Swindon General Elections! 

They say whichever party wins in Swindon, wins the general election - we look back on results since 1969

 

The two Swindon seats are always key targets for the party wanting to form a government.

 

Today they are both Conservative, and have been since 2010, when the present era of Tory government started. Before then, Swindon was represented by Labour during the 'Blair' years and Conservative before that when Thatcher was in power.

 

The way Swindon votes really is a snapshot of public opinion in the UK.

 

Looking back, here's where the people of Swindon have put their cross for the last 40 years.

 

General Election 2017 Results

 

In a dramatic election night, Swindon again voted with the majority of the UK and elected two Conservative MPs. But both results gave an indication of the swing to Labour that led to a Hung parliament.

Justin Tomlinson remained the MP for Swindon North with an 8,335 majority, down from 11,786 in 2015.

And Robert Buckland narrowly won Swindon South with a reduced majority of 2,464, compared to his winning margin in 2015 of 5,785.

Turnout was up in both constituencies.
 

The Swindon results in full:

 

North Swindon

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Justin Tomlinson	Conservative	29,431	53.6
Mark Dempsey	Labour	21,096	38.4
Liz Webster	Liberal Democrat	1,962	3.6
Steve Halden	UKIP	1,564	2.8
Andy Bentley	Green Party	858	1.6

Turnout: 68.5%

South Swindon

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Robert Buckland	Conservative	24,809	48.4
Sarah Church	Labour	22,345	43.6
Stan Pajak	Liberal Democrat	2,079	4.1
Martin Costello	UKIP	1,291	2.5
Talis Kimberley-Fairbourn	Green Party	747	1.5

Turnout: 70.8%

 

Justin Tomlinson MP   Robert Buckland MP

 

General Election 2015 Results
Both Conservative MPs re-elected with increased majorities

Swindon stayed blue as both Conservative MPs were voted in with increased majorities.

North Swindon

Justin Tomlinson in North Swindon became the first Conservative MP to be elected in the country when the result was announced just after 1.30am.

He beat Labour's Mark Dempsey in to second by 11,786 votes, with over 50% of the vote.

 

The Swindon results in full:

 

North Swindon

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Justin Tomlinson	Conservative	26,295	50.3
Mark Dempsey	Labour	14,509	27.8
James Faulkner	UKIP	8,011	3.7
Poppy Hebden-Leeder	Green Party	1,723	3.3
Janet Ellard	Liberal Democrat	1,704	3.3

Turnout: 64.7%

South Swindon

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Robert Buckland	Conservative	22,777	46.2
Anne Snelgrove	Labour	16,992	34.5
John Short	UKIP	5,920	12
Damon John Hooton	Liberal Democrat	1,817	3.7
Talis Kimberley-Fairbourn	Green Party	1,757	3.6

Turnout: 66.9%

 

General Election 2010 Results

Labour era ends as Conservatives triumph in North & South Swindon

 

In an overwelming vote in favour of the Conservatives, both Swindon constituencies voted for new MPs.

 

General Election 2005 Results
Close Call For Labour

The people of Swindon once again elected two Labour MPs to represent them in the Houses of Parliament on 05 May 2005.

Dented but delighted: Labour candidates Anne Snelgrove (South Swindon) and Michael Wills (North Swindon) celebrate being elected calyx multimedia

Michael Wills was re-elected for North Swindon, while Anne Snelgrove became the new MP for South Swindon.

Both candidates, however, had their majorities slashed by a reassurgent display by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

In a tense night of counting at the Oasis Leisure Centre, local Tory candidate Justin Tomlinson produced a 6.7% swing in his favour and whittled Michael Wills' 2001 cushion of 8,105 down to just 2,571.

 

For Anne Snelgrove it was even tighter - with victory coming by only 1,353 votes from Conservative Robert Buckland.

Until next time: Conservative candidates Robert Buckland (South Swindon) , left, and Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) discuss just missing out on toppling Labour calyx multimedia

Overall Swindon followed the national trend by giving a Labour a shock at the polls that no one really expected, although Tony Blair became their party's only three-time winner with an eventual majority of just under 70 seats - down over 100 from the last election.

One disappointing statistic on the night was the turnout, which was barely up on four years ago.

In North Swindon 61.82% of those eligible had their say (61.15% in 2001).

 

In South Swindon 60.35% (61.14%). Both were below the national average.

The results in full:

 

Swindon North 2005

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Michael Wills	Labour	19,612	43.7
Justin Tomlinson	Conservative	17,041	38.0
Mike Evemy	Liberal Democrats	6,831	15.2
Robert Tingley	UKIP	998	2.2
Andy Newman	Socialist Unity	208	0.5
Ernie Reynolds	Independent	195	0.4

Labour Majority: 2571

Turnout: 61.82%

Swing from Labour to Conservative: 6.7%

 

Swindon South 2005

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Anne Snelgrove	Labour	17,534	40.3
Robert Buckland	Conservative	16,181	37.2
Sue Stebbings	Liberal Democrats	7,322	16.8
Bill Hughes	Green Party	1,234	2.8
Stephen Halden	UKIP	955	2.2
Ernie Reynolds	Independent	193	0.4
John Williams	Independent	53	0.1

 

Labour Majority: 1,353

Turnout: 60.35%

Swing from Labour to Conservative: 6.9%

General Election 2001 Results
Landslide for Labour

Swindon voters followed the national trend and re-elected Labour members in both the town's constituencies.

Michael Wills was re-elected as the member of parliament for Swindon North, while Julia Drown won in Swindon South.

The two constituencies recorded identical turnouts of 61.0% - above the national average.

Swindon North 2001

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Michael Wills	Labour	22,371	52.7
Nick Martin	Conservative	14,266	33.7
David Nation	Liberal Democrats	6,891	11.6
Brian Lloyd	UKIP	998	1.9

 

Labour Majority: 8105

Turnout: 61.0%

Swing from Conservative to Labour: 1.6%

Swindon South 2001

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Julia Drown	Labour	22,260	51.3
Simon Coombs	Conservative	14,919	34.4
Geoff Brewer	Liberal Democrats	5,165	11.9
Vicky Sharp	UKIP	713	1.6
Rory Gillard	Rock Loony	327	0.8

Labour Majority: 7341

Turnout: 61.0%

Swing from Conservative to Labour: 3.0%

 

General Election 1997 Results
Swindon swaps blue for red and elects Blair

In a big swing from the Conservatives, both Swindon constituencies voted overwelming for the two Labour candidates as Tony Blair won a landslide across the UK.

New Labour: Julia Drown and Michael Wills calyx multimedia

Michael Wills was elected for the first time as the member of parliament for Swindon North, with Julia Drown as the new Labour MP for Swindon South.

 

The pair joined 416 other Labour MPs in an overall Commons majority for Tony Blair of 179.

 

The result signalled the end of Simon Coombs, who had been Swindon's Conservative MP since 1983.

Swindon North 1997

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Michael Wills	Labour	24,029	49.8
Guy Opperman	Conservative	16,341	33.9
Mike Evemy	Liberal Democrats	6,237	12.9

 

Labour Majority: 7,688

Turnout: 48,270 (73.66%)

Swindon South 1997

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Julia Drown	Labour	23,943	46.8
Simon Coombs	Conservative	18,298	35.8
Stan Pajak	Liberal Democrats	7,371	14.4

 

Labour Majority: 5,645

Turnout: 51,162 (72.87%)

Boundary Change 1995

Simon Coombs Swindon MP 1983-97

1995 saw big changes in the Swindon political map with the constituency being split in two, North Swindon and South Swindon (as above).

This was due to the planned Northern Development in the town that would swell the already overly large constituency of 90,000 (20,000 above the national average) to well over 120,000, and to simplify the constituency borders, which until the boundary change included anomalies such as Highworth still being part of the Devizes constituency.

Swindon 1992

Coombs wins for third time

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Simon Coombs	Conservative	31,749	43.3
Jim D'Avila	Labour	28,923	39.4
S.R. Gordon	Liberal Democrats	11,737	16.0

 

Conservative Majority: 2,826

Turnout: 73,405 (81.5%)

Swindon 1987

Swindon stays blue

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Simon Coombs	Conservative	29,385	43.8
Ms. J.G. Gordon	Labour	24,528	36.6
D.J. Scott	Liberal Democrats	13,114	19.6

 

Conservative Majority: 4,857

Turnout: 67,024 (77.8%)

Swindon 1983

End of Stoddart Era

Lord Stoddart Swindon MP 1970-83

The narrow 1983 election defeat of the then MP for Swindon, David Stoddart, who had represented the town in the Houses of Parliament since 1970 (and post-defeat elevated to the House of Lords as Lord of Swindon in 1983), saw a sea change in Swindon's political allegiance, which until that time had been seen as a Labour stronghold.

 

It also saw the start of three consecutive Tory victories by Simon Coombs.

 

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Simon Coombs	Conservative	24,528	39.2
D.L. Stoddart	Labour	22,310	36.6
S.R. Gordon	Liberal Democrats	13,743	24.1

 

Conservative Majority: 1,395

Turnout: 56,933 (74.1%)

Swindon 1979

Swindon defies the country as Thatcher comes to power

 

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
D.L. Stoddart	Labour	25,218	50.19
N Hammond	Conservative	19,319	38.45
G. Collis	Liberal	5,709	11.36

 

Labour Majority: 5,899

Turnout: 65,761 (76.41%)

 

Short Stay

Interestingly, the man who preceeded Lord Stoddart as MP for Swindon was Conservative, Christopher Ward, who lost the general election on the 18th June 1970 to Stoddart after serving only 231 days as the town's Member of Parliament following his by-election victory on 30th October 1969 (the 13th shortest term in history).