AS the Journal looks back at elections from yesteryear, this week we take a look at the vote that took place in October 1974.

Salisbury Journal:

Conservative candidate Michael Hamilton on the campaign trail

1974 was a tumultuous year in British politics as, twice in a matter of months, Tory leader Edward Heath battled with Labour prime minister Harold Wilson.

The election that took place in February left a hung parliament and, after Heath failed to secure a coalition with the Liberals, Wilson formed a minority government.

It was short-lived and, by October, Wilson was heading back to the polls with many observers expecting a comfortable Labour victory.

In Salisbury, the Liberals didn’t even contest the 1970 general election, but led by 26-year-old businessman John Lakeman they scooped a surprise second place in the February vote.

By the October election, Lakeman was talking confidently of overturning a 6,000-strong majority and ousting the sitting MP, Michael Hamilton. Lakeman claimed rural constituents were suffering from a rise in prices and not enough was being done by rural MPs to raise the issue in the media.

He said: “People living in Salisbury have been hit hard in the past year.

“Many people have had to absorb the rising price of petrol into their weekly budget because they rely on their cars to get to work and there is little other form of transport.

“Prices of houses have risen so much that they are now among the highest in the country, yet average wages remain low.

“A Salisbury housewife pays more for her goods here than in Exeter, Nottingham, Birmingham or London.”

Hamilton, who had been Salisbury’s MP since 1965, hit back by claiming that, if a Labour government came to power, army jobs would be at risk.

He said: “On Friday Labour’s Defence Minister, Mr Roy Mason, promised that several million pounds will be cut from our defence expenditure.

“What does this mean for Salisbury? What does this mean to Wilton?

“How do the men and women, who work for Headquarters United Kingdom Land Forces there, relish this uncertainty?

“How do the many thousands of skilled personnel who work at Boscombe Down see their future?

“And what of the research establishments? What of the scientists at Porton? Just where is the axe going to fall?”

Salisbury Journal:

Michael Hamilton, and his wife, discuss percentages with his agent Keith Henderson, the morning after the poll

As a first for the election, votes would be counted as soon as polling closed at 10pm and at 12.40am the returning officer, Mr Fergus Colquhoun, announced that Hamilton had retained the seat with a 4,180 majority.

With 16,298 votes, Lakeman is still the closest a Liberal has ever come to winning the Salisbury constituency since 1923, with Labour’s Chris Connor trailing a distant third.

Afterwards Lakeman said: “We are not backed by big money but we are a party of the people.”

Hamilton broke from tradition by not giving a rendition of The Vly be on the Turmut from the balcony of the White Hart, but the Journal observed: “As it was one o’clock on a chill and drizzly morning it was, perhaps, not surprising”.

Nationally, Wilson’s Labour party triumphed but, even though they had a poll lead of ten points heading into the vote, they secured a majority of just three MPs.

In the months following the election, Heath resigned as Conservative leader with Margaret Thatcher replacing him in 1975.

Salisbury Journal:

Labour Candidate Chris Connor (right), gives helper Catherine O'Sullivan help with her typing, watched by the Labour agent for Salisbury, Don Chamberlain, at Labour headquarters in Castle Street this week.