1987 United Kingdom general election facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
1987 United Kingdom general election

← 1983 11 June 1987 1992 →
← List of MPs elected in the 1983 United Kingdom general election List of MPs elected in the 1987 United Kingdom general election →
All 650 seats in the House of Commons 326 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout	75.3%, 2.6%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Margaret Thatcher Neil Kinnock David Steel (Lib) David Owen (SDP) Party Conservative Labour SDP–Liberal Alliance Leader since 11 February 1975 2 October 1983 7 July 1976 (Steel) 21 June 1983 (Owen) Leader's seat Finchley Islwyn Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale (Steel) Plymouth Devonport (Owen) Last election 397 seats, 42.4% 209 seats, 27.6% 23 seats, 25.4% Seats won 376 229 22 Seat change 21 20 1 Popular vote 13,760,583 10,029,807 7,341,633 Percentage 42.2% 30.8% 22.6% Swing 0.2% 3.2% 2.8%
Colours denote the winning party—as shown in 1987 United Kingdom general election § Notes
Composition of the House of Commons after the election
Prime Minister before election Margaret Thatcher Conservative Prime Minister after election Margaret Thatcher Conservative

A general election happened in the United Kingdom on June 11, 1987. People voted to choose all 650 members of the House of Commons. The Conservative Party won the election. Margaret Thatcher stayed as Prime Minister for the third time in a row. The Labour Party gained 20 more seats than in the last election, mostly from the Conservatives.

What is a General Election?

A general election is when people in a country vote for who they want to represent them in the government. In the UK, this means choosing members for the House of Commons. These members are called MPs. The party that wins the most seats usually forms the government. Their leader becomes the Prime Minister.

Why Do Elections Happen?

Elections are important because they let citizens have a say in how their country is run. They can choose leaders who they believe will make the best decisions. This is a key part of democracy.

Main Political Parties

In the 1987 election, three main groups were competing. These were the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, and the SDP–Liberal Alliance.

The Conservative Party

The Conservative Party was led by Margaret Thatcher. She had been Prime Minister since 1979. The Conservatives believed in less government control over businesses and more individual freedom. They wanted to make the economy stronger.

Margaret Thatcher's Role

Margaret Thatcher was a very strong leader. She was often called the "Iron Lady." She had won the previous two elections in 1979 and 1983. Many people supported her policies.

The Labour Party

The Labour Party was led by Neil Kinnock. This party usually supports workers' rights and public services like healthcare and education. They wanted to reduce unemployment and help people who were struggling.

Labour's Goals

Labour aimed to improve public services and create more jobs. They wanted to change some of the Conservative government's policies. They hoped to win back voters who had supported the Conservatives.

The SDP–Liberal Alliance

This was a group made up of two parties: the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Liberal Party. They were led by David Steel (Liberal) and David Owen (SDP). They offered a middle ground between the Conservatives and Labour.

Alliance's Aims

The Alliance wanted to reform the voting system. They also focused on environmental issues and social justice. They hoped to break the two-party system in British politics.

Election Results

The election took place on June 11, 1987. Millions of people across the UK voted. The results showed a clear winner.

How Many Seats Each Party Won

• Conservative Party: 376 seats
• Labour Party: 229 seats
• SDP–Liberal Alliance: 22 seats

The Conservatives won the most seats, even though they won fewer seats than in the 1983 election. They still had a large majority. This meant they had more than half of all the seats in the House of Commons.

What the Results Meant

The Conservative Party's win meant Margaret Thatcher continued as Prime Minister. It was her third election victory. The Labour Party gained some seats, showing they were becoming stronger. The SDP–Liberal Alliance lost one seat.

Voter Turnout

About 75.3% of people who could vote actually did. This was a bit higher than the previous election. It shows that many people cared about the outcome.

After the Election

After the election, Margaret Thatcher formed her new government. She continued with her policies. The Labour Party became the main opposition party. They worked to challenge the government's decisions.

Impact on British Politics

The 1987 election confirmed the Conservative Party's strong position. It also showed that the Labour Party was starting to recover after a difficult period. The SDP–Liberal Alliance struggled to make a big impact.

See also

In Spanish: Elecciones generales del Reino Unido de 1987 para niños