UK General Election 2017 — Full Results
8 June 2017: Theresa May's gamble fails. Labour surges to 40% under Corbyn. No overall majority — Conservatives form minority government with DUP confidence and supply.
Full Party Results
| Party | Vote Share | Change vs 2015 | Seats Won | Seats Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 42.4% | +5.5% | 317 | +12 |
| Labour | 40.0% | +9.6% | 262 | +30 |
| SNP | 3.0% | -1.7% | 35 | -6 |
| Lib Democrats | 7.4% | +0.5% | 12 | +4 |
| DUP | 0.9% | +0.3% | 10 | +2 |
| Sinn Fein | 0.7% | +0.1% | 7 | +3 |
| Plaid Cymru | 0.5% | +0.1% | 4 | 0 |
| Greens | 1.6% | -2.0% | 1 | -1 |
| UKIP | 1.8% | -10.8% | 0 | -1 |
| Others | 1.7% | n/a | 3 | n/a |
Source: Electoral Commission. UKIP collapsed to 1.8% — their 2015 vote went primarily to Conservatives.
The Corbyn Surge: How Did It Happen?
The campaign transformation
At the start of the campaign, polls gave the Conservatives a 20+ point lead. Theresa May refused to debate Corbyn directly. Labour's manifesto — which included free university tuition, renationalisation and rent controls — was costed and popular with younger voters. Corbyn proved an effective campaign trail performer, drawing large crowds in unexpected places.
Youth turnout surge
There was a significant increase in youth registration and turnout in 2017, driven partly by Jeremy Corbyn's appeal and the policy on tuition fees. Universities and urban areas saw some of the largest swings to Labour, with seats like Canterbury — held by Conservatives since 1918 — falling to Labour. Estimates suggest 18–24 year old turnout increased by around 10 percentage points.
May's catastrophic manifesto
The Conservative manifesto contained a proposal for social care reform — quickly dubbed the "Dementia Tax" — that would require elderly homeowners to sell their properties to fund care costs. The backlash was immediate and significant, forcing a U-turn within days. The episode undermined May's core message of "strong and stable" leadership and is widely seen as a pivotal moment in the campaign's collapse.
UKIP's collapse helps both parties
UKIP fell from 12.6% in 2015 to just 1.8% in 2017 — a collapse of over 10 points. Crucially, the UKIP vote split both ways: Leave-identifying UKIP voters in Labour heartlands moved to the Conservatives (helping May in Wales and the North), while others moved back to Labour. The net effect was smaller than many expected, leaving both main parties with substantial vote totals.
The Near-Hung Parliament
55 seats: the gap between government and the edge of power
Theresa May entered the election with 330 seats and a small majority. She won 317 — 9 fewer. Labour gained 30 seats. The result left no party with the 326 needed for an outright majority. May formed a minority government supported by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) through a confidence and supply agreement, paying the DUP £1 billion in additional spending for Northern Ireland in exchange for their 10 votes. The arrangement was deeply unpopular and contributed to the instability that defined the 2017–2019 Parliament.
2017 vs 2019: Labour's Collapse
From near-victory to worst result since 1935 — in two years
Labour's 40% vote and 262 seats in 2017 represented a significant achievement for Corbyn. By 2019, that had collapsed to 32.1% and 202 seats — a loss of 60 seats. The key changes: Brexit crystallised cultural and political divides, Labour's confused Brexit position alienated both Remain and Leave voters, and the Conservatives under Boris Johnson had a clear, simple message. The anti-semitism crisis and Corbyn's net approval rating — deeply negative by 2019 — were also significant factors. It remains one of the most dramatic two-election swings in modern British political history.
| Party | 2017 Vote | 2019 Vote | Vote Change | 2017 Seats | 2019 Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 42.4% | 43.6% | +1.2% | 317 | 365 |
| Labour | 40.0% | 32.1% | -7.9% | 262 | 202 |
| Lib Dems | 7.4% | 11.6% | +4.2% | 12 | 11 |
| SNP | 3.0% | 3.9% | +0.9% | 35 | 48 |
| UKIP/Brexit | 1.8% | 2.0% | +0.2% | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 1.6% | 2.7% | +1.1% | 1 | 1 |