The first table shows the state of the parties in the House of Commons following the General Election of May 1, 1997.
The Blair Labour government has a majority of 180.
The second table shows the numbers of women elected to the House.
| House of Commons – State of the Parties 1997 | |
|---|---|
| Labour | 417 |
| Conservative | 162 |
| Liberal Democrats | 46 |
| Ulster Unionists | 10 |
| Scottish National Party | >6 |
| Plaid Cymru | 4 |
| Social Democratic & Labour Party | 3 |
| Ulster Democratic Unionist Party | 2 |
| Sinn Fein (Have not taken their seats) |
2 |
| United Kingdom Unionist | 1 |
| Independent | 1 |
| The Speaker and 3 Deputies (Do not normally vote) |
4 |
| Vacant seat (Uxbridge – Death of Sir Michael Shersby) |
1 |
| TOTAL | 659 |
Number of women MPs
| House of Commons – Number of Women MPs 1997 | |
|---|---|
| Labour | 101 |
| Conservative | 13 |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 |
| Scottish National Party | 2 |
| Speaker | 1 |
| TOTAL | 120 |
