East Fife — UK General Election Results
East Fife was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 9,355 votes over Liberal. This page covers every general election in East Fife from 1885 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1885–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | John Boyd Kinnear (Liberal) | 4,533 | 63.8% | John Gilmour (Conservative) | 1,956 (27.5 pts) | 77.0% |
| 1886 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 2,863 | 53.5% | John Boyd Kinnear (Liberal Unionist) | 374 (7.0 pts) | 58.0% |
| 1892 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 3,743 | 52.0% | John Gilmour (Conservative) | 294 (4.1 pts) | 78.7% |
| 1895 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 4,332 | 54.5% | John Gilmour (Conservative) | 716 (9.0 pts) | 84.3% |
| 1900 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 4,141 | 60.4% | Arthur Henderson Briggs Constable (Conservative) | 1,431 (20.9 pts) | 72.1% |
| 1906 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 4,723 | 59.0% | John Gilmour (Conservative) | 1,444 (18.1 pts) | 80.0% |
| Jan 1910 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 5,242 | 62.2% | Alexander Sprot (Conservative) | 2,059 (24.4 pts) | 81.2% |
| Dec 1910 | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 5,149 | 60.6% | Alexander Sprot (Conservative) | 1,799 (21.2 pts) | 78.0% |
| 1918 | Alexander Sprot (Unionist) | 8,996 | 54.3% | Herbert Henry Asquith (Liberal) | 2,002 (12.1 pts) | 54.0% |
| 1922 | James Duncan Millar (Liberal) | 12,697 | 56.0% | Alexander Sprot (Unionist) | 2,710 (11.9 pts) | 67.2% |
| 1923 | James Duncan Millar (Liberal) | 12,825 | 55.5% | Alexander Sprot (Unionist) | 2,550 (11.0 pts) | 67.8% |
| 1924 | Archibald Douglas Cochrane (Unionist) | 12,664 | 53.0% | James Duncan Millar (Liberal) | 1,422 (5.9 pts) | 69.2% |
| 1929 | James Duncan Millar (Liberal) | 14,329 | 42.9% | Archibald Douglas Cochrane (Unionist) | 581 (1.7 pts) | 73.3% |
| 1931 | James Duncan Millar (National Liberal) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1935 | James Henderson-Stewart (National Liberal) | 27,915 | 82.3% | Alexander Kerr Davidson (Labour) | 21,899 (64.5 pts) | 71.0% |
| 1945 | James Henderson-Stewart (National Liberal) | 24,765 | 69.4% | Samuel Paterson McLaren (Labour) | 13,845 (38.8 pts) | 70.8% |
| 1950 | James Henderson Stewart (Conservative) | 25,749 | 63.7% | Samuel Paterson McLaren (Labour) | 15,055 (37.2 pts) | 81.6% |
| 1951 | James Henderson Stewart (Conservative) | 28,446 | 70.6% | John McGowan (Labour) | 16,602 (41.2 pts) | 78.7% |
| 1955 | James Henderson Stewart (Conservative) | 26,104 | 70.6% | John McGowan (Labour) | 15,232 (41.2 pts) | 73.2% |
| 1959 | Sir James Henderson Stewart (Conservative) | 26,585 | 69.9% | John Nicol (Labour) | 15,164 (39.9 pts) | 75.2% |
| 1964 | Sir John Edward Gilmour (Unionist) | 21,001 | 54.2% | John Smith (Labour) | 11,236 (29.0 pts) | 77.8% |
| 1966 | Sir John Gilmour (Conservative) | 19,323 | 51.5% | Harry Peaker (Labour) | 10,094 (26.9 pts) | 76.1% |
| 1970 | Sir John Gilmour (Conservative) | 21,619 | 54.6% | Henry Ewing (Labour) | 11,863 (29.9 pts) | 74.5% |
| Feb 1974 | Sir John Gilmour (Conservative) | 21,172 | 47.9% | James Braid (SNP) | 12,579 (28.5 pts) | 78.8% |
| Oct 1974 | Sir John Gilmour (Conservative) | 16,116 | 38.7% | James Braid (SNP) | 2,914 (7.0 pts) | 73.7% |
| 1979 | James Henderson (Conservative) | 20,117 | 43.0% | Menzies Campbell (Liberal) | 9,355 (20.0 pts) | 79.0% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Boyd Kinnear | Liberal | 4,533 | 63.8% | Yes |
| John Gilmour | Conservative | 2,577 | 36.2% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 2,863 | 53.5% | Yes |
| John Boyd Kinnear | Liberal Unionist | 2,489 | 46.5% | No |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 3,743 | 52.0% | Yes |
| John Gilmour | Conservative | 3,449 | 48.0% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 4,332 | 54.5% | Yes |
| John Gilmour | Conservative | 3,616 | 45.5% | No |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 4,141 | 60.4% | Yes |
| Arthur Henderson Briggs Constable | Conservative | 2,710 | 39.6% | No |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 4,723 | 59.0% | Yes |
| John Gilmour | Conservative | 3,279 | 41.0% | No |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 5,242 | 62.2% | Yes |
| Alexander Sprot | Conservative | 3,183 | 37.8% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 5,149 | 60.6% | Yes |
| Alexander Sprot | Conservative | 3,350 | 39.4% | No |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Sprot | Unionist | 8,996 | 54.3% | Yes |
| Herbert Henry Asquith | Liberal | 6,994 | 42.2% | No |
| William Pritchard Morgan | Independent Progressive | 591 | 3.6% | No |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Duncan Millar | Liberal | 12,697 | 56.0% | Yes |
| Alexander Sprot | Unionist | 9,987 | 44.0% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Duncan Millar | Liberal | 12,825 | 55.5% | Yes |
| Alexander Sprot | Unionist | 10,275 | 44.5% | No |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archibald Douglas Cochrane | Unionist | 12,664 | 53.0% | Yes |
| James Duncan Millar | Liberal | 11,242 | 47.0% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Duncan Millar | Liberal | 14,329 | 42.9% | Yes |
| Archibald Douglas Cochrane | Unionist | 13,748 | 41.1% | No |
| William Ross Garson | Labour | 5,350 | 16.0% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Duncan Millar | National Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henderson-Stewart | National Liberal | 27,915 | 82.3% | Yes |
| Alexander Kerr Davidson | Labour | 6,016 | 17.7% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henderson-Stewart | National Liberal | 24,765 | 69.4% | Yes |
| Samuel Paterson McLaren | Labour | 10,920 | 30.6% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henderson Stewart | Conservative | 25,749 | 63.7% | Yes |
| Samuel Paterson McLaren | Labour | 10,694 | 26.5% | No |
| David Alexander Freeman | Liberal | 3,975 | 9.8% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henderson Stewart | Conservative | 28,446 | 70.6% | Yes |
| John McGowan | Labour | 11,844 | 29.4% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henderson Stewart | Conservative | 26,104 | 70.6% | Yes |
| John McGowan | Labour | 10,872 | 29.4% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir James Henderson Stewart | Conservative | 26,585 | 69.9% | Yes |
| John Nicol | Labour | 11,421 | 30.1% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Edward Gilmour | Unionist | 21,001 | 54.2% | Yes |
| John Smith | Labour | 9,765 | 25.2% | No |
| Derek C Wood | Liberal | 5,075 | 13.1% | No |
| James Braid | SNP | 2,635 | 6.8% | No |
| Leslie MC Greene | Independent Loyalist | 257 | 0.7% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Gilmour | Conservative | 19,323 | 51.5% | Yes |
| Harry Peaker | Labour | 9,229 | 24.6% | No |
| James Braid | SNP | 5,394 | 14.4% | No |
| Derek Barrie | Liberal | 3,574 | 9.5% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Gilmour | Conservative | 21,619 | 54.6% | Yes |
| Henry Ewing | Labour | 9,756 | 24.6% | No |
| James Braid | SNP | 4,666 | 11.8% | No |
| Willis Pickard | Liberal | 3,577 | 9.0% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Gilmour | Conservative | 21,172 | 47.9% | Yes |
| James Braid | SNP | 8,593 | 19.5% | No |
| Willis Pickard | Liberal | 7,766 | 17.6% | No |
| Bashir Maan | Labour | 6,634 | 15.0% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Gilmour | Conservative | 16,116 | 38.7% | Yes |
| James Braid | SNP | 13,202 | 31.7% | No |
| Helen Liddell | Labour | 7,040 | 16.9% | No |
| David William Cameron Docherty | Liberal | 5,247 | 12.6% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henderson | Conservative | 20,117 | 43.0% | Yes |
| Menzies Campbell | Liberal | 10,762 | 23.0% | No |
| Henry McLeish | Labour | 9,339 | 19.9% | No |
| Jack Marshall | SNP | 6,612 | 14.1% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
East Fife has been contested at 26 general elections on record since 1885. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Liberal, Unionist, National Liberal, Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won East Fife in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won East Fife in 1979 with 20,117 votes (43.0%), a majority of 9,355 votes over Liberal in second place.
Which parties have won East Fife since 1885?
Since 1885, East Fife has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, National Liberal, Unionist.
What was the closest result in East Fife?
The closest result on record for East Fife was 1929, when Liberal beat Unionist by just 581 votes (1.7 percentage points).