United Kingdom general election, 1911 (German Heritage)

‹ 1910  1918 ›
United Kingdom General Election, 1911
670 Seats for Election 336 Seats needed for majority
3-11 May, 1911
		First party	Second party	Third party
Leader		Arthur Balfour	H.H. Asquith	Ramsay MacDonald
Party		Conservative Party	Liberal Party	Labour Party
Last election		272 Seats 46.8%	274 Seats 43.5%	40 Seats 7.0%
Seats won		380 / 670	120 / 270	90 / 670
Seat change		▲106	▼150	▲50
Percentage		47.7% ▲0.9 p.p.	40.6% ▼2.9 p.p.	12.1% ▲7.0 p.p.
		Fourth party	Fifth party
Leader		John Redmond	William O’Brien
Party		Irish Parliamentary Party	All-for-Ireland
Last election		74	8
Seats won		71 / 670	8 / 670
Seat change		▼3	No change
Percentage		1.5%	0.6%
File:1911 UK Parliament (GH).jpg
Prime Minister before election Arthur Balfour Conservative & Liberal Unionist Elected Prime Minister Arthur Balfour Conservative

The 1911 United Kingdom general election was held from 3 to 11 May, 1911. It was the last general election to be held over several days, the last to be held while Britain was still a monarchy, and the last to be held prior to World War I. The election yielded a victory for the Conservative Party, though the Labour Party also emerged as a powerful force in British politics, gaining 51 Seats on their previous electoral result.

After the collapse of the Liberal Government of H.H. Asquith in November 1910 surrounding George V’s refusal to appoint more liberal peers in the House of Lords, the Conservatives took office, though holding a parliamentary minority. On the 17th of April, Prime Minister Arthur Balfour dissolved parliament and called a snap election to take place in May.

The Conservative victory can, in part, be credited to the fall of the Gladstone–MacDonald Pact between the Liberal and Labour Parties rather than the popularity of the monarchy or government.