United Kingdom European Parliament election records

This is an annotated list of notable records from United Kingdomelections to the European Parliament.

Since the first election in 1979, EP elections in Great Britain have used two very different electoral systems.

From 1979 until 1994, elections were conducted using first past the post (FPTP), with Great Britain divided into numerous single member constituencies. Since 1999 however, mainland elections have used the d’Hondt method of proportional representation (PR), with 11 multi-member constituencies corresponding to Scotland, Wales and the regions of England. Northern Ireland has always used the single transferable vote system.

As a result, comparisons between these two types elections are problematic, and the voting system will be noted by each record.

. . . United Kingdom European Parliament election records . . .

Swing between the largest party at the previous election and the largest party at the next, or the second-largest party if there was no change.

• 2019 election (PR) – 27.0% swing from UKIP to Brexit¹
• 1999 election (PR) – 11.5% swing from Labour to Conservative²
• 2014 election (PR) – 7.5% swing from Conservative to UKIP
• 1984 election (FPTP) – 6.4% swing from Conservative to Labour
• 1994 election (FPTP) – 5.3% swing from Conservative to Labour
• 1989 election (FPTP) – 4.5% swing from Conservative to Labour
• 2009 election (PR) – 3.8% swing from Labour to Conservative
• 2004 election (PR) – 1.6% swing from Conservative to Labour

• 1999 election (PR) – 11.5% swing from Labour to Conservative²
• 2014 election (PR) – 6.8% swing from Conservative to Labour³
• 1984 election (FPTP) – 6.4% swing from Conservative to Labour
• 1989 election (FPTP) – 5.3% swing from Conservative to Labour
• 1989 election (FPTP) – 4.5% swing from Conservative to Labour
• 2009 election (PR) – 3.8% swing from Labour to Conservative³
• 2019 election (PR) – 2.2% swing from Conservative to Labour³
• 2004 election (PR) – 1.6% swing from Conservative to Labour

¹ A majority of UKIP MEPs defected to the Brexit Party over the course of the 2014-2019 Parliament, and both UKIP in 2014 and the Brexit Party in 2019 were led by Nigel Farage.
² The first election held under PR, swing is compared to previous FPTP election
³ At least one major party was not in the top two

• 2019 election (PR): UKIP, -23.4%
• 1999 election (PR): Labour, -16.4%¹
• 2019 election (PR): Conservatives, -15.1%
• 1989 election (FPTP) Liberal Democrats, -12.6%
• 1994 election (FPTP) Green Party of England and Wales, -11.5%²
• 2019 election (PR): Labour, -10.8%

¹ The first election held under PR, fall is compared to previous FPTP election
² Compared to the UK Green Party in 1989

. . . United Kingdom European Parliament election records . . .

. . . United Kingdom European Parliament election records . . .