Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Howden was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 14,544 votes over Liberal. This page covers every general election in Howden from 1955 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1955–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1955
Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan (Conservative)
20,486
58.3%
Robert Bowes (Labour)
11,398 (32.4 pts)
73.7%
1959
Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan (Conservative)
20,681
57.6%
John Rhodes (Labour)
12,872 (35.9 pts)
75.8%
1964
Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan (Conservative)
19,367
53.2%
John Owen Knox Crawford (Liberal)
10,300 (28.3 pts)
75.9%
1966
Paul Bryan (Conservative)
17,701
50.6%
Gerald McNamara (Labour)
8,280 (23.6 pts)
71.8%
1970
Paul Bryan (Conservative)
22,102
57.0%
John William Redhead Graham (Labour)
12,535 (32.3 pts)
71.0%
Feb 1974
Paul Bryan (Conservative)
21,892
48.8%
Stuart Collingwood Haywood (Liberal)
6,211 (13.9 pts)
78.6%
Oct 1974
Paul Bryan (Conservative)
19,583
47.0%
Stuart Collingwood Haywood (Liberal)
4,780 (11.5 pts)
72.6%
1979
Paul Bryan (Conservative)
26,550
56.0%
Elizabeth Shields (Liberal)
14,544 (30.7 pts)
74.4%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan
Conservative
20,486
58.3%
Yes
Robert Bowes
Labour
9,088
25.9%
No
William Derek Ramsdale
Liberal
5,575
15.9%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan
Conservative
20,681
57.6%
Yes
John Rhodes
Labour
7,809
21.8%
No
Ruslyn Harold Hargreaves
Liberal
7,384
20.6%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan
Conservative
19,367
53.2%
Yes
John Owen Knox Crawford
Liberal
9,067
24.9%
No
Alan Day
Labour
7,974
21.9%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Bryan
Conservative
17,701
50.6%
Yes
Gerald McNamara
Labour
9,421
26.9%
No
John MacCullum
Liberal
7,885
22.5%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Bryan
Conservative
22,102
57.0%
Yes
John William Redhead Graham
Labour
9,567
24.7%
No
James Francis Crossley
Liberal
6,951
17.9%
No
Tonderai Shakespeare Jacob Makoni
Independent
154
0.4%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Bryan
Conservative
21,892
48.8%
Yes
Stuart Collingwood Haywood
Liberal
15,681
35.0%
No
James Kirkwood
Labour
7,259
16.2%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Bryan
Conservative
19,583
47.0%
Yes
Stuart Collingwood Haywood
Liberal
14,803
35.5%
No
Fred Henry Victor Lewis
Labour
7,371
17.7%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Paul Bryan
Conservative
26,550
56.0%
Yes
Elizabeth Shields
Liberal
12,006
25.3%
No
Albert Bromley Davenport
Labour
8,827
18.6%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Howden has been contested at 8 general elections on record since 1955. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Howden in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Howden in 1979 with 26,550 votes (56.0%), a majority of 14,544 votes over Liberal in second place.
Which parties have won Howden since 1955?
Since 1955, Howden has been won by: Conservative.
What was the closest result in Howden?
The closest result on record for Howden was Oct 1974, when Conservative beat Liberal by just 4,780 votes (11.5 percentage points).