1979 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom information
7 June 1979 election that was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom
1979 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom
7 June 1979
1984 →
← outgoing members
elected members →
81 seats to the European Parliament
Turnout
32.4%
First party
Second party
Leader
James Scott-Hopkins
Barbara Castle
Party
Conservative
Labour
Alliance
ED
PES
Leader's seat
Hereford and Worcester
Greater Manchester North
Seats won
60
17
Popular vote
6,508,492
4,253,247
Percentage
48.4%
31.6%
Part of a series of articles on
UK membership of the European Union (1973–2020)
Accession
Treaty of Accession 1972
1972 EC Act
1973 enlargement of the EC
1975 referendum
Referendum Act (results)
Treaty amendments
Single European Act, 1986
(UK ratification)
Maastricht Treaty, 1992
(UK ratification)
Treaty of Amsterdam, 1997
(UK ratification)
Treaty of Nice, 2001
(UK ratification)
Treaty of Lisbon, 2007
(UK ratification)
Related:
2011 UK Act on new EU Treaty amendments
EU-related British Acts
Proposed European Constitution referendum
European Union Bill 2004–2005
MEPs for UK constituencies
Members 1973–1979
(elected by parliament)
Members 1979–1984
(1979 election)
Members 1984–1989
(1984 election)
Members 1989–1994
(1989 election)
Members 1994–1999
(1994 election)
Members 1999–2004
(1999 election)
Members 2004–2009
(2004 election)
Members 2009–2014
(2009 election)
Members 2014–2019
(2014 election)
Members 2019–2020
(2019 election)
Women
Officials and bodies
House of Lords EU Committee
House of Commons EU Committee
Permanent EU Representatives for UK
Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels
EU Representative in London
UK European Commissioners
Department for Exiting the European Union
Issues and events
Economy
The Euro
Black Wednesday
UK budget rebate
Nationality law
Euroscepticism in the UK
United Kingdom opt-outs from EU legislation
Maastricht Rebels
Balance of Competences Review
Withdrawal
2015 UK general election
2015–2016 membership renegotiation
2016 EU membership referendum
Vote Leave
Britain Stronger in Europe
Notification of withdrawal
2017 UK general election
Brexit negotiations
Impact of Brexit
Future relationship
Withdrawal agreement
No-deal Brexit
Impact on Irish border
Northern Ireland Protocol
Parliamentary votes
Proposed second referendum
2019 UK general election
EU portal
UK portal
v
t
e
The 1979 European Parliament election, was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom after the European Communities (EC) decided to directly elect representatives to the European Parliament. It was held on 7 June. Elections were also held in eight other EC states. European elections were incorporated into UK law by the European Assembly Elections Act 1978. Out of the 410 members of the European Parliament, 81 were elected from the UK. The electoral system was First past the post in England, Scotland and Wales (electing 78 MEPs in total) and Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland (electing 3 MEPs).
The result was a landslide victory for the Conservative Party, which won 60 of the 78 seats available in England, Wales and Scotland. Their decisive victory in the general election of the previous month and divisions within the Labour party on whether to stay in the EC probably helped the Conservatives to such a comprehensive victory. There was a very low turnout in the election compared with other states, the lowest in Europe. Voter apathy was an explanation, but it is likely the large number of elections in 1979 had a significant negative effect on turnout. There were referendums in Scotland and Wales on devolution in March and the general election in May, as well as local elections in England (not including London) and Wales.
and 24 Related for: 1979 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom information
The1979EuropeanParliamentelection was a series of parliamentary elections held across all 9 (at the time) European Community member states. They were...
The 2009 EuropeanParliamentelection was theUnitedKingdom's component of the 2009 EuropeanParliamentelection, the voting for which was held on Thursday...
The 2014 EuropeanParliamentelection was theUnitedKingdom's component of the 2014 EuropeanParliamentelection, held on Thursday 22 May 2014, coinciding...
The1979UnitedKingdom general election was held on Thursday 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret...
TheParliament of theUnitedKingdom currently has 650 parliamentary constituencies across the constituent countries (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern...
across the whole of theUnitedKingdom, the first, in 1975, on the issue of continued membership of theEuropean Communities (EC), resulted inthe UK remaining...
of Parliament (MPs) elected inthe1979 general election, held on 3 May. This Parliament was dissolved in 1983. Parliament, which consists of the House...
five types of electionsintheUnitedKingdom: elections to the House of Commons of theUnitedKingdom (commonly called 'general elections' when all seats...
The 1970 UnitedKingdom general election was held on Thursday 18 June 1970. It resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader...
The October 1974 UnitedKingdom general election took place on Thursday 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members of the House of Commons. It was the second...
The February 1974 UnitedKingdom general election was held on Thursday 28 February 1974. The Labour Party, led by Leader of the Opposition and former...
The 2019 UnitedKingdom general election was held on Thursday 12 December 2019 with 47,074,800 registered voters entitled to vote to elect members of the...
The 2004 EuropeanParliamentelection was held between 10 and 13 June 2004 inthe 25 member states of theEuropean Union, using varying election days according...
IntheUnitedKingdom, general elections occur at least every five years. About 650 constituencies return a member of Parliament. Prior to 1945, electoral...
Elections to theEuropeanParliament take place every five years by universal adult suffrage; with more than 400 million people eligible to vote, they...