United Kingdom general elections overview

Following the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition, the Conservatives, led by David Cameron, won the 2015 general election with a small majority, having promised to hold a referendum on continued membership of the European Union.

Following the EU referendum held in June 2016, which resulted in a majority of 52:48 to leave, Cameron resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by Theresa May.

She called a snap election in June 2017, but the Conservatives lost their overall majority and had to rely on the support of the ten MPs from the Democratic Unionist Party to continue in Government.

Although the combined parties achieved a popular vote of 22.6% in 1983, they initially failed to make a breakthrough in terms of seats, winning 22.

[3] The elections of this period took place in the context of the decolonialisation of the British Empire and the UK's declining status as a Great Power.

[5] The early years of the period saw Conservative consolidation of power, before Harold Wilson's two general election wins in 1964 and 1966.

The Ulster Unionists dominated in Northern Ireland, whilst the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru became major players for the first time, the SNP gaining 11 seats in 1974.

The 1929 election resulted in the Labour Party having the greatest number of seats and they formed a Government under Ramsay MacDonald with the support of the Liberals.

As a result of the growing economic crisis, McDonald formed a National Government in 1931 with the support of the Conservatives and Liberals, which was not however backed by the majority of Labour MPs.

This was followed by a general election at which the National coalition, dominated by the Conservatives, won a landslide victory, with the opposition Labour Party reduced to a rump of 52 seats.

The Communist Party of Great Britain also enjoyed their most prolonged period of success, though still failed to return more than one MP at any time.

In 1923, the Conservatives lost their majority, and the Labour Party were put into office for the first time with the support of the re-united Liberals.