170516071332/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/man/lib70.htm ''What a Life!''], 1970 Liberal Party manifesto
{{1970 United Kingdom general election}}{{British elections}}
{{United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum, 1975}}
{{Harold Wilson}}
{{Edward Heath}}

[[Category:1970 United Kingdom general election| ]]
[[Category:General elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom|1970]]
[[Category:1970 elections in the United Kingdom|General election]]
[[Category:June 1970 in the United Kingdom|General election]]
[[Category:Harold Wilson]]
[[Category:Edward Heath]]
[[Category:History of the Conservative Party (UK)]]