1997 United Kingdom general election

← 1992 1 May 1997 2001 →

All 659 seats to the House of Commons
330 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout71.3% (Decrease6.4%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Tony Blair John Major Paddy Ashdown
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Leader since 21 July 1994 4 July 1995 16 July 1988
Leader's seat Sedgefield Huntingdon Yeovil
Last election 271 seats, 34.4% 336 seats, 41.9% 20 seats, 17.8%
Seats won 418 165 46
Seat change Increase145 Decrease171 Increase26
Popular vote 13,518,167 9,600,943 5,242,947
Percentage 43.2% 30.7% 16.8%
Swing Increase8.8% Decrease11.2% Decrease1.0%

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

Prime Minister before election

John Major
Conservative

Prime Minister after election

Tony Blair
Labour