1918 UK general election

United Kingdom general election, 1918

← Dec 1910 14 December 1918 1922 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 707 seats in the House of Commons 354 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	57.2%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Bonar Law David Lloyd George Éamon de Valera Party Conservative Coalition Liberal Sinn Féin Leader since 1911 7 December 1916 1917 Leader's seat Glasgow Central Caernarvon Boroughs East Mayo Last election 271 seats, 46.6 Did not contest Did not contest Seats won 382 127 73 Seat change 111 127 73 Popular vote 4,003,848 1,396,590 476,458 Percentage 38.4% 13.4% 4.6% Swing 8.2% New party New party   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader William Adamson H. H. Asquith George Barnes Party Labour Liberal National Democratic Leader since 24 October 1917 30 April 1908 1918 Leader's seat West Fife East Fife (defeated) Glasgow Gorbals Last election 42 seats, 6.4% 272 seats, 44.2% Did not contest Seats won 57 36 9 Seat change 15 236 9 Popular vote 2,171,230 1,355,398 156,834 Percentage 20.8% 13.0% 1.3% Swing 14.5% 31.2% New party
Prime Minister before election David Lloyd George Coalition Liberal Appointed Prime Minister David Lloyd George Coalition Liberal

David Lloyd George
Coalition Liberal

David Lloyd George
Coalition Liberal

The 1918 United Kingdom general election was called immediately after the Armistice with Germany which ended the First World War, and was held on Saturday 14 December 1918. It was the first general election to be held on a single day, although the vote count did not take place until 28 December due to the time taken to transport votes from soldiers serving overseas.

It resulted in a landslide victory for the coalition government of David Lloyd George, who had replaced H. H. Asquith as Prime Minister in December 1916 during the war.

It was the first general election to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918. It was thus the first election in which women over the age of 30, and all men over the age of 21, could vote. Previously, all women and many poor men had been excluded from voting.

The election was also noted for the dramatic result in Ireland, which showed clear disapproval of government policy. The Irish Parliamentary Party were almost completely wiped out by the hardline Sinn Féin republicans, who refused to take their seats in Westminster, instead sitting in the First Dáil. The Irish War of Independence began soon after the election.

Lloyd George's coalition government was supported by the majority of the Liberals and Bonar Law's Conservatives. However, the election saw a split in the Liberal Party between those who were aligned with Lloyd George and the government and those who were aligned with Asquith, the party's official leader.

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