Policy Research Media Morhamburn

The UK General Election has been heralded as an election of change and by and large the public have voted for change.  However there is a lack of certainty over the type of change desired. 

The Conservatives improved on their 2005 result by gaining 97 seats and improving their percentage of the vote 3.8% to 36%.  This made them the largest party in the Parliament on 306 seats yet this is not enough to cross the 326 needed to hold a majority.

Labour lost 91 seats and saw its share of the vote fall to 29% from 36% in 2005.  This leaves Labour on 258 seats.

Arguably the most disappointed are the Liberal Democrats.  They had benefited from been afforded a level playing field in the televised debates and looked to be for a strong showing.  However, the Liberals lost five seats.  This is in spite of coming less than two million votes behind Labour and seeing their percentage of the vote increase to 23%.

In Scotland, a strong performance by Labour saw them win back Glasgow East and Dunfermline and West Fife, both of which had been lost in by-elections.  This left Labour with 41 seats and 42% of the vote as Scotland and the Central Belt in particular remains a Labour stronghold.

The SNP came second in the popular vote and saw their share of the vote rise 2.3% to 19.9% as they retained the 6 seats won in 2005.  However, the Nationalists remain in third in terms of seats.

The Liberal Democrats will be satisfied to have held their 11 Scottish seats but will undoubtedly be disappointed not to have built upon this number having targeted Edinburgh South and Aberdeen South.  The Liberals were beaten into third place in the popular vote falling 3.7% from 2005.

The Conservatives too will be disappointed not have improved on their one Scottish MP.  David Mundell retained his Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency with an increased majority and despite an increased in the popular vote to 16.7% the Tories were unable to return more Scottish MPs. 

Turnout across the UK was up 4% to 65.1% and there was a Labour to Conservative swing of 5%.  Whilst in Scotland, turnout was 63.8% which is up 3% from 2005 and there was a swing of 0.1% from the SNP to Labour.

Currently, Gordon Brown remains the Prime Minister.  However, David Cameron and his Conservatives received the most votes and the largest share of the seats so can argue they have the moral mandate to govern yet they cannot do so without gaining the support of the Liberal Democrats.  Four days after going to the polls, the country awaits their new government.

To view the full report, click on the PDF below.

Morhamburn 2010 General Election – Results