ABSTRACT
Of the 646 MPs elected in 2005 (13 fewer than in 2001 because of the reduction in the number of Scottish constituencies), 123 (19% of the Commons) were new, though four had sat in earlier parliaments. The new MPs comprised 40 Labour (11% of the Parliamentary Labour Party), 54 Conservative (28%), 20 Liberal Democrat (32%), 2 Scottish National, 3 Democratic Unionist, 2 Social & Democratic Labour, 1 Sinn Fein, and one Independent. Of the 40 new Labour MPs 39 were replacements for retiring MPs and one had recaptured a seat lost to the Liberal Democrats in a 2004 by-election. Of the 54 Conservatives, 18 were replacing retired MPs, and 36 were victors in seats previously held by Labour (31) or the Liberal Democrats (5). The 20 new Liberal Democrats were comprised of 5 replacements for retiring MPs and 15 victors in seats previously held by Labour (11), Conservative (3) or Plaid Cymru (1). The SNP’s 2 new MPs had both gained seats from Labour; of the 2 new SDLP MPs one was a replacement, the other a gain from the Ulster Unionist Party; the single new Sinn Fein MP had taken the seat from the SDLP, and the Independent (Peter Law) had taken his from Labour.
