Brighouse and Spenborough — UK General Election Results
Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Brighouse and Spenborough was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 1,734 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in Brighouse and Spenborough from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
Frederick Arthur Cobb (Labour)
25,588
52.2%
William Edward Woolley (National Liberal)
2,132 (4.3 pts)
88.0%
1951
Lewis John Edwards (Labour)
26,105
52.3%
William Edward Woolley (Conservative)
2,277 (4.6 pts)
88.7%
1955
Lewis John Edwards (Labour)
23,674
51.8%
Frederick William Howard Cook (Conservative)
1,626 (3.6 pts)
83.7%
1959
Lewis John Edwards (Labour)
23,290
50.1%
Michael Norman Shaw (Conservative)
47 (0.1 pts)
85.5%
1964
George Colin Jackson (Labour)
20,734
44.2%
Michael Norman Shaw (Conservative)
922 (2.0 pts)
85.3%
1966
George Jackson (Labour)
25,740
54.8%
Cyril Chapman (Conservative)
4,524 (9.6 pts)
84.0%
1970
George Proudfoot (Conservative)
22,953
46.3%
George Jackson (Labour)
59 (0.1 pts)
80.6%
Feb 1974
George Jackson (Labour)
22,107
41.0%
George Proudfoot (Conservative)
1,546 (2.9 pts)
85.3%
Oct 1974
George Jackson (Labour)
21,964
43.9%
George Proudfoot (Conservative)
2,177 (4.3 pts)
78.6%
1979
Gary Waller (Conservative)
23,448
44.7%
Michael McGowan (Labour)
1,734 (3.3 pts)
80.2%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Frederick Arthur Cobb
Labour
25,588
52.2%
Yes
William Edward Woolley
National Liberal
23,456
47.8%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lewis John Edwards
Labour
26,105
52.3%
Yes
William Edward Woolley
Conservative
23,828
47.7%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lewis John Edwards
Labour
23,674
51.8%
Yes
Frederick William Howard Cook
Conservative
22,048
48.2%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Lewis John Edwards
Labour
23,290
50.1%
Yes
Michael Norman Shaw
Conservative
23,243
49.9%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
George Colin Jackson
Labour
20,734
44.2%
Yes
Michael Norman Shaw
Conservative
19,812
42.2%
No
James Pickles
Liberal
6,411
13.7%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
George Jackson
Labour
25,740
54.8%
Yes
Cyril Chapman
Conservative
21,216
45.2%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
George Proudfoot
Conservative
22,953
46.3%
Yes
George Jackson
Labour
22,894
46.1%
No
George Manley
Liberal
3,781
7.6%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
George Jackson
Labour
22,107
41.0%
Yes
George Proudfoot
Conservative
20,561
38.2%
No
Patrick Robertshaw
Liberal
11,029
20.5%
No
Shirley Milner
Independent Democratic Alliance
169
0.3%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
George Jackson
Labour
21,964
43.9%
Yes
George Proudfoot
Conservative
19,787
39.6%
No
John Smithson
Liberal
8,265
16.5%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Gary Waller
Conservative
23,448
44.7%
Yes
Michael McGowan
Labour
21,714
41.4%
No
Roger Martin Thomas
Liberal
7,278
13.9%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Brighouse and Spenborough has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour, Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Brighouse and Spenborough in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Brighouse and Spenborough in 1979 with 23,448 votes (44.7%), a majority of 1,734 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won Brighouse and Spenborough since 1950?
Since 1950, Brighouse and Spenborough has been won by: Conservative, Labour.
What was the closest result in Brighouse and Spenborough?
The closest result on record for Brighouse and Spenborough was 1959, when Labour beat Conservative by just 47 votes (0.1 percentage points).