Meanwhile, in 326 constituencies - including all 57 in Scotland and 24 of 32 in Wales - a third-party or independent candidate either won or came in second (in eight constituencies both Labour and the Conservatives were out of the top two): 2/

Thus in half of Great Britain Labour and the Conservatives polled together just over two-thirds of the vote last July 4, but in the other half their combined share fell to just below 51% - and the Tories finished third seat-wise, well behind the Liberal Democrats. /END