Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Bristol South East was won by Labour at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 1,890 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Bristol South East from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
Richard Stafford Cripps (Labour)
29,393
62.6%
Ronald Edward Simms (Conservative)
16,803 (35.8 pts)
85.0%
1951
Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn (Labour)
30,811
65.0%
James Louis Lindsay (Conservative)
14,256 (30.1 pts)
83.8%
1955
Anthony Wedgwood Benn (Labour)
25,257
59.5%
Robert Gordon Cooke (Conservative)
8,047 (18.9 pts)
77.9%
1959
Anthony Wedgwood Benn (Labour)
26,273
56.2%
Malcolm Archibald James St Clair (Conservative)
5,827 (12.5 pts)
81.4%
1964
Tony Benn (Labour)
29,117
60.2%
Robert Stephen O'Brien (Conservative)
9,835 (20.3 pts)
77.9%
1966
Tony Benn (Labour)
30,851
61.4%
Christopher John Rolfe Pope (Conservative)
11,416 (22.7 pts)
76.2%
1970
Tony Benn (Labour)
29,176
55.4%
Norman Reece (Conservative)
5,688 (10.8 pts)
72.0%
Feb 1974
Tony Benn (Labour)
26,540
47.0%
Norman Reece (Conservative)
7,912 (14.0 pts)
81.9%
Oct 1974
Tony Benn (Labour)
25,978
49.1%
John Peter Godwin (Conservative)
9,373 (17.7 pts)
76.2%
1979
Tony Benn (Labour)
24,878
45.4%
John Peter Godwin (Conservative)
1,890 (3.5 pts)
78.4%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Richard Stafford Cripps
Labour
29,393
62.6%
Yes
Ronald Edward Simms
Conservative
12,590
26.8%
No
Frederick John Goudge
Liberal
4,463
9.5%
No
Jack Webb
Communist
524
1.1%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn
Labour
30,811
65.0%
Yes
James Louis Lindsay
Conservative
16,555
35.0%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Anthony Wedgwood Benn
Labour
25,257
59.5%
Yes
Robert Gordon Cooke
Conservative
17,210
40.5%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Anthony Wedgwood Benn
Labour
26,273
56.2%
Yes
Malcolm Archibald James St Clair
Conservative
20,446
43.8%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Tony Benn
Labour
29,117
60.2%
Yes
Robert Stephen O'Brien
Conservative
19,282
39.8%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Tony Benn
Labour
30,851
61.4%
Yes
Christopher John Rolfe Pope
Conservative
19,435
38.6%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Tony Benn
Labour
29,176
55.4%
Yes
Norman Reece
Conservative
23,488
44.6%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Tony Benn
Labour
26,540
47.0%
Yes
Norman Reece
Conservative
18,628
33.0%
No
David Ralph Grayson
Liberal
9,870
17.5%
No
Reginald James Bale
National Front
757
1.3%
No
James Hugh Robertson
Social Democrat
668
1.2%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Tony Benn
Labour
25,978
49.1%
Yes
John Peter Godwin
Conservative
16,605
31.4%
No
Raymond Stewart Wardle
Liberal
8,987
17.0%
No
Reginald James Bale
National Front
775
1.5%
No
Rupert Ross Goding
World Middle Classes Party
457
0.9%
No
Paul Rowe
Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist)
79
0.1%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Tony Benn
Labour
24,878
45.4%
Yes
John Peter Godwin
Conservative
22,988
41.9%
No
Nicholas William Haugh Tatam
Liberal
6,371
11.6%
No
Josephine Denise Dowler
National Front
523
1.0%
No
Tom Keen
Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain
66
0.1%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Bristol South East has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Bristol South East in the 1979 general election?
Labour won Bristol South East in 1979 with 24,878 votes (45.4%), a majority of 1,890 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Bristol South East since 1950?
Since 1950, Bristol South East has been won by: Labour.
What was the closest result in Bristol South East?
The closest result on record for Bristol South East was 1979, when Labour beat Conservative by just 1,890 votes (3.5 percentage points).