Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Gateshead West was won by Labour at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 8,312 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Gateshead West from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
John Thomas Hall (Labour)
20,872
64.2%
John Magnay (Conservative)
9,212 (28.3 pts)
83.9%
1951
John Thomas Hall (Labour)
20,790
63.8%
John Magnay (Conservative)
8,979 (27.5 pts)
83.8%
1955
John Thomas Hall (Labour)
22,040
66.6%
James Quigley (Conservative)
10,331 (31.2 pts)
72.5%
1959
Harry Enos Randall (Labour)
21,277
64.9%
David A Wright (Conservative)
9,768 (29.8 pts)
76.9%
1964
Harry Eros Randall (Labour)
21,390
69.0%
Derek Richard Chapman (Conservative)
11,767 (37.9 pts)
74.9%
1966
Harry Randall (Labour)
20,381
74.8%
Ernest Greenwood (Conservative)
13,503 (49.5 pts)
70.1%
1970
John Horam (Labour)
15,622
68.1%
John O'Sullivan (Conservative)
8,294 (36.1 pts)
66.7%
Feb 1974
John Horam (Labour)
13,839
61.0%
Bentley Heddle (Conservative)
8,467 (37.3 pts)
74.2%
Oct 1974
John Horam (Labour)
13,859
68.6%
Peter Brown (Conservative)
9,427 (46.7 pts)
65.7%
1979
John Horam (Labour)
13,533
67.2%
David Robert Corbett Kelly (Conservative)
8,312 (41.3 pts)
69.3%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Thomas Hall
Labour
20,872
64.2%
Yes
John Magnay
Conservative
11,660
35.8%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Thomas Hall
Labour
20,790
63.8%
Yes
John Magnay
Conservative
11,811
36.2%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Thomas Hall
Labour
22,040
66.6%
Yes
James Quigley
Conservative
11,709
35.4%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Harry Enos Randall
Labour
21,277
64.9%
Yes
David A Wright
Conservative
11,509
35.1%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Harry Eros Randall
Labour
21,390
69.0%
Yes
Derek Richard Chapman
Conservative
9,623
31.0%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Harry Randall
Labour
20,381
74.8%
Yes
Ernest Greenwood
Conservative
6,878
25.2%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Horam
Labour
15,622
68.1%
Yes
John O'Sullivan
Conservative
7,328
31.9%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Horam
Labour
13,839
61.0%
Yes
Bentley Heddle
Conservative
5,372
23.7%
No
Joseph Bennison
Liberal
3,474
15.3%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Horam
Labour
13,859
68.6%
Yes
Peter Brown
Conservative
4,432
21.9%
No
Kathleen Elsie Gene Stoddart
Liberal
1,909
9.5%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Horam
Labour
13,533
67.2%
Yes
David Robert Corbett Kelly
Conservative
5,221
25.9%
No
Francis Edward Patterson
Liberal
1,185
5.9%
No
Harold Beadle
National Front
186
0.9%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Gateshead West 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 Gateshead West in the 1979 general election?
Labour won Gateshead West in 1979 with 13,533 votes (67.2%), a majority of 8,312 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Gateshead West since 1950?
Since 1950, Gateshead West has been won by: Labour.
What was the closest result in Gateshead West?
The closest result on record for Gateshead West was 1951, when Labour beat Conservative by just 8,979 votes (27.5 percentage points).