On This Day

08 October 1959

Polling day in the 1959 general election

The Conservatives lead by Harold Macmillan increased their majority in the House of Commons to 100. For the Liberals led by their new leader Jo Grimond the election represented a modest improvement in its fortunes. The party increased its share of the vote by 3.2% and polled over 1.6 million votes. The number of Liberal MPs remained at 6. The party lost its 1958 by-election gain at Torrington and failed to recapture Carmarthen which had been lost in a by-election in 1957. The party did make a breakthrough in Devon North where Jeremy Thorpe gained the seat with a majority of 362.