Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
South Bedfordshire was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 16,483 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in South Bedfordshire from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
Edward Warner Moeran (Labour)
20,070
45.3%
William Fearnley-Whittingstall (Conservative)
1,524 (3.4 pts)
86.9%
1951
Norman John Cole (Conservative)
22,917
50.9%
Edward Warner Moeran (Labour)
849 (1.9 pts)
86.7%
1955
Norman John Cole (Conservative)
23,365
52.8%
Edward Warner Moeran (Labour)
2,468 (5.6 pts)
81.9%
1959
Norman John Cole (Conservative)
25,861
47.1%
Walter Hamlet Johnson (Labour)
4,759 (8.7 pts)
83.9%
1964
Norman John Cole (Conservative)
33,838
50.3%
Dennis John Nisbet (Labour)
339 (0.5 pts)
80.8%
1966
Gwilym Roberts (Labour)
34,549
47.8%
Norman Cole (Conservative)
4,230 (5.9 pts)
83.7%
1970
William Madel (Conservative)
38,085
48.7%
Gwilym Roberts (Labour)
4,978 (6.4 pts)
77.2%
Feb 1974
William Madel (Conservative)
21,380
39.7%
David Penwarden (Liberal)
4,758 (8.8 pts)
84.5%
Oct 1974
William Madel (Conservative)
20,794
41.3%
Raymond Little (Labour)
4,443 (8.8 pts)
78.3%
1979
William Madel (Conservative)
32,988
56.4%
John Gardner (Labour)
16,483 (28.2 pts)
79.9%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Edward Warner Moeran
Labour
20,070
45.3%
Yes
William Fearnley-Whittingstall
Conservative
18,546
41.8%
No
James Stewart Knight
Liberal
5,725
12.9%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman John Cole
Conservative
22,917
50.9%
Yes
Edward Warner Moeran
Labour
22,068
49.1%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman John Cole
Conservative
23,365
52.8%
Yes
Edward Warner Moeran
Labour
20,897
47.2%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman John Cole
Conservative
25,861
47.1%
Yes
Walter Hamlet Johnson
Labour
21,102
38.5%
No
Renee Rachel Soskin
Liberal
7,912
14.4%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Norman John Cole
Conservative
33,838
50.3%
Yes
Dennis John Nisbet
Labour
33,499
49.7%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Gwilym Roberts
Labour
34,549
47.8%
Yes
Norman Cole
Conservative
30,319
41.9%
No
Hamilton Simonds-Gooding
Liberal
7,484
10.3%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William Madel
Conservative
38,085
48.7%
Yes
Gwilym Roberts
Labour
33,107
42.4%
No
Godfrey Shocket
Liberal
6,956
8.9%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William Madel
Conservative
21,380
39.7%
Yes
David Penwarden
Liberal
16,622
30.9%
No
Paul Tinnion
Labour
15,847
29.4%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William Madel
Conservative
20,794
41.3%
Yes
Raymond Little
Labour
16,351
32.5%
No
David Penwarden
Liberal
13,194
26.2%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
William Madel
Conservative
32,988
56.4%
Yes
John Gardner
Labour
16,505
28.2%
No
Malcolm Turner
Liberal
8,402
14.4%
No
Laurence Smith
National Front
626
1.1%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
South Bedfordshire has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour, Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won South Bedfordshire in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won South Bedfordshire in 1979 with 32,988 votes (56.4%), a majority of 16,483 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won South Bedfordshire since 1950?
Since 1950, South Bedfordshire has been won by: Conservative, Labour.
What was the closest result in South Bedfordshire?
The closest result on record for South Bedfordshire was 1964, when Conservative beat Labour by just 339 votes (0.5 percentage points).