1974: Labour scrapes working majority
Final results have confirmed that Harold Wilsons Labour government has won a second term in office.Mr Wilsons goal of converting the first minority government since 1929 into a working majority has been successful - but by the narrowest of margins.Labour now has a three seat majority after the second general election in the United Kingdom this year.Voters confounded final opinion polls which had predicted a comfortable lead for Labour of between 10 and 20 seats.Turnout was 72.8% a fall of just under 6% from Februarys parliamentary election with Labour taking a 39.2% share and the Tories 35.8%.Mr Wilson emphasised that the margin was sufficient and that the new Parliament was viable and could endure.But Robert Mellish Labour Chief Whip was more pessimistic about the new governments predicament and said a single figure majority would pose considerable strains on any administration.
I hope that the Labour leadership will recognise that 60% of the voters are against their policies of socialism Edward Heath Conservative leader Speaking after the final results Mr Wilson admitted he would have liked a bigger majority and sought reconciliation with the opposition.A general election is inevitably divisive because it is a choice between conflicting parties and policies...it is manifestly essential in the wider national interest that Parliament should give a lead to the country.He went on Britain faces and has for some considerable time been facing the gravest economic crisis since the war.The prime minister will make a broadcast to the nation on Monday setting out how his government will deal with the economy.Conservative leader Edward Heath made a short statement where he warned against Labour being too ambitious.He said I hope that the Labour leadership will recognise that 60% of the voters are against their policies of socialism and...that they will abandon their divisive policies.Bad news for LiberalsAlthough the Conservatives dropped 2% of the overall vote they made gains against Jeremy Thorpes Liberal party.There was disappointment for the Liberals who were down a seat from February and down in their share of the total poll despite having fought an expensive and elaborate campaign.The October election has contained more women candidates more Liberals more Welsh and Scottish nationalists and more National Front candidates than ever before.
