The 1996 general election was to see a conservative landslide, the first conservative victory since 1979. Labour won its lowest share of the vote since 1933,
| First Party | Second Party | Third Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 | |
| Name | Michael Portillo | Neil Kinnock | Paddy Ashdown |
| Party | Conservative | Labour | Liberal |
| Last Election | |||
| Seats Won | |||
| Seat Change | |||
The Conservative party policy of campaigning heavily in the seats held by cabinet members paid off, with Tony Blair, Robin Cook and Gordon Brown being defeated.
Conservative Campaign[]
The conservative campaign was coordinated by Amanda Platell, Portillo's media adviser.
Labour Campaign[]
The labour campaign was largely centred around portraying the conservatives as an incompetant political party, reminding voters of the lamentable performance of the Whitelaw government.