Electoral history of a British political party
The
Conservative Party
, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party and also known colloquially as the Tories, is one of the two main political parties in the United Kingdom, along with the
Labour Party
, and has been described as both right-wing and centre-right.
This article encompasses detailed results of previous UK general elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections, devolved national elections, devolved London elections and European Parliament elections which the Conservative Party have participated in.
Background
[
edit
]
It is the current
governing party
, having won the
2019 general election
, and has been the primary governing party in the United Kingdom since 2010. On the political spectrum the party has been described as
right-wing
[9]
by various sources and as
centre-right
[10]
by others, and encompasses various ideological
factions
including
one-nation conservatives
,
Thatcherites
, and
traditionalist conservatives
.
As of September 2023, the party has 354
members of Parliament
, 260 members of the
House of Lords
, 9 members of the
London Assembly
, 31 members of the
Scottish Parliament
, 16 members of the
Welsh Parliament
, 4
directly elected mayors
, 30
police and crime commissioners
, and around 5,647
local councillors
.
[11]
It holds the annual
Conservative Party Conference
.
[12]
The Conservative Party was founded in 1834 from the
Tory Party
and was one of two dominant political parties in the 19th century, along with the
Liberal Party
.
[13]
[14]
In 1912, the
Liberal Unionist Party
merged with the party to form the Conservative and Unionist Party. Since the 1920s, the
Labour Party
emerged to be the Conservatives' main rival and the Conservative?Labour political rivalry has shaped modern British politics for the last century.
National results
[
edit
]
UK general elections
[
edit
]
United Kingdom general elections are held under the
first past the post
voting system.
[15]
Each constituency in the United Kingdom will elect one Member of Parliament; overall 650 Members of Parliament are currently elected at each election.
[15]
Following the
Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022
, the date of the general election is at the
discretion of the prime minister
within a five-year period from the last general election.
[15]
The next general election will be held on 4 July 2024.
[16]
In the
1931 general election
, the Conservatives earned their best result to date, by vote share (55.5%) and seat number (474).
[17]
In the post-war era, the
1983 general election
was the most successful for the Conservatives in terms of seats won (397), whereas
1955
was the most successful election for vote share (49.7%).
[17]
However, the
1997 general election
was the least successful election since
1918
for the Conservatives, winning 165 seats and gaining 30.7% of the vote.
[17]
This chart shows the electoral performance of the Conservative Party in
each general election
since 1835.
[18]
[19]
For results of the Tories, the party's predecessor, see
here
.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Election
|
Leader
|
Votes
|
Seats
|
Position
|
Government
|
Ref
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
±
|
Share
|
1835
|
Robert Peel
|
261,269
|
40.8%
|
|
98
|
41.5%
|
2nd
|
Whig
|
[20]
|
1837
|
379,694
|
48.3%
|
|
41
|
47.7%
|
2nd
|
Whig
|
1841
|
379,694
|
56.9%
|
|
53
|
55.8%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
1847
|
Earl of Derby
|
205,481
|
42.7%
|
Includes
Peelites
|
42
|
49.5%
|
1st
|
Whig
|
1852
|
311,481
|
41.9%
|
Includes Peelites
|
5
|
50.5%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
1857
|
239,712
|
34.0%
|
|
66
|
40.4%
|
2nd
|
Whig
|
1859
|
193,232
|
34.3%
|
|
34
|
45.6%
|
2nd
|
Whig
|
1865
|
346,035
|
40.5%
|
|
9
|
43.9%
|
2nd
|
Liberal
|
1868
[fn 1]
|
Benjamin Disraeli
|
903,318
|
38.4%
|
|
18
|
41.2%
|
2nd
|
Liberal
|
1874
|
1,091,708
|
44.3%
|
|
79
|
53.7%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
1880
|
1,462,351
|
42.5%
|
|
113
|
36.3%
|
2nd
|
Liberal
|
1885
[fn 2]
|
Marquess of Salisbury
|
2,020,927
|
43.5%
|
|
10
|
36.9%
|
2nd
|
Liberal minority
|
[18]
|
1886
|
1,520,886
|
51.1%
|
|
70
|
47.3%
|
1st
|
Conservative?
Liberal Unionist
|
[18]
|
1892
|
2,159,150
|
47.0%
|
|
49
|
40.0%
|
2nd
|
Liberal
|
[18]
|
1895
|
1,894,772
|
49.0%
|
|
72
|
50.7%
|
1st
|
Conservative?Liberal Unionist
|
[18]
|
1900
|
1,767,958
|
50.3%
|
|
5
|
50.0%
|
1st
|
Conservative?Liberal Unionist
|
[18]
|
1906
|
Arthur Balfour
|
2,422,071
|
43.4%
|
|
204
|
19.6%
|
2nd
|
Liberal
|
[18]
|
January 1910
|
3,104,407
|
46.8%
|
|
109
|
35.8%
|
2nd
|
Liberal minority
|
[18]
|
December 1910
|
2,420,169
|
46.6%
|
|
5
|
35.1%
|
2nd
|
Liberal minority
|
[18]
|
Merged with
Liberal Unionist Party
in 1912 to become the Conservative and Unionist Party
|
1918
[fn 3]
|
Bonar Law
|
3,472,738
|
38.4%
|
332 elected with
Coupon
|
108
|
53.6%
|
1st
|
Coalition Liberal
?Conservative
|
[18]
|
1922
|
5,294,465
|
38.5%
|
|
35
|
55.9%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
[18]
|
1923
|
Stanley Baldwin
|
5,286,159
|
38.0%
|
|
86
|
41.3%
|
1st
|
Labour minority
|
[18]
|
1924
|
7,418,983
|
46.8%
|
|
124
|
67.0%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
[18]
|
1929
[fn 4]
|
8,252,527
|
38.1%
|
|
152
|
42.3%
|
2nd
|
Labour minority
|
[18]
|
1931
|
11,377,022
|
55.0%
|
|
210
|
76.4%
|
1st
|
Conservative?Liberal?
National Labour
|
[18]
|
1935
|
10,025,083
|
47.8%
|
|
83
|
62.8%
|
1st
|
Conservative?
Liberal National
?National Labour
|
[18]
|
1945
|
Winston Churchill
|
8,716,211
|
36.2%
|
|
189
|
30.8%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
[18]
|
1950
|
11,507,061
|
40.0%
|
|
85
|
45.1%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
[18]
|
1951
|
13,724,418
|
48.0%
|
|
20
|
48.3%
|
1st
|
Conservative?
National Liberal
|
[18]
|
1955
|
Anthony Eden
|
13,310,891
|
49.7%
|
|
22
|
51.4%
|
1st
|
Conservative?National Liberal
|
[18]
|
1959
|
Harold Macmillan
|
13,750,875
|
49.4%
|
|
21
|
54.8%
|
1st
|
Conservative?National Liberal
|
[18]
|
1964
|
Alec Douglas-Home
|
12,002,642
|
43.4%
|
|
47
|
47.3%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
[18]
|
1966
|
Edward Heath
|
11,418,455
|
41.9%
|
|
48
|
39.7%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
[18]
|
1970
[fn 5]
|
13,145,123
|
46.4%
|
|
80
|
52.4%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
[18]
|
February 1974
|
11,872,180
|
37.9%
|
|
33
|
46.8%
|
2nd
|
Labour minority
|
[18]
|
October 1974
|
10,462,565
|
35.8%
|
|
20
|
43.6%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
[18]
|
1979
|
Margaret Thatcher
|
13,697,923
|
43.9%
|
|
62
|
53.4%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
[18]
|
1983
|
13,012,316
|
42.4%
|
|
38
|
61.1%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
1987
|
13,760,935
|
42.2%
|
|
21
|
57.8%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
1992
|
John Major
|
14,093,007
|
41.9%
|
|
40
|
51.6%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
1997
|
9,600,943
|
30.7%
|
|
171
|
25.0%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
2001
|
William Hague
|
8,357,615
|
31.7%
|
|
1
|
25.2%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
2005
|
Michael Howard
|
8,785,941
|
32.4%
|
|
32
|
30.7%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
2010
|
David Cameron
|
10,703,654
|
36.1%
|
|
96
|
47.1%
|
1st
|
Conservative?
Liberal Democrats
[21]
|
[22]
|
2015
|
11,299,609
|
36.8%
|
|
24
|
50.8%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
[23]
|
2017
|
Theresa May
|
13,636,684
|
42.3%
|
|
13
|
48.8%
|
1st
|
Conservative minority
with
DUP confidence and supply
[24]
|
[25]
|
2019
|
Boris Johnson
|
13,966,454
|
43.6%
|
|
48
|
56.2%
|
1st
|
Conservative
|
[26]
|
- Note
Police and Crime Commissioner elections
[
edit
]
Devolved national elections
[
edit
]
Scottish Parliament elections
[
edit
]
Election
|
Leader
|
Votes (Constituency)
|
Votes (List)
|
Seats
|
Position
|
Government
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
±
|
Share
|
1999
|
David McLetchie
|
364,225
|
15.6%
|
359,109
|
15.4%
|
|
|
14.0%
|
3rd
|
Labour
?
Liberal Democrats
|
2003
|
318,279
|
16.6%
|
296,929
|
15.6%
|
|
0
|
14.0%
|
3rd
|
Labour?Liberal Democrats
|
2007
|
Annabel Goldie
|
334,743
|
16.6%
|
284,005
|
13.9%
|
|
1
|
13.4%
|
3rd
|
Scottish National
minority
|
2011
|
276,652
|
13.9%
|
245,967
|
12.4%
|
|
2
|
11.6%
|
3rd
|
Scottish National
|
2016
|
Ruth Davidson
|
501,844
|
22.0%
|
524,222
|
22.9%
|
|
16
|
24.0%
|
2nd
|
Scottish National minority
|
2021
|
Douglas Ross
|
592,526
|
21.9%
|
637,131
|
23.5%
|
|
0
|
24.0%
|
2nd
|
Scottish National minority
|
Senedd elections
[
edit
]
Election
|
Leader
|
Votes (Constituency)
|
Votes (List)
|
Seats
|
Position
|
Government
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
±
|
Share
|
1999
|
Rod Richards
|
162,133
|
15.8%
|
168,206
|
16.5%
|
|
|
15.0%
|
3rd
|
Labour
?
Liberal Democrats
|
2003
|
Nick Bourne
|
169,832
|
19.9%
|
162,725
|
19.2%
|
|
2
|
18.3%
|
3rd
|
Labour
|
2007
|
218,739
|
22.4%
|
209,153
|
21.4%
|
|
1
|
20.0%
|
3rd
|
Labour?
Plaid Cymru
|
2011
|
237,388
|
25.0%
|
213,773
|
22.5%
|
|
2
|
23.3%
|
2nd
|
Labour
|
2016
|
Andrew R. T. Davies
|
215,597
|
21.1%
|
190,846
|
18.8%
|
|
3
|
18.3%
|
3rd
|
Labour minority
|
2021
|
289,802
|
26.1%
|
278,560
|
25.1%
|
|
5
|
26.7%
|
2nd
|
Labour minority
|
Northern Ireland devolved elections
[
edit
]
Prior to 1973, the Ulster Unionist Party acted as the de facto Northern Ireland branch of the Conservative Party. The UUP's results may be seen
here
.
Election
|
Leader
|
Votes
|
Seats
|
Position
|
Government
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
±
|
Share
|
Elections to the
Northern Ireland Forum
in 1996
|
1996
|
Barbara Finney
|
3,595
|
0.48
|
|
|
0.0%
|
12th
|
Dissolution
|
Elections to the
Northern Ireland Assembly
from 1998
|
1998
|
Unknown
|
1,835
|
0.23
|
|
0
|
0.0%
|
14th
|
UUP
?
Sinn Fein
|
2003
|
Unknown
|
1,604
|
0.20
|
|
0
|
0.0%
|
14th
|
Dissolution
|
2007
|
Unknown
|
3,457
|
0.50
|
|
0
|
0.0%
|
10th
|
DUP
?Sinn Fein
|
2011
|
Unknown
|
Did not contest election
|
DUP?Sinn Fein
|
2016
|
Alan Dunlop
|
2,554
|
0.40
|
|
0
|
0.0%
|
11th
|
DUP?Sinn Fein
|
2022
|
Matthew Robinson
|
Did not contest election
|
tbc
|
Devolved London elections
[
edit
]
London Mayoral elections
[
edit
]
Election
|
Leader
|
Candidate
|
Votes (1st pref.)
|
Votes (run-off)
|
Position
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
Share
|
2000
|
William Hague
|
Steven Norris
|
464,434
|
27.1%
|
564,137
|
42.1%
|
2nd
|
2004
|
Michael Howard
|
542,423
|
29.1%
|
667,180
|
44.6%
|
2nd
|
2008
|
David Cameron
|
Boris Johnson
|
1,043,761
|
43.2%
|
1,168,738
|
53.2%
|
1st
|
2012
|
971,931
|
44.0%
|
1,054,811
|
51.5%
|
1st
|
2016
|
Zac Goldsmith
|
909,755
|
35.0%
|
994,614
|
43.2%
|
2nd
|
2021
|
Boris Johnson
|
Shaun Bailey
|
893,051
|
35.3%
|
977,601
|
44.8%
|
2nd
|
2024
|
Rishi Sunak
|
Susan Hall
|
812,397
|
32.7%
|
|
2nd
|
London Assembly elections
[
edit
]
Election
|
Leader
|
Assembly Leader
|
Votes (Constituency)
|
Votes (List)
|
Seats
|
Position
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
+
|
Share
|
2000
|
William Hague
|
Eric Ollerenshaw
|
526,422
|
33.2%
|
481,053
|
29.0%
|
|
|
36.0%
|
1st
|
2004
|
Michael Howard
|
Bob Neill
|
562,047
|
31.2%
|
533,696
|
28.5%
|
|
0
|
36.0%
|
1st
|
2008
|
David Cameron
|
Richard Barnes
|
900,569
|
37.4%
|
835,535
|
34.1%
|
|
2
|
44.0%
|
1st
|
2012
|
James Cleverly
|
722,280
|
32.7%
|
708,528
|
32.0%
|
|
2
|
36.0%
|
2nd
|
2016
|
Gareth Bacon
|
812,415
|
31.1%
|
764,230
|
29.2%
|
|
1
|
32.0%
|
2nd
|
2021
|
Boris Johnson
|
Susan Hall
|
833,021
|
32.0%
|
795,081
|
30.7%
|
|
1
|
36.0%
|
2nd
|
2024
|
Rishi Sunak
|
Neil Garratt
|
673,036
|
27.2%
|
648,269
|
26.2%
|
|
1
|
32.0%
|
2nd
|
Combined authority elections
[
edit
]
European
[
edit
]
European Parliament elections
[
edit
]
Election
|
Party Group
|
Leader
|
Votes
|
Seats
|
Position
|
No.
|
Share
|
No.
|
±
|
Share
|
1979
|
|
ED
|
Margaret Thatcher
|
6,508,492
|
48.4
|
|
|
75.0%
|
1st
|
1984
|
|
EPP
|
5,426,866
|
38.8
|
|
15
|
55.6%
|
1st
|
1989
|
5,331,077
|
34.7
|
|
13
|
39.5%
|
2nd
|
1994
|
John Major
|
4,274,122
|
26.8
|
|
13
|
20.7%
|
2nd
|
1999
[fn 1]
|
|
|
EPP
-
ED
|
William Hague
|
3,578,218
|
35.8
|
|
18
|
41.4%
|
1st
|
2004
|
Michael Howard
|
4,397,087
|
26.7
|
|
8
|
34.6%
|
1st
|
2009
[fn 2]
|
|
ECR
|
David Cameron
|
4,281,286
|
27.7
|
|
1
|
36.1%
|
1st
|
2014
|
3,792,549
|
23.1
|
|
7
|
26.0%
|
3rd
|
2019
|
Theresa May
|
1,512,809
|
8.8
|
|
15
|
5.5%
|
5th
|
- Note
Notes
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Saini, Rima; Bankole, Michael; Begum, Neema (April 2023).
"The 2022 Conservative Leadership Campaign and Post-racial Gatekeeping"
.
Race & Class
: 1?20.
doi
:
10.1177/03063968231164599
.
...the Conservative Party's history in incorporating ethnic minorities, and the recent post-racial turn within the party whereby increasing party diversity has coincided with an increasing turn to the Right
- ^
Bale, Tim
(March 2023).
The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation
. Cambridge:
Polity
. pp. vi?x,
passim
.
ISBN
9781509546015
. Retrieved
12 September
2023
.
- ^
de Geus, Roosmarijn A.; Shorrocks, Rosalind (2022). "Where Do Female Conservatives Stand? A Cross-National Analysis of the Issue Positions and Ideological Placement of Female Right-Wing Candidates". In Och, Malliga; Shames, Shauna; Cooperman, Rosalyn (eds.).
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