ABSTRACT
The Election of 2001 produced 99 new MPs (or 15% of the Commons, a much lower figure than the 260 – 40% – in 1997): 38 Labour, 33 Conservative (of whom seven were former MPs returning after being defeated in 1997), 14 Liberal Democrat, two Sinn Fein, three DUP, two UUP, two Plaid Cymru, four SNP and one Independent. Labour’s new intake comprised only 9% of the PLP, the Conservatives’ 20% of their parliamentary strength and the Liberal Democrats’ 26%. Only 27 of the new MPs were coming as victors in seats where the occupancy had changed hands at the Election, the lowest number of inter-party exchanges in any election since 1955. Of the remainder of the 99 new MPs, 72 were replacements for retiring members, of whom 17 had not retired on grounds of age but had left Westminster to concentrate on membership of the devolved Scottish or Welsh Parliaments.
