Westmorland — UK General Election Results
Westmorland was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 12,407 votes over Liberal. This page covers every general election in Westmorland from 1832 to 1979.
This constituency elected more than one MP at once in some years. Before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (and in a shrinking number of boroughs through 1948), most UK constituencies elected two or more MPs together by "multi-member plurality" (block vote): each elector could cast one vote per available seat, and the top vote-getters overall were all elected. In those elections below, "Elected" lists every MP returned, "Votes" is the count that secured the last seat, and "Majority" is the gap between that seat and the first candidate who missed out.
Full Election History, 1832–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | William Lowther (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | 1,948 | 36.6% (top seat) | John Barham (Whig) | 337 (6.0 pts) | 63.9% |
| 1835 | William Lowther (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1837 | William Lowther (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1841 | William Lowther (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | William Thompson (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | William Thompson (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | Thomas Taylour (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1859 | Thomas Taylour (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1865 | Thomas Taylour (Conservative); Henry Cecil Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1868 | Thomas Taylour (Conservative); William Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1874 | Thomas Taylour (Conservative); William Lowther (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1880 | Thomas Taylour (Conservative); William Lowther (Conservative) | 2,522 | 37.1% (top seat) | Henry James Tufton (Liberal) | 559 (7.8 pts) | 65.5% |
| 1918 | John Weston (Unionist) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1922 | John Weston (Unionist) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1923 | John Weston (Unionist) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1924 | Oliver Frederick George Stanley (Unionist) | 17,935 | 71.2% | Reginald Penrith Burnett (Labour) | 10,693 (42.5 pts) | 80.2% |
| 1929 | Oliver Frederick George Stanley (Unionist) | 17,101 | 49.6% | William Gretton Ward (Liberal) | 3,878 (11.2 pts) | 81.9% |
| 1931 | Oliver Frederick George Stanley (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1935 | Oliver Frederick George Stanley (Conservative) | 22,634 | 68.5% | Emily Violet Short (Labour) | 12,217 (37.0 pts) | 73.8% |
| 1945 | William Morgan Fletcher-Vane (Conservative) | 19,717 | 53.3% | Harold Banning Richardson (Labour) | 10,043 (27.1 pts) | 76.9% |
| 1950 | William Morgan Fletcher-Vane (Conservative) | 22,228 | 55.1% | Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland (Liberal) | 13,174 (32.7 pts) | 85.5% |
| 1951 | William Morgan Fletcher-Vane (Conservative) | 23,227 | 58.3% | Paul Norman Wilson (Labour) | 14,108 (35.4 pts) | 83.5% |
| 1955 | William Morgan Fletcher-Vane (Conservative) | 21,048 | 57.5% | Ivor Ralph Million (Labour) | 13,147 (35.9 pts) | 77.6% |
| 1959 | William Morgan Fletcher-Vane (Conservative) | 20,676 | 55.9% | Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland (Liberal) | 11,692 (31.6 pts) | 78.8% |
| 1964 | Thomas Michael Jopling (Conservative) | 19,125 | 51.8% | Aubrey Herbert (Liberal) | 8,047 (21.8 pts) | 78.8% |
| 1966 | Thomas Jopling (Conservative) | 17,907 | 50.6% | Alistair Bell (Liberal) | 8,855 (25.0 pts) | 75.5% |
| 1970 | Thomas Jopling (Conservative) | 21,253 | 55.3% | Joseph Pease (Liberal) | 11,827 (30.8 pts) | 72.0% |
| Feb 1974 | Thomas Jopling (Conservative) | 22,036 | 50.1% | Allan Douglas Nixon (Liberal) | 6,534 (14.9 pts) | 79.2% |
| Oct 1974 | Thomas Jopling (Conservative) | 20,559 | 50.8% | Bernard North Wates (Liberal) | 7,715 (19.1 pts) | 72.4% |
| 1979 | Thomas Jopling (Conservative) | 25,274 | 56.6% | Kenneth Hulls (Liberal) | 12,407 (27.8 pts) | 75.8% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Lowther | Conservative | 2,052 | 36.6% | Yes |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | 1,948 | 34.7% | Yes |
| John Barham | Whig | 1,611 | 28.7% | No |
1835 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1837 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1841 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Thompson | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Thompson | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Taylour | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1859 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Taylour | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1865 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Taylour | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Henry Cecil Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1868 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Taylour | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| William Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1874 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Taylour | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| William Lowther | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1880 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Taylour | Conservative | 2,641 | 37.1% | Yes |
| William Lowther | Conservative | 2,522 | 35.4% | Yes |
| Henry James Tufton | Liberal | 1,963 | 27.5% | No |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Weston | Unionist | Unopposed | Yes | |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Weston | Unionist | Unopposed | Yes | |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Weston | Unionist | Unopposed | Yes | |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Frederick George Stanley | Unionist | 17,935 | 71.2% | Yes |
| Reginald Penrith Burnett | Labour | 7,242 | 28.8% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Frederick George Stanley | Unionist | 17,101 | 49.6% | Yes |
| William Gretton Ward | Liberal | 13,223 | 38.3% | No |
| Walter Bone | Labour | 4,184 | 12.1% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Frederick George Stanley | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Frederick George Stanley | Conservative | 22,634 | 68.5% | Yes |
| Emily Violet Short | Labour | 10,417 | 31.5% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Morgan Fletcher-Vane | Conservative | 19,717 | 53.3% | Yes |
| Harold Banning Richardson | Labour | 9,674 | 26.1% | No |
| Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland | Liberal | 7,313 | 19.8% | No |
| Francis Basil Price-Heywood | Independent | 306 | 0.8% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Morgan Fletcher-Vane | Conservative | 22,228 | 55.1% | Yes |
| Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland | Liberal | 9,054 | 22.5% | No |
| Paul Norman Wilson | Labour | 9,031 | 22.4% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Morgan Fletcher-Vane | Conservative | 23,227 | 58.3% | Yes |
| Paul Norman Wilson | Labour | 9,119 | 22.9% | No |
| Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland | Liberal | 7,493 | 18.8% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Morgan Fletcher-Vane | Conservative | 21,048 | 57.5% | Yes |
| Ivor Ralph Million | Labour | 7,901 | 21.6% | No |
| Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland | Liberal | 7,688 | 21.0% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Morgan Fletcher-Vane | Conservative | 20,676 | 55.9% | Yes |
| Arthur Geoffrey Dyke Acland | Liberal | 8,984 | 24.3% | No |
| Corin Hughes-Stanton | Labour | 7,359 | 19.9% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Michael Jopling | Conservative | 19,125 | 51.8% | Yes |
| Aubrey Herbert | Liberal | 11,078 | 30.0% | No |
| Norman Plamping | Labour | 6,752 | 18.3% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jopling | Conservative | 17,907 | 50.6% | Yes |
| Alistair Bell | Liberal | 9,052 | 25.6% | No |
| John Dayton | Labour | 8,465 | 23.9% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jopling | Conservative | 21,253 | 55.3% | Yes |
| Joseph Pease | Liberal | 9,426 | 24.5% | No |
| Roger Ward | Labour | 7,757 | 20.2% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jopling | Conservative | 22,036 | 50.1% | Yes |
| Allan Douglas Nixon | Liberal | 15,502 | 35.3% | No |
| Peter James Hildrew | Labour | 6,419 | 14.6% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jopling | Conservative | 20,559 | 50.8% | Yes |
| Bernard North Wates | Liberal | 12,844 | 31.8% | No |
| Murray Taylor | Labour | 7,028 | 17.4% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jopling | Conservative | 25,274 | 56.6% | Yes |
| Kenneth Hulls | Liberal | 12,867 | 28.8% | No |
| Archibold Potts | Labour | 6,497 | 14.6% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Westmorland has been contested at 30 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Conservative, Unionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Westmorland in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Westmorland in 1979 with 25,274 votes (56.6%), a majority of 12,407 votes over Liberal in second place.
Which parties have won Westmorland since 1832?
Since 1832, Westmorland has been won by: Conservative, Unionist.
What was the closest result in Westmorland?
The closest result on record for Westmorland was 1832, when Conservative beat Whig by just 337 votes (6.0 percentage points).
Did Westmorland ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Westmorland elected multiple MPs at once in some elections on this page (a system called multi-member plurality, or 'block vote'), each voter casting one vote per available seat.