Cambridgeshire — UK General Election Results
Cambridgeshire was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 23,289 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in Cambridgeshire from 1832 to 1979.
This constituency elected more than one MP at once in some years. Before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (and in a shrinking number of boroughs through 1948), most UK constituencies elected two or more MPs together by "multi-member plurality" (block vote): each elector could cast one vote per available seat, and the top vote-getters overall were all elected. In those elections below, "Elected" lists every MP returned, "Votes" is the count that secured the last seat, and "Majority" is the gap between that seat and the first candidate who missed out.
Full Election History, 1832–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | Charles Philip Yorke (Conservative); Richard Greaves Townley (Whig); John Walbanke-Childers (Whig) | 2,862 | 29.2% (top seat) | Henry John Adeane (Whig) | 12 (0.1 pts) | 65.6% |
| 1835 | Eliot Yorke (Conservative); Richard Jefferson Eaton (Conservative); Richard Greaves Townley (Whig) | 3,070 | 29.4% (top seat) | John Walbanke-Childers (Whig) | 91 (0.7 pts) | 65.5% |
| 1837 | Eliot Yorke (Conservative); Richard Jefferson Yorke (Conservative); Richard Greaves Townley (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1841 | Richard Jefferson Eaton (Conservative); Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke (Conservative); John Peter Allix (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | George John Manners (Conservative); Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke (Conservative); Richard Greaves Townley (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | Edward Ball (Conservative); Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke (Conservative); George John Manners (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | Edward Ball (Conservative); Henry John Adeane (Whig); Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke (Conservative) | 2,483 | 27.8% (top seat) | George John Manners (Conservative) | 356 (3.6 pts) | 53.0% |
| 1859 | Edward Ball (Conservative); Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke (Conservative); Henry John Adeane (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1865 | George John Manners (Conservative); Charles Philip Yorke (Conservative); Richard Young (Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1868 | George John Manners (Conservative); Charles Philip Yorke (Conservative); Henry Bouverie William Brand (Liberal) | 3,300 | 27.6% (top seat) | Richard Young (Liberal) | 10 (0.1 pts) | 50.7% |
| 1874 | Henry Bouverie William Brand (Speaker (non-party)); George John Manners (Conservative); Eliot Constantine Yorke (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1880 | Henry Bouverie William Brand (Speaker (non-party)); Edward Hicks (Conservative); Benjamin Bridges Hunter Rodwell (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1918 | Edwin Samuel Montagu (Liberal) | 12,497 | 65.1% | Albert Ernest Stubbs (Independent Labour) | 5,811 (30.3 pts) | 51.3% |
| 1922 | Harold Stannus Gray (Unionist) | 9,846 | 37.9% | Albert Ernest Stubbs (Labour) | 679 (2.6 pts) | 70.8% |
| 1923 | Richard George Briscoe (Unionist) | 11,710 | 43.6% | Albert Ernest Stubbs (Labour) | 3,156 (11.7 pts) | 72.5% |
| 1924 | Richard George Briscoe (Unionist) | 15,530 | 59.0% | Geoffrey Theodore Garratt (Labour) | 4,749 (18.1 pts) | 69.9% |
| 1929 | Richard George Briscoe (Unionist) | 13,306 | 37.5% | Geoffrey Theodore Garratt (Labour) | 2,050 (5.8 pts) | 74.7% |
| 1931 | Richard George Briscoe (Conservative) | 23,742 | 68.3% | Geoffrey Theodore Garratt (Labour) | 12,729 (36.6 pts) | 70.5% |
| 1935 | Richard George Briscoe (Conservative) | 19,087 | 53.4% | John Rotherford Bellerby (Labour) | 7,650 (21.4 pts) | 67.8% |
| 1945 | Albert Ernest Stubbs (Labour) | 18,714 | 42.3% | Stephen Gerald Howard (Conservative) | 44 (0.1 pts) | 69.9% |
| 1950 | Stephen Gerald Howard (Conservative) | 21,846 | 46.2% | Albert Ernest Stubbs (Labour) | 2,800 (5.9 pts) | 83.4% |
| 1951 | Stephen Gerald Howard (Conservative) | 25,095 | 53.8% | Henry David Leonard George Walston (Labour) | 3,537 (7.6 pts) | 81.2% |
| 1955 | Stephen Gerald Howard (Conservative) | 25,025 | 54.3% | Henry David Leonard George Walston (Labour) | 3,974 (8.6 pts) | 78.9% |
| 1959 | Stephen Gerald Howard (Conservative) | 27,407 | 57.9% | William Royle (Labour) | 7,479 (15.8 pts) | 78.0% |
| 1964 | Francis Leslie Pym (Conservative) | 24,883 | 48.0% | Evan L Rutherford (Labour) | 7,247 (14.0 pts) | 79.8% |
| 1966 | Francis Pym (Conservative) | 25,600 | 47.6% | John Hughes (Labour) | 5,167 (9.6 pts) | 79.2% |
| 1970 | Francis Pym (Conservative) | 32,264 | 54.6% | John Hughes (Labour) | 12,271 (20.8 pts) | 75.5% |
| Feb 1974 | Francis Pym (Conservative) | 32,638 | 47.0% | Stephen Jakobi (Liberal) | 13,812 (19.9 pts) | 82.8% |
| Oct 1974 | Francis Pym (Conservative) | 30,508 | 47.5% | Michael Farley (Labour) | 12,655 (19.7 pts) | 76.0% |
| 1979 | Francis Pym (Conservative) | 41,218 | 56.5% | Robert Collins (Labour) | 23,289 (31.9 pts) | 78.3% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Philip Yorke | Conservative | 3,693 | 29.2% | Yes |
| Richard Greaves Townley | Whig | 3,261 | 25.7% | Yes |
| John Walbanke-Childers | Whig | 2,862 | 22.6% | Yes |
| Henry John Adeane | Whig | 2,850 | 22.5% | No |
1835 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eliot Yorke | Conservative | 3,871 | 29.4% | Yes |
| Richard Jefferson Eaton | Conservative | 3,261 | 24.7% | Yes |
| Richard Greaves Townley | Whig | 3,070 | 23.3% | Yes |
| John Walbanke-Childers | Whig | 2,979 | 22.6% | No |
1837 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eliot Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Richard Jefferson Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Richard Greaves Townley | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1841 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Jefferson Eaton | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| John Peter Allix | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George John Manners | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Richard Greaves Townley | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ball | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| George John Manners | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ball | Conservative | 2,780 | 27.8% | Yes |
| Henry John Adeane | Whig | 2,616 | 26.1% | Yes |
| Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke | Conservative | 2,483 | 24.8% | Yes |
| George John Manners | Conservative | 2,127 | 21.3% | No |
1859 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ball | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Eliot Douglas Thomas Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry John Adeane | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1865 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George John Manners | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Charles Philip Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Richard Young | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1868 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George John Manners | Conservative | 3,998 | 27.6% | Yes |
| Charles Philip Yorke | Conservative | 3,874 | 26.8% | Yes |
| Henry Bouverie William Brand | Liberal | 3,300 | 22.8% | Yes |
| Richard Young | Liberal | 3,290 | 22.7% | No |
1874 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Bouverie William Brand | Speaker (non-party) | Unopposed | Yes | |
| George John Manners | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Eliot Constantine Yorke | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1880 (3 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Bouverie William Brand | Speaker (non-party) | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Edward Hicks | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Benjamin Bridges Hunter Rodwell | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwin Samuel Montagu | Liberal | 12,497 | 65.1% | Yes |
| Albert Ernest Stubbs | Independent Labour | 6,686 | 34.9% | No |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harold Stannus Gray | Unionist | 9,846 | 37.9% | Yes |
| Albert Ernest Stubbs | Labour | 9,167 | 35.3% | No |
| Edwin Samuel Montagu | National Liberal | 6,942 | 26.7% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard George Briscoe | Unionist | 11,710 | 43.6% | Yes |
| Albert Ernest Stubbs | Labour | 8,554 | 31.8% | No |
| Elsbeth Dimsdale | Liberal | 6,619 | 24.6% | No |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard George Briscoe | Unionist | 15,530 | 59.0% | Yes |
| Geoffrey Theodore Garratt | Labour | 10,781 | 41.0% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard George Briscoe | Unionist | 13,306 | 37.5% | Yes |
| Geoffrey Theodore Garratt | Labour | 11,256 | 31.7% | No |
| John William Payne | Liberal | 10,904 | 30.7% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard George Briscoe | Conservative | 23,742 | 68.3% | Yes |
| Geoffrey Theodore Garratt | Labour | 11,013 | 31.7% | No |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard George Briscoe | Conservative | 19,087 | 53.4% | Yes |
| John Rotherford Bellerby | Labour | 11,437 | 32.0% | No |
| John William Payne | Liberal | 5,223 | 14.6% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Ernest Stubbs | Labour | 18,714 | 42.3% | Yes |
| Stephen Gerald Howard | Conservative | 18,670 | 42.2% | No |
| Lionel Goodman | Liberal | 6,867 | 15.5% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Gerald Howard | Conservative | 21,846 | 46.2% | Yes |
| Albert Ernest Stubbs | Labour | 19,046 | 40.3% | No |
| Richard Thomas Howlett | Liberal | 6,348 | 13.4% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Gerald Howard | Conservative | 25,095 | 53.8% | Yes |
| Henry David Leonard George Walston | Labour | 21,558 | 46.2% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Gerald Howard | Conservative | 25,025 | 54.3% | Yes |
| Henry David Leonard George Walston | Labour | 21,051 | 45.7% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Gerald Howard | Conservative | 27,407 | 57.9% | Yes |
| William Royle | Labour | 19,928 | 42.1% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Leslie Pym | Conservative | 24,883 | 48.0% | Yes |
| Evan L Rutherford | Labour | 17,636 | 34.0% | No |
| Richard Gillachrist Moore | Liberal | 9,347 | 18.0% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Pym | Conservative | 25,600 | 47.6% | Yes |
| John Hughes | Labour | 20,433 | 38.0% | No |
| John Beale | Liberal | 7,698 | 14.3% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Pym | Conservative | 32,264 | 54.6% | Yes |
| John Hughes | Labour | 19,993 | 33.8% | No |
| Morag Brown | Liberal | 6,861 | 11.6% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Pym | Conservative | 32,638 | 47.0% | Yes |
| Stephen Jakobi | Liberal | 18,826 | 27.1% | No |
| Michael Farley | Labour | 17,930 | 25.8% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Pym | Conservative | 30,508 | 47.5% | Yes |
| Michael Farley | Labour | 17,853 | 27.8% | No |
| Stephen Jakobi | Liberal | 15,841 | 24.7% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Pym | Conservative | 41,218 | 56.5% | Yes |
| Robert Collins | Labour | 17,929 | 24.6% | No |
| Stephen Jakobi | Liberal | 13,780 | 18.9% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Cambridgeshire has been contested at 30 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Conservative, Whig, Liberal, Speaker (non-party), Unionist, Labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Cambridgeshire in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Cambridgeshire in 1979 with 41,218 votes (56.5%), a majority of 23,289 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won Cambridgeshire since 1832?
Since 1832, Cambridgeshire has been won by: Conservative, Labour, Liberal, Speaker (non-party), Unionist, Whig.
What was the closest result in Cambridgeshire?
The closest result on record for Cambridgeshire was 1832, when Conservative beat Whig by just 12 votes (0.1 percentage points).
Did Cambridgeshire ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Cambridgeshire elected multiple MPs at once in some elections on this page (a system called multi-member plurality, or 'block vote'), each voter casting one vote per available seat.