European Parliament election, 2004 (United Kingdom)

United Kingdom European Parliament election, 2004

1999 ← 10 June 2004 → 2009

All 78 seats from the United Kingdom to the European Parliament   First party Second party   Leader Michael Howard Tony Blair Party Conservative Labour Alliance EPP–ED PES Leader since 6 November 2003 21 July 1994 Last election 36 seats, 35.77% 29 seats, 28.03% Seats won 27 19 Seat change 8 6 Popular vote 4,397,090 3,718,683 Percentage 26.7% 22.6% Swing 9% 5.4%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Roger Knapman Charles Kennedy Party UKIP Liberal Democrat Alliance ID ALDE Leader since 2002 9 August 1999 Last election 3 seats, 6.96% 10 seats, 11.9% Seats won 12 12 Seat change 10 2 Popular vote 2,650,768 2,452,327 Percentage 16.1% 14.9% Swing 9.2 2.3%

The European Parliament election, 2004 was the UK part of the European Parliament election, 2004. It was held on 10 June. It was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom using postal-only voting in four areas. It coincided with local and London elections.

The Conservative Party and the Labour Party both polled poorly. The Conservatives, although getting a vote share 4.1% greater than Labour, still experienced their lowest vote share in a national election since 1832. Labour's vote share was its lowest since 1918. Labour's decline in votes was regarded as being largely due to widespread public dissatisfaction about the Iraq War and, as with the Conservatives, the increased popularity of the United Kingdom Independence Party.

The United Kingdom Independence Party did exceptionally well, and managed to increase its number of MEPs from 3 to 12, drawing level with the Liberal Democrats, who increased their representation from 10 to 12 seats, and pushing them into fourth place in the overall vote. UKIP received a very large increase in media coverage before the elections, partly because of the appointment of Robert Kilroy-Silk as a candidate. The actress Joan Collins also became a member and announced her support for the party.

Other minor parties also posted vote gains.

In Northern Ireland, as expected, Sinn Féin beat the SDLP in the polls and took its first Northern Ireland seat. This coincided with its winning a seat in the corresponding elections in the Republic.

Gibraltar voted for the first time, as part of the South West England region. The Conservative Party won overwhelming support there on a higher than average turnout. For full results, see European Parliament Election, 2004 (Gibraltar).

England, Scotland and Wales

• Turnout for all the regions was 37.6% on an electorate of 45,309,760.

Source: BBC

European Parliament election, 2004 (United Kingdom election results)

All parties with over 10,000 votes listed.

Northern Ireland

By constituency

See:

• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland
• North East England
• North West England
• Yorkshire and the Humber
• West Midlands
• East Midlands
• South West England
• South East England
• London
• East of England

MEPs defeated

Labour

• David Bowe (Yorkshire and the Humber)
• Mo O'Toole (North East England)
• Brian Simpson (North West England)
• Bill Miller (Scotland)
• Mark F. Watts (South East England)

Conservative

• Jacqueline Foster (North West England)
• Roy Perry (South East England)
• Ian Twinn (London)

Plaid Cymru

• Eurig Wyn (Wales)

Party Leaders in June 2004

• Conservative – Michael Howard
• Labour – Tony Blair
• UK Independence Party – Roger Knapman
• Liberal Democrat – Charles Kennedy
• Green Party Principal Speakers – Caroline Lucas and Mike Woodin
• Scottish National Party – John Swinney
• Democratic Unionist Party – Ian Paisley
• Plaid Cymru – Dafydd Iwan and Ieuan Wyn Jones
• Sinn Féin – Gerry Adams
• British National Party – Nick Griffin
• Ulster Unionist Party – David Trimble
• Social Democratic and Labour Party – Mark Durkan

See also

• Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2004-2009 (alphabetic order, can be sorted by constituency, party or party group)

References

External links

Source

• BBC News: Vote 2004

Other guides

• European Election News by European Election Law Association (Eurela)
• Guide and results at the UK Office of the European Parliament
• Guide and links Richard Kimber's at Political Science Resources

Manifestos and documents

• Guardian (newspaper): incomplete collection of manifestos
• Conservative manifesto (ED)
• European Greens manifesto; Successes of the Greens in the European Parliament; A Green Contract for Europe; European Election Manifesto: Green Party of England and Wales Manifesto: Northern Ireland (EGP)
• Labour document (PES)
• Liberal Democrat manifesto (ELDR)

Northern Ireland only:

• Democratic Unionist Party manifesto (NI – non-attached)
• Sinn Féin
• Social Democratic and Labour Party manifesto (PES)
• Socialist Environmental Alliance manifesto
• Ulster Unionist Party manifesto European manifesto (ED)

Scotland only:

• Scottish National Party manifesto (EFA)

Wales only:

• Plaid Cymru / The Party of Wales Manifesto (EFA)

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