1982 General Elections

The 1982 general elections in the United Kingdom were held on June 9, following prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party victory in 1979. The election was triggered by a vote of no confidence in Thatcher’s government, leading to a new mandate. The Conservatives increased their majority, securing 369 of the 635 seats in the House of Commons. The Labour Party and the Liberal Party both lost seats. These elections reinforced Thatcher’s economic policies, including privatization and reducing trade union power, shaping UK politics throughout the 1980s.