European Parliament election, 2004 (UK)
Encyclopedia
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 MEP
s from 3 to 12, pushing the Liberal Democrats, who increased their representation from 10 to 12 seats, 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)
.
Source: BBC
Northern Ireland only:
Scotland only:
Wales only:
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
. It was held on 10 June. It was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
using postal-only voting in four areas. It coincided with local and London elections.
The Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
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
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
.
The United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
did exceptionally well, and managed to increase its number of MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
s from 3 to 12, pushing the Liberal Democrats, who increased their representation from 10 to 12 seats, 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
Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Michael Kilroy-Silk is an English former politician, former independent Member of the European Parliament, and former television presenter, best known for his daytime talk show Kilroy. He has been a university lecturer and Labour Party Member of Parliament...
as a candidate. The actress Joan Collins
Joan Collins
Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
also became a member and announced her support for the party.
Other minor parties also posted vote gains.
In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, as expected, Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
beat the SDLP
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
in the polls and took its first Northern Ireland seat. This coincided with its winning a seat in the corresponding elections
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
in the Republic
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
voted for the first time, as part of the South West England region
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
. The Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
won overwhelming support there on a higher than average turnout. For full results, see European Parliament Election, 2004 (Gibraltar)
European Parliament election, 2004 (Gibraltar)
Gibraltar's first participation in the elections to the European Parliament were held on 10 June 2004 as part of Europe-wide elections. Although part of the European Union, Gibraltar had never before voted in European Parliamentary elections, in part due to its small electorate of just over 20,000...
.
England, Scotland and Wales
- Turnout for all the regions was 37.6% on an electorate of 45,309,760.
Source: BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
| Party | Votes | % | Change | Seats | Change | Seats % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,397,090 | 26.7 | -9.0 | 27 | ||||
| 36.0 | |||||||
| 3,718,683 | 22.6 | -5.4 | 19 | -6 | 25.3 | ||
| 2,650,768 | 16.1 | +9.2 | 12 | +10 | 16.0 | ||
| 2,452,327 | 14.9 | +2.3 | 12 | +2 | 16.0 | ||
| 1,033,093 | 6.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 2.7 | ||
| 808,200 | 4.9 | +3.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 252,252 | 1.5 | +1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 231,505 | 1.4 | -1.3 | 2 | 0 | 2.7 | ||
| 159,888 | 1.0 | -0.9 | 1 | 0 | 1.3 | ||
| 130,056 | |||||||
| 96,325 | |||||||
| 79,695 | |||||||
| 61,356 | |||||||
| 56,771 | |||||||
| Senior Citizens Senior Citizens Party The Senior Citizens Party is a political party in the United Kingdom, which focuses on the rights of people over the age of 50. They claim a membership of several thousand people.... |
42,861 | ||||||
| 42,107 | |||||||
| Pensioners Pensioners Party (England) Pensioners Party is an English political party for pensioners. The leader is Roger Edwards.They have contested two European Parliament elections. In 2004, they stood in the West Midlands, receiving 33,501 votes... |
33,501 | ||||||
| 21,056 | |||||||
| 20,393 | |||||||
| 17,280 | |||||||
| 13,776 | |||||||
| 12,572 | |||||||
| Total | 17,028,947 | 100 | 75 | -2 | 100 | ||
- All parties with over 10,000 votes listed.
Northern Ireland
| European Parliament election 2004: Northern Ireland | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate(s) | Seats | Loss/Gain | First Preference Votes | ||
| Number | % of vote | |||||
| Jim Allister Jim Allister James Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist... |
1 | 0 | 175,761 | 31.9 | ||
| Bairbre de Brún Bairbre de Brún Bairbre de Brún is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing Northern Ireland.- Political work :... |
1 | 144,541 | 26.3 | |||
| Jim Nicholson Jim Nicholson (UK politician) James Frederick "Jim" Nicholson is a Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist Party politician, who is currently a Member of the European Parliament .-Career:... |
1 | 0 | 91,164 | 16.6 | ||
| Martin Morgan Martin Morgan Martin Morgan is a former Northern Irish politician for the Social Democratic and Labour Party .Married to Dympna, a double graduate from the Queen's University of Belfast and a qualified Master's Level Social Worker, Morgan was a political activist from his teenage years onwards.A former... |
0 | |||||
| 87,559 | 15.9 | |||||
| John Gilliland | 0 | 0 | 36,270 | 6.6 | ||
| Eamon McCann | 0 | 0 | 9,172 | 1.6 | ||
| Lindsay Whitcroft | 0 | 0 | 4,810 | 0.9 | ||
| Total | 549,277 | |||||
| Turnout | 51.7 | |||||
By constituency
See:- ScotlandScotland (European Parliament constituency)Scotland constitutes a single constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
- WalesWales (European Parliament constituency)Wales is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 4 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
- Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland (European Parliament constituency)Northern Ireland is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects three MEPs using the Single Transferable Vote, the only United Kingdom constituency to do so.- Members of the European Parliament :- 2009 :...
- North East EnglandNorth East England (European Parliament constituency)North East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 3 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
- North West EnglandNorth West England (European Parliament constituency)North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
- Yorkshire and the HumberYorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency)Yorkshire and the Humber is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
- West MidlandsWest Midlands (European Parliament constituency)West Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elected 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. The constituency will also elect a "virtual MEP" who will be able to sit in the Parliament if the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect...
- East MidlandsEast Midlands (European Parliament constituency)East Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 5 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
- South West EnglandSouth West England (European Parliament constituency)South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
- South East EnglandSouth East England (European Parliament constituency)South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 10 Members of the European Parliament using the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
- LondonLondon (European Parliament constituency)London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
- East of EnglandEast of England (European Parliament constituency)East of England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
Party Leaders in June 2004
- Conservative - Michael HowardMichael HowardMichael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
- Labour - Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
- UK Independence Party - Roger KnapmanRoger KnapmanRoger Maurice Knapman is a British politician and the former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party ....
- Liberal Democrat - Charles KennedyCharles KennedyCharles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
- Green Party Principal Speakers - Caroline LucasCaroline LucasCaroline Patricia Lucas is a British politician. Lucas is the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, and the Green Party's first and only Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom...
and Mike WoodinMike WoodinMichael Edward Woodin was the Principal Speaker of the Green Party of England and Wales and a city councillor for Oxford from 1994 to 2004... - Scottish National Party - John SwinneyJohn SwinneyJohn Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
- Democratic Unionist Party - Ian PaisleyIan PaisleyIan Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
- Plaid Cymru - Dafydd IwanDafydd IwanDafydd Iwan , is a Welsh folk singer and politician. He was the president of Plaid Cymru .Dafydd Iwan Jones was born in Brynaman in Carmarthenshire, Wales, and is the elder brother of politician Alun Ffred Jones. He spent most of his youth in Bala in Gwynedd before attending the University of...
and Ieuan Wyn JonesIeuan Wyn JonesIeuan Wyn Jones, AM is a Welsh politician, who was the Deputy First Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government from 2007 until 2011. Jones is the current leader of Plaid Cymru and Member of the National Assembly for Wales for the Ynys Môn constituency... - Sinn Féin - Gerry AdamsGerry AdamsGerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
- British National Party - Nick GriffinNick GriffinNicholas John "Nick" Griffin is a British politician, chairman of the British National Party and Member of the European Parliament for North West England....
- Ulster Unionist Party - David TrimbleDavid TrimbleWilliam David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC , is a politician from Northern Ireland. He served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party , was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland , and was a Member of the British Parliament . He is currently a life peer for the Conservative Party...
- Social Democratic and Labour Party - Mark DurkanMark DurkanMark Durkan is an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...
See also
- Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2004-2009Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2004-2009This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name.See European Parliament Election, 2004 for a list ordered by constituency.-Current members:...
(alphabetic order, can be sorted by constituency, party or party group)
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 (EDEuropean DemocratsThe European Democrats was a loose association of conservative political parties in Europe. It is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
) - 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 (EGPEuropean Green PartyThe European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
) - Labour document (PESParty of European SocialistsThe Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
) - Liberal Democrat manifesto (ELDR)
Northern Ireland only:
- Democratic Unionist Party manifesto (NINon-InscritsNon-Inscrits are Members of the European Parliament who do not sit in one of the recognized political groups....
- non-attached) - Sinn Féin
- Social Democratic and Labour Party manifesto (PESParty of European SocialistsThe Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
) - Socialist Environmental Alliance manifesto
- Ulster Unionist Party manifesto European manifesto (EDEuropean DemocratsThe European Democrats was a loose association of conservative political parties in Europe. It is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
)
Scotland only:
- Scottish National Party manifesto (EFAEuropean Free AllianceThe European Free Alliance is a European political party. It consists of various national-level political parties in Europe which advocate either full political independence , or some form of devolution or self-governance for their country or region...
)
Wales only:
- Plaid Cymru / The Party of Wales Manifesto (EFAEuropean Free AllianceThe European Free Alliance is a European political party. It consists of various national-level political parties in Europe which advocate either full political independence , or some form of devolution or self-governance for their country or region...
)