1992 United Kingdom general election Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
1992 United Kingdom general election

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9 April 1992

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List of MPs elected in the 1992 United Kingdom general election →

All 651 seats in the House of Commons
326 seats needed for a majority

Opinion polls

Turnout

77.7% (

2.4%)

	First party	Second party	Third party

Leader	John Major	Neil Kinnock	Paddy Ashdown
Party	Conservative	Labour	Liberal Democrat
Leader since	28 November 1990	2 October 1983	16 July 1988
Leader's seat	Huntingdon	Islwyn	Yeovil
Last election	376 seats, 42.2%	229 seats, 30.8%	22 seats, 22.6%
Seats won	336	271	20
Seat change	40	42	2
Popular vote	14,093,007	11,560,484	5,999,606
Percentage	41.9%	34.4%	17.8%
Swing	0.3%	3.6%	4.8%

Colours show the winning party, as shown in the main table of results

Composition of the House of Commons after the election

Prime Minister before election

John Major
Conservative

Prime Minister after election

John Major
Conservative

The 1992 United Kingdom general election happened on 9 April 1992. People across the UK voted to choose their representatives. These representatives would sit in the House of Commons. This is an important part of the UK Parliament.

The Conservative Party won the election. Their leader, John Major, remained the Prime Minister. Many people were surprised by this result. Before the election, opinion polls had suggested that the Labour Party would win.

Understanding the 1992 UK Election
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Understanding the 1992 UK Election

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

Who Could Vote in 1992?

In 1992, anyone aged 18 or over who was a British citizen could vote. They also had to be registered to vote. This election had a high turnout. About 77.7% of people who could vote did so.

The Main Political Parties and Their Leaders

Several political parties took part in the 1992 election. The three biggest parties were the Conservatives, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservative Party

The Conservative Party was led by John Major. He had become Prime Minister in 1990. The Conservatives had been in power since 1979. They wanted to continue their policies.

The Labour Party

The Labour Party was led by Neil Kinnock. They hoped to win the election and form a new government. Labour focused on improving public services. They also wanted to reduce unemployment.

The Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats were led by Paddy Ashdown. This party was formed in 1988. They aimed to offer a different choice from the two main parties. They focused on social justice and environmental issues.

The Election Campaign

The election campaign lasted several weeks. Party leaders traveled around the country. They gave speeches and met voters. Each party tried to convince people to vote for them. Television debates and news coverage were very important.

Opinion Polls and Predictions

Before the election, many opinion polls were conducted. These polls asked people who they planned to vote for. Most polls suggested that the Labour Party would win. Some even predicted a clear Labour victory. This made the actual result a big surprise.

The Election Results

On 9 April 1992, people cast their votes. The votes were counted overnight. The results showed that the Conservative Party had won the most seats.

Conservative Party: 336 seats
Labour Party: 271 seats
Liberal Democrats: 20 seats

The Conservatives won enough seats to form a government. John Major remained Prime Minister. This result was unexpected by many. It showed that opinion polls are not always correct.