Why did Labour lose badly in 2019?

Labour's 2019 defeat resulted from Jeremy Corbyn's net approval of -40% during the campaign, the party's Brexit ambiguity which alienated both Remain and Leave voters, concentrated loss of Red Wall seats in the Midlands and North, and a squeeze from the Liberal Democrats on Remain voters in urban areas. It was the party's worst general election result since 1935.

How does the 2019 result compare to 2024?

The 2019-to-2024 swing was one of the most dramatic in British electoral history. The Conservatives fell from 365 seats and 43.6% to 121 seats and 23.7% — a loss of 244 seats and 20 percentage points in just five years. Labour rose from 202 to 412 seats but only from 32.2% to 33.7% nationally, demonstrating how FPTP can produce massive seat swings from small vote share changes when the opposition is fragmented.

General Election 2019

UK General Election 2019 — Full Results

Q: What was the result of the 2019 UK General Election?

Boris Johnson led the Conservatives to a landslide majority of 80 seats at the December 2019 General Election. The Conservatives won 365 seats with 43.6% of the vote. Labour under Jeremy Corbyn suffered their worst result since 1935, winning only 202 seats with 32.2%. The election was defined by the Brexit divide — the Conservatives winning back Leave-supporting seats with the Get Brexit Done message.

Q: Which Red Wall seats fell to the Conservatives in 2019?

Dozens of long-held Labour northern and Midlands seats fell to the Conservatives in 2019 in what became known as the Red Wall collapse. Iconic examples included Blyth Valley (Labour since 1935), Workington (Labour since 1979), Bolsover (Labour since 1935, held by Dennis Skinner for 49 years), and Leigh (Labour since 1922). The loss of these seats — representing communities that felt economically abandoned and had voted heavily for Brexit in 2016 — was a defining moment. By 2024, most had reverted, reflecting temporary rather than permanent realignment.

12 December 2019: Boris Johnson wins 80-seat majority. Labour suffers worst result since 1935. The Brexit election reshapes the political map.

365

Conservative seats

202

Labour seats

+80

Con majority

12 Dec 2019

Polling day

650

Westminster seats

67.3%

National turnout

Brexit

Defining issue

Full Party Results

Party	Vote Share	Change vs 2017	Seats Won	Seats Change	2024 Change
Conservative	43.6%	+1.2%	365	+48	-244 by 2024
Labour	32.1%	-7.9%	202	-60	+210 by 2024
Lib Democrats	11.6%	+4.2%	11	-1	+61 by 2024
SNP	3.9%	+0.8%	48	+13	-39 by 2024
Greens	2.7%	+1.1%	1	0	+3 by 2024
Brexit Party	2.0%	New	0	0	Party dissolved
Plaid Cymru	1.0%	0.0%	4	0	0 by 2024
Ind/Others	3.1%	n/a	19	n/a	n/a

Source: Electoral Commission. UKIP ran candidates but won 0 seats. Brexit Party stood down in Conservative-held seats.

Vote Share 2019

The Brexit Election: Key Context

"Get Brexit Done"

Boris Johnson fought the entire election on three words: "Get Brexit Done." After three years of parliamentary deadlock following the 2016 referendum, the slogan resonated with Leave voters who were frustrated with the failure to implement the referendum result. The message cut through — even in traditional Labour areas that had voted Leave in 2016.

The Red Wall Falls

Labour lost dozens of its traditional northern and Midlands heartland seats — the so-called "Red Wall" — to the Conservatives for the first time in generations. Seats like Blyth Valley, Workington, Bishop Auckland and Bolsover, held by Labour for over 50 years, fell to Conservative candidates. The collapse reflected long-term demographic and cultural changes that Brexit crystallised.

Corbyn Factor

Jeremy Corbyn's Labour ran on an ambitious manifesto including renationalisation, a four-day working week and significant tax rises. While popular with the party membership, polling consistently showed Corbyn was deeply unpopular with the wider electorate. Labour's net personal rating for its leader was among the worst ever recorded for an opposition leader heading into an election.

Brexit Party Stand-Down

The Brexit Party, which had polled up to 25% in 2019 European elections, stood down candidates in all Conservative-held seats. This strategic decision, made by Nigel Farage, was controversial but ensured the pro-Brexit vote was not split in Conservative seats. Without this, the Conservative majority would likely have been smaller.

2019 vs 2024: The Conservative Collapse

From 365 seats to 121: the biggest Conservative collapse in history

Between 2019 and 2024, the Conservatives lost 244 seats — the largest loss of seats by a governing party in UK electoral history. The collapse was driven by multiple factors: the Partygate scandal, Boris Johnson's resignation, Liz Truss's disastrous 45-day premiership and the resulting economic turbulence, followed by Rishi Sunak's inability to recover the party's reputation for economic competence. By 2024, the Red Wall seats won in 2019 were lost again — this time mostly back to Labour rather than to the Brexit Party.

Party	2019 Seats	2024 Seats	Change	Key reason
Conservative	365	121	-244	Partygate, Truss crash, Reform split vote
Labour	202	412	+210	United opposition; FPTP magnified vote
Lib Democrats	11	72	+61	Tactical voting in southern seats
Reform UK	0	5	+5	Replaced Brexit Party; split Con vote
SNP	48	9	-39	Internal scandals; Scottish Lab recovery
Greens	1	4	+3	Younger voters; Labour left disenchanted

Regional Picture 2019

Region	Con	Lab	LD	SNP	Notable shift vs 2017
London	21	49	7	0	Lab held city; Con took marginals
South East	57	3	1	0	Con fortress; LD squeezed
South West	51	2	3	0	Con landslide; LD lost ground
East of England	51	5	1	0	Strong Con; Lab held cities only
East Midlands	34	12	0	0	Several Lab Red Wall seats fell
West Midlands	36	13	0	0	Red Wall seats including Workington
Yorkshire & Humber	21	21	0	0	Near parity; Lab marginals fell
North West	25	41	0	0	Some Red Wall; Lab held cities
North East	10	19	0	0	Several seats fell to Con
Scotland	13	1	4	48	SNP dominant; Con held northeast
Wales	6	22	0	0	Lab dominant; Con rural gains
N. Ireland	0	0	0	0	NI parties; DUP 8 seats

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the result of the 2019 UK General Election?

Boris Johnson led the Conservatives to an 80-seat majority at the December 2019 General Election, winning 365 seats with 43.6% of the vote. Labour under Jeremy Corbyn suffered their worst result since 1935, winning only 202 seats with 32.1%. The election was defined by the Brexit divide — the Conservatives winning back Leave-supporting Red Wall seats across the Midlands and North with the Get Brexit Done message, while the Brexit Party stood down in Conservative-held constituencies.

Why did Labour lose so badly in the 2019 election?

Labour's 2019 defeat resulted from several compounding factors: Jeremy Corbyn's net approval of around -40% during the campaign; the party's Brexit ambiguity which alienated both Remain voters (who preferred the Lib Dems) and Leave voters; the concentrated loss of Red Wall seats in the Midlands and North; and a manifesto seen as too radical by swing voters. The anti-semitism crisis under Corbyn's leadership also damaged the party's credibility. It was Labour's worst General Election result since 1935.

How does the 2019 result compare to the 2024 General Election?

The 2019-to-2024 swing was one of the most dramatic in British electoral history. The Conservatives fell from 365 seats and 43.6% to 121 seats and 23.7% — a loss of 244 seats. Labour rose from 202 to 412 seats but only from 32.1% to 33.7% nationally, demonstrating how FPTP can produce massive seat swings from small vote share changes when the opposition is fragmented. The Lib Democrats went from 11 to 72 seats, largely from a tactical Blue Wall strategy in southern England.

Which Red Wall seats fell to the Conservatives in 2019?

Dozens of long-held Labour heartland seats fell to the Conservatives in the Red Wall collapse. Iconic examples include Blyth Valley (Labour since 1935), Workington (Labour since 1979), Bolsover (Labour since 1935 — held by Dennis Skinner for 49 years), and Leigh (Labour since 1922). Bishop Auckland, Bassetlaw, Rother Valley and Sedgefield also fell. The losses reflected cultural and demographic changes crystallised by Brexit. By 2024, most Red Wall seats had reverted to Labour — suggesting a temporary rather than permanent realignment.

What role did Brexit play in the 2019 election?

Brexit was the central fault line of the 2019 election. Boris Johnson's Get Brexit Done message united Leave voters across traditional party lines, attracting former UKIP supporters, Brexit Party sympathisers and Labour Leave voters particularly in northern England. The Brexit Party's decision to stand down candidates in all Conservative-held seats — a strategic call by Nigel Farage — prevented the right-of-centre vote being split. Labour's promise of a second referendum while remaining neutral on the outcome satisfied neither Remain nor Leave voters.

What is the lasting legacy of the 2019 Conservative majority?

The 2019 majority delivered Brexit — the Withdrawal Agreement passed in January 2020 and the UK formally left the EU's single market at year's end. Johnson used the mandate to fund NHS commitments, launch the levelling up agenda and lead the pandemic response in 2020-21, including the successful vaccine rollout. However, the Partygate scandal, Johnson's resignation, Liz Truss's disastrous 45-day premiership and the resulting economic turbulence demonstrated how rapidly even an 80-seat majority can be politically consumed. By 2024, the Conservatives had lost all of it.

Sources & Further Reading

Official 2019 results data is available from the House of Commons Library: 2019 General Election statistics. See also the 2024 results and our analysis of how far the Conservatives fell between these two elections on our Conservative polling tracker.