Labour must have been hard pressed to come to terms with the results in 1950. The party received the largest number of votes recorded in its 50-year history - but saw a massive majority reduced to single figures.
It is estimated that the change in constituency boundaries alone could have cost the party between 20 to 30 seats, while the Conservatives may have gained around 10 from the introduction of the postal vote.
Both parties saw their total number of votes go up - Labour by nearly two million - the Conservatives by nearly three, as voter turnout reached an historic high of 84%.
But unfortunately for Labour its increased support was won in existing strongholds, while the Conservatives’ extra support was spread more evenly - netting them more seats.
Liberal fortunes continued to slump with the first-past-the-post system ensuring that their country-wide support was not converted into seats. To Liberal gall it took 300,000 votes to secure one MP, while Labour and the Conservatives averaged 60,000 votes cast per MP elected.
The swing of 3.3% from Labour to Conservative was not sufficient to oust Attlee from Downing Street, but it was enough to ensure that Labour would have to go back to the country soon to win a more convincing mandate.
A re-match was only a matter of time.