Elections to Manchester Council were held on Thursday, 4 May 1978. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 1982. The Labour Party retained overall control of the council.[1]

Election result

Manchester Council Election Result 1978
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 19 1 2 -1 57.6 47.8 61,969 +2.7%
  Conservative 14 2 1 +1 42.4 45.3 58,717 -2.3%
  Liberal 0 0 0 0 0.0 5.9 7,708 -0.4%
  National Front 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.5 636 +0.5%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 277 +0.1%
  Socialist Unity 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 139 +0.1%
  Workers Revolutionary 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 34 +0.0%

After the election, the composition of the council was as follows:

Party Seats   +/-  
Labour 53 -1
Conservative 46 +1
Labour hold

Ward results

Alexandra

Alexandra
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Flynn* 2,895 59.9 -1.4
Labour G. M. Gorton 1,249 25.8 +7.5
Liberal D. Hewitt 689 14.3 -4.9
Majority 1,646 34.1 -8.0
Turnout 4,833 37.6
Conservative hold Swing -4.4

Ardwick

Ardwick
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Barrett* 2,102 70.5 +1.6
Conservative W. R. Swan 783 26.3 -4.8
Liberal D. Nicholson 96 3.2 +3.2
Majority 1,319 44.2 +6.5
Turnout 2,981 27.7
Labour hold Swing +3.2

Baguley

Baguley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Done 3,536 56.4 +3.6
Conservative P. Fitzsimons 2,737 43.6 +0.5
Majority 799 12.8 +3.1
Turnout 6,273 46.1
Labour hold Swing +1.5

Barlow Moor

Barlow Moor
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. Tucker* 2,136 63.9 +7.7
Labour A. Manning 1,208 36.1 +0.1
Majority 928 27.8 +7.6
Turnout 3,344 32.4
Conservative hold Swing +3.8

Beswick

Beswick
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Silverman 1,746 77.3 +1.9
Conservative J. Cartland 370 16.4 -2.8
National Front A. Tatton 81 3.6 +3.6
Liberal J. Thomson 63 2.8 -2.6
Majority 1,376 60.9 +4.7
Turnout 2,260 27.7
Labour hold Swing +2.3

Blackley

Blackley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Loxley 2,508 52.2 +6.5
Labour J. I. Owen* 2,143 44.6 -9.7
Liberal V. Towers 153 3.2 +3.2
Majority 365 7.6 -0.9
Turnout 4,804 43.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.1

Bradford

Bradford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Gilmore* 2,398 58.8 +5.2
Conservative L. Hockey 1,490 36.6 -6.4
National Front J. Hulse 139 3.4 +3.4
Communist M. Murray 49 1.2 +1.2
Majority 908 22.3 +11.7
Turnout 4,076 33.3
Labour hold Swing +5.8

Brooklands

Brooklands
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Y. Emery* 3,027 56.8 +7.3
Labour J. Wilner 2,298 43.2 -1.8
Majority 729 13.6 +9.1
Turnout 5,325 40.8
Conservative hold Swing +4.5

Burnage

Burnage
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative L. Howarth* 2,647 60.6 +1.1
Labour K. Robinson 1,724 39.4 +7.1
Majority 950 21.7 -5.5
Turnout 4,371 37.6
Conservative hold Swing -3.0

Charlestown

Charlestown
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Kelly* 2,146 48.4 -3.3
Conservative C. Maffei 2,002 45.2 +3.0
Liberal N. Towers 155 3.5 -2.6
National Front W. E. Caffrey 91 2.1 +2.1
Communist S. Cole 40 0.9 +0.9
Majority 144 3.2 -6.3
Turnout 4,434 44.5
Labour hold Swing -3.1

Cheetham

Cheetham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Broderick* 1,482 66.6 +4.1
Conservative F. Meaden 743 33.4 -4.1
Majority 739 33.2 +8.2
Turnout 2,225 28.5
Labour hold Swing +4.1

Chorlton

Chorlton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative L. Sanders* 2,769 62.0 -2.9
Labour K. Cropper 1,387 31.1 +6.2
Liberal J. Commons 308 6.9 -3.3
Majority 1,382 31.0 -8.9
Turnout 4,464 38.4
Conservative hold Swing -4.5

Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Balcombe* 843 63.1 -0.8
Conservative S. R. Newth 416 31.1 +4.5
Liberal M. A. Plesch 78 5.8 -2.1
Majority 427 32.0 -5.3
Turnout 1,337 28.2
Labour hold Swing -2.6

Crossacres

Crossacres
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. L. Griffiths* 2,877 59.5 -0.1
Conservative A. Spencer 1,418 29.3 +0.5
Liberal H. Griffiths 537 11.1 -0.5
Majority 1,459 30.2 -0.6
Turnout 4,832 35.3
Labour hold Swing -0.3

Crumpsall

Crumpsall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Fildes* 2,183 53.9 -3.6
Labour G. Stringer 1,517 37.5 +4.0
Liberal J. Cookson 286 7.1 -1.9
Communist S. Ward 61 1.5 +1.5
Majority 666 16.5 -7.5
Turnout 4,047 35.3
Conservative hold Swing -3.8

Didsbury

Didsbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Hill* 3,902 68.0 +2.9
Labour Eddie Newman 1,304 22.7 +2.9
Liberal J. T. Mitchell 534 9.3 -4.7
Majority 2,598 45.3 -0.0
Turnout 5,740 44.5
Conservative hold Swing -2.9

Gorton North

Gorton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. O. Hamnett* 1,856 56.7 -2.7
Conservative E. Leadbetter 1,184 36.2 -0.8
Liberal J. Ashley 231 7.1 +3.5
Majority 672 20.5 -1.8
Turnout 3,271 37.7
Labour hold Swing -0.9

Gorton South

Gorton South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Conway* 1,619 55.4 -1.4
Conservative D. Heywood 1,174 40.2 -3.0
National Front N. J. Mead 97 3.3 +3.3
Workers Revolutionary A. Willams 34 1.2 +1.2
Majority 445 15.2 +1.7
Turnout 2,924 33.8
Labour hold Swing +0.8

Harpurhey

Harpurhey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K. Litherland* 1,341 62.5 +3.9
Conservative J. Harding 804 37.5 +0.9
Majority 537 25.0 +3.0
Turnout 2,145 30.9
Labour hold Swing +1.5

Hulme

Hulme
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. V. Marshall* 1,488 57.5 -9.6
Liberal P. Thompson 523 20.2 +5.8
Conservative W. H. Cox 386 14.9 -3.7
Socialist Unity B. Crossman 139 5.4 +5.4
Communist R. W. Gwilt 54 2.1 +2.1
Majority 965 37.4 -11.1
Turnout 2,590 29.4
Labour hold Swing -7.7

Levenshulme

Levenshulme
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. K. Barber* 2,001 40.7 -10.9
Labour S. Loughlin 1,827 37.2 -1.0
Liberal K. Whitmore 1,085 22.1 +13.7
Majority 174 3.5 -9.9
Turnout 4,913 38.4
Conservative hold Swing -4.9

Lightbowne

Lightbowne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. T. Lee* 2,560 55.5 +8.2
Conservative N. McHardy 2,051 44.5 -8.2
Majority 509 11.0 +5.5
Turnout 4,611 43.0
Labour hold Swing +8.2

Lloyd Street

Lloyd Street
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Collins* 2,364 53.2 +2.6
Conservative A. D. Neville 1,867 42.0 -2.0
Liberal P. Davis 212 4.8 +0.5
Majority 497 11.2 +4.6
Turnout 4,443 35.8
Labour hold Swing +2.3

Longsight

Longsight
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour V. Stevens 2,007 54.1 +2.6
Conservative A. Malpas* 1,516 40.9 -7.3
Liberal C. R. Brammer 184 5.0 +5.0
Majority 491 13.2 +9.7
Turnout 3,707 34.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +4.9

Miles Platting

Miles Platting
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Conquest 1,417 76.3 -3.0
Conservative A. E. Halliday 337 18.1 -2.6
National Front N. T. G. Wallace 103 5.5 +5.5
Majority 1,080 58.2 -0.4
Turnout 1,857 24.0
Labour hold Swing -0.2

Moss Side

Moss Side
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. E. Talbot* 1,360 70.0 +17.2
Conservative S. Hussain 364 18.7 -2.7
Liberal L. Ford 220 11.3 +11.3
Majority 996 51.2 +24.3
Turnout 1,944 27.2
Labour hold Swing +9.9

Moston

Moston
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Hurley 2,867 55.2 -6.7
Labour A. E. Bowden* 2,327 44.8 +6.7
Majority 540 10.4 -13.4
Turnout 5,194 44.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -6.7

Newton Heath

Newton Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. J. Taylor* 2,165 57.0 +8.0
Conservative L. Clarke 1,636 43.0 -5.3
Majority 529 14.0 +13.3
Turnout 3,801 39.2
Labour hold Swing +6.6

Northenden

Northenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Leigh* 2,697 46.3 -5.2
Labour A. J. Spencer 2,546 43.8 +2.2
Liberal L. Griffiths 576 9.9 +4.5
Majority 151 2.6 -7.3
Turnout 5,819 46.9
Conservative hold Swing -3.7

Old Moat

Old Moat
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. F. Lavin* 2,314 58.7 +6.1
Labour S. Jean 1,558 39.5 +2.2
Communist N. J. Gilroy 73 1.9 -0.0
Majority 756 19.2 +3.9
Turnout 3,945 38.7
Conservative hold Swing +1.9

Rusholme

Rusholme
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Pierce* 2,289 55.0 -9.2
Labour L. Byrne 1,585 38.1 +5.5
Liberal M. J. Hodgson 286 6.9 +6.9
Majority 704 16.9 -14.8
Turnout 4,160 29.8
Conservative hold Swing -7.3

Withington

Withington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative E. R. Coker* 1,971 42.6 -12.4
Liberal A. Jones 1,492 32.2 +13.5
Labour F. Yaffe 1,169 25.2 -0.2
Majority 479 10.3 -19.3
Turnout 4,632 38.8
Conservative hold Swing -12.9

Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Hall* 2,820 67.5 +8.1
Conservative J. C. Ridgard 1,233 29.5 -3.2
National Front T. J. Hansen 125 3.0 +3.0
Majority 1,587 38.0 +11.3
Turnout 4,178 37.3
Labour hold Swing +5.6

By-elections between 1978 and 1979

Withington By-Election 16 November 1978
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Audrey Jones 2,137 52.8 +20.6
Conservative James Hill 1,297 32.1 -10.5
Labour Alfred Home 610 15.1 -10.1
Majority 840 20.8 +10.5
Turnout 4,044 33.9 -4.9
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +15.5

References

  1. ^ Manchester City Council Election Results, 2nd Edition, Swarbrick (1993).
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