1970 United Kingdom general election facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
1970 United Kingdom general election

← 1966 18 June 1970 Feb 1974 →
← List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1966 List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1970 →
All 630 seats in the House of Commons 316 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	72.0%, 3.8%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Edward Heath Harold Wilson Jeremy Thorpe Party Conservative Labour Liberal Leader since 28 July 1965 14 February 1963 18 January 1967 Leader's seat Bexley Huyton North Devon Last election 253 seats, 41.9% 364 seats, 48% 12 seats, 8.5% Seats won 330 288 6 Seat change 77 75 6 Popular vote 13,145,123 12,208,758 2,117,035 Percentage 46.4% 43.1% 7.5% Swing 4.5% 4.9% 1.0%
Colours show the winning party—as shown in 1970 United Kingdom general election § Notes
Composition of the House of Commons after the election
Prime Minister before election Harold Wilson Labour Prime Minister after election Edward Heath Conservative

The 1970 general election in the United Kingdom was a big event. On June 18, 1970, people across the country voted. They chose 630 members to join the House of Commons. This is an important part of the UK's government.

After all the votes were counted, the Conservative Party won. Their leader, Edward Heath, became the new Prime Minister. This was a surprise to many people.

What Was the 1970 UK Election About?

A general election is when people vote for who they want to represent them. These representatives are called Members of Parliament (MPs). They work in the House of Commons. The party that wins the most MPs usually forms the government. Their leader becomes the Prime Minister.

In 1970, the main political parties were the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. The Labour Party was led by Harold Wilson. He was the Prime Minister before this election. The Conservative Party was led by Edward Heath.

The Surprise Election Result

Before the election, most people thought the Labour Party would win again. News polls, which ask people how they plan to vote, showed Labour was ahead. But when the actual votes were counted, the Conservatives won more seats. This was a big surprise for everyone.

Edward Heath and the Conservative Party won 330 seats. Harold Wilson's Labour Party won 288 seats. This meant the Conservatives had enough MPs to form the new government.

New Rules for Voting

The 1970 election was special for another reason. It was the first time that 18-year-olds could vote in a general election. Before this, you had to be 21 years old to vote. This change meant many more young people could have their say in how the country was run.

Images for kids

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  Shadow Chancellor Iain Macleod campaigning in York.

See also

In Spanish: Elecciones generales del Reino Unido de 1970 para niños