Berwick and East Lothian — UK General Election Results
Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Berwick and East Lothian was won by Labour at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 1,673 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Berwick and East Lothian from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
John James Robertson (Labour)
17,105
40.9%
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray (Unionist)
1,728 (4.1 pts)
82.8%
1951
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray (Unionist)
22,510
52.8%
John James Robertson (Labour)
2,358 (5.5 pts)
83.8%
1955
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray (Unionist)
21,739
53.3%
Penry Jones (Labour)
2,710 (6.7 pts)
80.3%
1959
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray (Unionist)
22,472
53.4%
Penry Jones (Labour)
2,850 (6.8 pts)
83.2%
1964
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray (Unionist)
21,669
50.7%
John Pitcairn Mackintosh (Labour)
625 (1.5 pts)
85.0%
1966
John Mackintosh (Labour)
22,620
51.9%
William Anstruther-Gray (Conservative)
1,689 (3.9 pts)
86.1%
1970
John Mackintosh (Labour)
21,107
45.6%
J Donald Hardie (Conservative)
641 (1.4 pts)
83.8%
Feb 1974
Michael Ancram (Conservative)
21,234
43.4%
John Mackintosh (Labour)
540 (1.1 pts)
85.8%
Oct 1974
John Mackintosh (Labour)
20,682
43.3%
Michael Ancram (Conservative)
2,740 (5.7 pts)
83.0%
1979
John Robertson (Labour)
21,977
43.5%
Margaret Marshall (Conservative)
1,673 (3.3 pts)
82.9%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John James Robertson
Labour
17,105
40.9%
Yes
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray
Unionist
15,377
36.8%
No
James Anthony Stodart
Liberal
9,352
22.4%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray
Unionist
22,510
52.8%
Yes
John James Robertson
Labour
20,152
47.2%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray
Unionist
21,739
53.3%
Yes
Penry Jones
Labour
19,029
46.7%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray
Unionist
22,472
53.4%
Yes
Penry Jones
Labour
19,622
46.6%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William John St Clair Anstruther-Gray
Unionist
21,669
50.7%
Yes
John Pitcairn Mackintosh
Labour
21,044
49.3%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Mackintosh
Labour
22,620
51.9%
Yes
William Anstruther-Gray
Conservative
20,931
48.1%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Mackintosh
Labour
21,107
45.6%
Yes
J Donald Hardie
Conservative
20,466
44.2%
No
David Simpson
SNP
4,735
10.2%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Michael Ancram
Conservative
21,234
43.4%
Yes
John Mackintosh
Labour
20,694
42.3%
No
David Simpson
SNP
6,956
14.2%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Mackintosh
Labour
20,682
43.3%
Yes
Michael Ancram
Conservative
17,942
37.6%
No
Ronald Dorward Macleod
SNP
6,323
13.2%
No
Charles Frederick Yeaman Lawson
Liberal
2,811
5.9%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Robertson
Labour
21,977
43.5%
Yes
Margaret Marshall
Conservative
20,304
40.2%
No
Tam Glen
Liberal
4,948
9.8%
No
William John Allan McCartney
SNP
3,300
6.5%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Berwick and East Lothian has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour, Unionist, Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Berwick and East Lothian in the 1979 general election?
Labour won Berwick and East Lothian in 1979 with 21,977 votes (43.5%), a majority of 1,673 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Berwick and East Lothian since 1950?
Since 1950, Berwick and East Lothian has been won by: Conservative, Labour, Unionist.
What was the closest result in Berwick and East Lothian?
The closest result on record for Berwick and East Lothian was Feb 1974, when Conservative beat Labour by just 540 votes (1.1 percentage points).