How many votes did Labour get in 2024?

On election night in 2024, the headlines celebrated a Labour landslide. Crowds cheered, pundits predicted a bold new direction, and the idea of a strong majority government dominated the conversation. But as the confetti settled, a quieter question lingered: how many people actually voted for Labour, and what does that mean for the stability of the government?

Labour secured 9,708,816 votes, just 33.7 % of the national vote. Yet it ended up with 411 out of 650 seats in the House of Commons, roughly 63 % of the seats. That sharp gap between vote share and seat share is at the heart of a problem that First Past the Post (FPTP) consistently produces: a government can look commanding in numbers, while its actual support among voters is far more limited.

How a third of the vote became two-thirds of the seats

First Past the Post rewards efficiency in winning constituencies rather than overall support. Labour’s votes were concentrated in areas where they could turn narrow victories into seats, while support for other parties was often spread too thinly to translate into representation. Winning by a single vote in a constituency counts just as much as winning by thousands.

The result is a system that can exaggerate majorities. Labour’s 33.7 % vote share became a commanding parliamentary majority, even though two-thirds of the electorate did not vote for the party. That mismatch has consequences that go far beyond numbers.

A shaky foundation for government

A majority in Parliament may look impressive on paper, but it can conceal a fragile reality. The government’s mandate rests on a relatively small proportion of voters. Like a castle built on sand, the structure appears solid but is prone to instability.

Every policy decision risks testing the limits of that narrow support. Small shifts in voter opinion, by-election losses, or political missteps could quickly erode the majority. The underlying fragility helps explain why this government, despite its “landslide,” faces ongoing uncertainty and pressure.

Building a fairer and more stable system

Keeping a system that ensures parliament doesn’t reflect the country’s wishes is a political choice. And, it’s not like we need to look that far for the solution, as none of the devolved legislatures in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland have this issue. They have all used proportional representation for decades.

Proportional representation would align seats in Parliament more closely with the votes cast. A party winning 33.7 % of the vote would receive roughly the same share of seats, giving every voter a voice and ensuring majorities reflect genuine support.

Proportional systems prevent artificial majorities built on quirks of geography and vote distribution. What should matter is how popular a party is, not where those voters live.

Labour’s 2024 victory may look impressive in the seat count, but beneath that façade lies a fragile foundation. If democracy is to be both representative and stable, it is time for proportional representation in the UK – a system that builds on rock, not sand.

Add your name to our call for fair, proportional elections in Westminster