Frequently Asked Questions — Houghton and Sunderland South Constituency

Who won the Houghton and Sunderland South constituency election in 2005?

Labour held Houghton and Sunderland South constituency at the 5 May 2005 General Election. Labour won with a majority of 11,059 votes (36.0%). Turnout was 49.3%.

What does swing mean in UK elections?

Swing measures how much support has shifted between two parties compared to a previous election. The Butler swing formula — used in British election reporting since the 1950s — takes the average of the gain in the winner's vote share and the loss in the runner-up's. A 5% swing is considered large at ward level; anything above 10% is exceptional. The swing figure for Houghton and Sunderland South in 2005 is shown in the statistics above.