The 1954 Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 14 May 1954,[1] with one third of the council up for election.[2]

Despite a further swing away from Labour to the Conservatives of 3.7%,[3] leaving both parties neck and neck in votes, Labour continued on to their third and final gains unabated in the wards of Armley, Blenheim, Bramley, Cross Gates, Stanningley, Westfield, and Woodhouse, comfortably winning the majority of seats. The swing however helped the Conservatives to hold on to Wortley, unlike previous years.[2] As such Labour doubled its majority on the council as part of a victorious night on the whole for them.[1] Turnout for the election sunk below the 40% mark for the first time in the post-war period, to 39.2%.[3]

Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1954
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 18 6 0 +6 64.3 49.9 69,429 -2.6
  Conservative 10 0 6 -6 35.7 49.4 68,801 +2.7
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.4 527 +0.2
  Liberal 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.4 495 -0.2

The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:[3]

Party Previous council New council
Cllr Ald Cllr Ald
Labour 48 14 54 14
Conservatives 36 14 30 14
Total 84 28 84 28
112 112
Working majority  12    0   24    0 
 12   24 

Ward results

Allerton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edwin Wooler 5,603 86.6 +1.5
Labour F. Watson 866 13.4 -1.5
Majority 4,737 73.2 +2.9
Turnout 6,469
Conservative hold Swing +1.5
Armley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Lee 3,064 57.4 -3.9
Conservative E. Glover 2,273 42.6 +3.9
Majority 791 14.8 -7.8
Turnout 5,337
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -3.9
Beeston[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Collins 3,797 53.0 +2.5
Labour H. Booth 3,369 47.0 -2.5
Majority 428 6.0 +5.1
Turnout 7,166
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
Blenheim[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Lake 3,164 57.9 +1.0
Conservative B. Lyons 2,303 42.1 -1.0
Majority 861 15.7 +2.0
Turnout 5,467
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +1.0
Bramley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Rhodes 3,455 53.4 +0.0
Conservative T. Bennett 3,011 46.6 -0.0
Majority 444 6.9 +0.0
Turnout 6,466
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +0.0
Burmantofts[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Shutt 2,266 66.3 -4.8
Conservative A. Clark 1,150 33.7 +4.8
Majority 1,116 32.7 -9.5
Turnout 3,416
Labour hold Swing -4.8
City[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Stoner 2,023 67.3 -2.0
Conservative R. Hudson 981 32.7 +2.0
Majority 1,042 34.7 -4.0
Turnout 3,004
Labour hold Swing -2.0
Cross Gates[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Jackson 2,688 58.7 -7.5
Conservative L. Demaine 1,888 41.3 +7.5
Majority 800 17.5 -15.1
Turnout 4,576
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -7.5
East Hunslet[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Naylor 3,094 76.9 +1.8
Conservative G. Hewdy 931 23.1 -1.8
Majority 2,163 53.7 +3.5
Turnout 4,025
Labour hold Swing +1.8
Far Headingley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Hargrave 3,931 83.9 +1.8
Labour D. Yalland 756 16.1 -1.8
Majority 3,175 67.7 +3.5
Turnout 4,687
Conservative hold Swing +1.8
Halton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Brooksbank 4,086 76.2 +3.4
Labour N. Barrett 1,279 23.8 -3.4
Majority 2,807 52.3 +6.9
Turnout 5,365
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
Harehills[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N. Kay 2,921 53.5 -0.1
Labour A. Vickers 2,541 46.5 +0.1
Majority 380 7.0 -0.1
Turnout 5,462
Conservative hold Swing -0.1
Holbeck[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Smith 2,930 68.6 +4.3
Conservative J. Sizer 1,340 31.4 +6.3
Majority 1,590 37.2 -2.0
Turnout 4,270
Labour hold Swing -1.0
Hunslet Carr[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Ellison 2,643 88.8 +13.7
Communist R. Wilkinson 332 11.2 +7.1
Majority 2,311 77.7 +23.3
Turnout 2,975
Labour hold Swing +3.3
Hyde Park[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Davison 3,322 68.4 +5.1
Labour I. Calvert 1,532 31.6 -5.1
Majority 1,790 36.9 +10.1
Turnout 4,854
Conservative hold Swing +5.1
Kirkstall[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Happold 3,543 61.1 -1.7
Conservative E. Lucas 2,253 38.9 +1.7
Majority 1,290 22.3 -3.4
Turnout 5,796
Labour hold Swing -1.7
Meanwood[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Pedley 4,270 70.1 +1.1
Labour J. Hedley 1,817 29.9 -1.1
Majority 2,453 40.3 +2.3
Turnout 6,087
Conservative hold Swing +1.1
Middleton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arthur Brown 2,800 81.2 -4.1
Conservative F. Stubley 648 18.8 +4.1
Majority 2,152 62.4 -8.2
Turnout 3,448
Labour hold Swing -4.1
Moortown[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Bolton 4,580 76.7 +6.4
Labour J. Slater 1,393 23.3 -6.4
Majority 3,187 53.4 +12.9
Turnout 5,973
Conservative hold Swing +6.4
Osmondthorpe[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Gabb 3,409 77.4 -2.1
Conservative D. Bradley 997 22.6 +2.1
Majority 2,412 54.7 -4.2
Turnout 4,406
Labour hold Swing -2.1
Pottemewton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Bidgood 2,385 64.7 +3.4
Labour F. Howard 1,301 35.3 -3.4
Majority 1,084 29.4 +6.7
Turnout 3,686
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
Richmond Hill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Fowler 2,215 80.2 +0.2
Conservative W. Clayton 547 19.8 -0.2
Majority 1,668 60.4 +0.4
Turnout 2,762
Labour hold Swing +0.2
Roundhay[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Monkman 4,619 64.5 -2.1
Labour R. Pennington 2,541 35.5 +2.1
Majority 2,078 29.0 -4.3
Turnout 7,160
Conservative hold Swing -2.1
Stanningley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Spence 2,939 50.3 -1.4
Conservative F. Ayres 2,899 49.7 +1.4
Majority 40 0.7 -2.8
Turnout 5,838
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -1.4
Wellington[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Farrington 2,942 71.6 -1.1
Conservative D. Wolstenholme 972 23.7 +5.8
Communist J. Wheatley 195 4.7 +2.5
Majority 1,970 47.9 -7.0
Turnout 4,109
Labour hold Swing -3.4
Westfield[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Wiseman 2,331 50.9 -5.8
Conservative S. Cowling 1,756 38.3 -5.0
Liberal H. Burbridge 495 10.8 +10.8
Majority 575 12.5 -0.9
Turnout 4,582
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -0.4
Woodhouse[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Ellis 3,528 60.7 +0.9
Conservative F. Winterburn 2,280 39.3 -0.9
Majority 1,248 21.5 +1.8
Turnout 5,808
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +0.9
Wortley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bertrand Mather 3,058 50.5 +3.3
Labour E. Morris 3,000 49.5 -3.3
Majority 58 1.0 -4.7
Turnout 6,058
Conservative hold Swing +3.3

References

  1. ^ a b "British Laborites Widen Poll Gains". The New York Times. 14 May 1954. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 15 May 1954.
  3. ^ a b c Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.
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