West Thanet — UK General Election Results
West Thanet was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 9,546 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in West Thanet from Feb 1974 to 1979.
Full Election History, Feb 1974–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1974 | William Rees-Davies (Conservative) | 16,880 | 49.5% | Iain Gordon Tiltman (Labour) | 7,660 (22.5 pts) | 78.1% |
| Oct 1974 | William Rees-Davies (Conservative) | 13,763 | 45.3% | Christopher Smith (Labour) | 5,108 (16.8 pts) | 69.2% |
| 1979 | William Rees-Davies (Conservative) | 18,122 | 55.4% | James Frederick Little (Labour) | 9,546 (29.2 pts) | 71.6% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Rees-Davies | Conservative | 16,880 | 49.5% | Yes |
| Iain Gordon Tiltman | Labour | 9,220 | 27.1% | No |
| David Ramage | Liberal | 7,969 | 23.4% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Rees-Davies | Conservative | 13,763 | 45.3% | Yes |
| Christopher Smith | Labour | 8,655 | 28.5% | No |
| Iain Gordon Tiltman | Liberal | 7,935 | 26.1% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Rees-Davies | Conservative | 18,122 | 55.4% | Yes |
| James Frederick Little | Labour | 8,576 | 26.2% | No |
| Dennis George Payne | Liberal | 6,017 | 18.4% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
West Thanet has been contested at 3 general elections on record since Feb 1974. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won West Thanet in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won West Thanet in 1979 with 18,122 votes (55.4%), a majority of 9,546 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won West Thanet since Feb 1974?
Since Feb 1974, West Thanet has been won by: Conservative.
What was the closest result in West Thanet?
The closest result on record for West Thanet was Oct 1974, when Conservative beat Labour by just 5,108 votes (16.8 percentage points).