Map of the results for the 1988 Leeds council election.

The Leeds City Council elections were held on Thursday, 5 May 1988, with one third of the council and a vacancy in Headingley to be elected.

Following national patterns, the newly merged Social and Liberal Democrats, seen a substantial fall in vote to their lowest share in a decade, with former candidates standing against them as SDP in opposition to the merger. The SLD collapse was largely uniform, mostly transferring to Labour, except in northern wards - where support tended to disperse between the main parties and any minor candidate standing (usually Green or the aforementioned breakaway SDP) - or wards in which Independents stood. Importantly for the SLD, their support in the three wards they were defending notably withstood that collapse, although hopes of retaking Armley after their councillor turned Independent were dashed by large swings away to allow a Labour gain there (with Michael Meadowcroft later alleging racist campaigning by Labour). Elsewhere, the incumbent Independent in Pudsey South was comfortably re-elected, tripling his majority there. As the chief recipient of lost SLD support, Labour won their highest share of vote since the council's inception in 1973, and their greatest vote and majority on the council since 1980's re-warding.[1]

Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1988
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 21 1 0 +1 61.8 46.2 94,347 +8.1%
  Conservative 9 0 0 0 26.5 33.0 67,550 -0.1%
  SLD 3 0 0 0 8.8 17.1 35,033 -11.2%
  Independent 1 0 1 -1 2.9 1.8 3,600 +1.7%
  SDP 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.9 1,894 +0.9%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.8 1,549 +0.5%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 414 +0.1%

This result has the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:

Party Previous council New council
Labour 58 59
Conservative 25 25
SLD 14 14
Independent 2 1
Total 99 99
Working majority  17   19 

Ward results

Aireborough[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Hughes-Rowlands 3,096 43.8 +6.9
Labour M. Dunn 2,211 31.2 +11.8
SLD S. Denby 1,769 25.0 -18.7
Majority 885 12.5 +5.7
Turnout 7,076
Conservative hold Swing -2.4
Armley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James McKenna 3,312 55.0 +18.8
SLD Mohammed Riasat 1,688 28.0 -17.7
Conservative P. Netzel 1,026 17.0 -1.0
Majority 1,624 26.9 +17.3
Turnout 6,026
Labour gain from Independent Swing +18.2
Barwick & Kippax[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Sturgess 4,381 58.8 +7.0
Conservative B. Caro 2,616 35.1 +1.8
SLD R. Hutchinson 448 6.0 -8.8
Majority 1,765 23.7 +5.2
Turnout 7,445
Labour hold Swing +2.6
Beeston[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Beevers 2,949 67.9 +12.8
Conservative H. Woodhead 1,083 24.9 -2.7
SLD K. Lee 270 6.2 -11.1
Communist W. Innes 44 1.0 +1.0
Majority 1,866 42.9 +15.5
Turnout 4,346
Labour hold Swing +7.7
Bramley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Cliff 3,539 68.8 +13.2
Conservative H. Hinchcliffe 861 16.7 -1.8
SLD M. Tones 747 14.5 -11.4
Majority 2,678 52.0 +22.3
Turnout 5,147
Labour hold Swing +7.5
Burmantofts[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SLD N. Mackie 3,044 49.5 +0.9
Labour J. Lister 2,728 44.4 +0.1
Conservative J. Galbraith 378 6.1 -1.1
Majority 316 5.1 +0.8
Turnout 6,150
SLD hold Swing +0.4
Chapel Allerton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Frankland 3,795 65.4 +7.0
Conservative I. Baxter 1,388 23.9 -1.7
SLD J. Levy 301 5.2 -10.9
Green S. Needham 165 2.8 +2.8
SDP S. Cohen 158 2.7 +2.7
Majority 2,407 41.4 +8.6
Turnout 5,807
Labour hold Swing +4.3
City & Holbeck[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Glassford 3,389 77.0 +11.9
Conservative D. Boynton 677 15.4 -0.7
SLD D. Hollingsworth 336 7.6 -11.2
Majority 2,712 61.6 +15.3
Turnout 4,402
Labour hold Swing +6.3
Cookridge[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative K. Loudon 4,084 60.3 +7.6
Labour A. Procter 1,563 23.1 +7.9
SLD J. Hall 760 11.2 -20.8
SDP M. Bray 367 5.4 +5.4
Majority 2,521 37.2 +16.5
Turnout 6,774
Conservative hold Swing -0.1
Garforth & Swillington[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Moakes 4,692 57.5 +13.2
Conservative M. Stelling 2,954 36.2 -0.5
SLD G. Roberts 517 6.3 -12.7
Majority 1,738 21.3 +13.7
Turnout 8,163
Labour hold Swing +6.8
Halton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Townsley 3,399 54.6 -0.5
Labour S. Butterfield 2,102 33.7 +10.5
SLD T. Ayres 729 11.7 -10.0
Majority 1,297 20.8 -11.1
Turnout 6,230
Conservative hold Swing -5.5
Harehills[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Cohen 3,525 65.5 +15.3
SLD C. Holden 1,029 19.1 -19.3
Conservative R. Richardson 830 15.4 +4.1
Majority 2,496 46.4 +34.6
Turnout 5,384
Labour hold Swing +17.3
Headingley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Page 2,828 41.8 +0.9
Labour K. Nathan 2,822
SLD C. Shaw 2,032 30.1 -6.6
SLD E. Low 1,756
Conservative G. Castle 1,042 15.4 -0.8
Conservative J. Montague 1,001
Green C. Nash 640 9.5 +4.1
Communist B. Cooper 216 3.2 +2.4
Majority 796 11.8 +7.6
Turnout 6,758
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing +3.8
Horsforth[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SLD S. Cooksey 3,432 44.5 +0.4
Conservative J. Cason 3,087 40.0 -1.2
Labour A. Radford 1,192 15.5 +0.9
Majority 345 4.5 +1.6
Turnout 7,711
SLD hold Swing +0.8
Hunslet[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Driver 3,011 77.8 -1.8
Conservative A. Larvin 407 10.5 +0.4
Independent L. Parrish 308 8.0 +8.0
SLD C. Lunn 142 3.7 -6.6
Majority 2,604 67.3 -2.1
Turnout 3,868
Labour hold Swing -1.1
Kirkstall[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. St. David-Smith 3,707 66.5 +13.6
Conservative C. Mollitt 1,061 19.0 -1.2
SLD J. Brophy 810 14.5 -12.4
Majority 2,646 47.4 +21.5
Turnout 5,578
Labour hold Swing +7.4
Middleton[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Dignan 3,126 77.4 +10.2
Conservative A. Dufton 642 15.9 -0.7
SLD T. Garbett 273 6.8 -5.5
Majority 2,484 61.5 +10.9
Turnout 4,041
Labour hold Swing +5.4
Moortown[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SLD M. Harris 3,814 47.6 +1.2
Conservative V. Kendall 2,729 34.1 -2.5
Labour A. Hollas 1,470 18.3 +1.4
Majority 1,085 13.5 +3.7
Turnout 8,013
SLD hold Swing +1.8
Morley North[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. Jones 3,552 50.8 +11.4
Conservative E. Reddyhoff 2,767 39.6 -5.9
SDP L. Jagger 313 4.9 +4.9
SLD P. Haywood 329 4.7 -10.5
Majority 785 11.2 +5.1
Turnout 6,991
Labour hold Swing +8.6
Morley South[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B. North 3,915 63.5 +13.7
Conservative R. Senior 1,807 29.3 -4.8
SLD T. Leadley 441 7.2 -9.0
Majority 2,108 34.2 +18.5
Turnout 6,163
Labour hold Swing +9.2
North[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Morris 3,593 57.6 +6.5
Labour E. Moxon 1,476 23.7 +12.8
SLD M. Gregory 854 13.7 -24.3
SDP P. Rogers 313 5.0 +5.0
Majority 2,117 33.9 +20.8
Turnout 6,236
Conservative hold Swing -3.1
Otley & Wharfedale[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. Hindle 4,343 46.6 +6.1
SLD M. Coles 3,232 34.7 -9.4
Labour S. Egan 1,261 13.5 +0.5
SDP J. Cusworth 253 2.7 +2.7
Green A. Stevens 226 2.4 +0.1
Majority 1,111 11.9 +8.3
Turnout 9,315
Conservative hold Swing -7.7
Pudsey North[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Carter 3,968 51.7 +7.7
Labour B. Dale 2,260 29.4 +4.8
SLD C. Garner 1,450 18.9 -12.5
Majority 1,708 22.2 +9.7
Turnout 7,678
Conservative hold Swing +1.4
Pudsey South[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent P. Kersting 3,292 46.4 +46.4
Labour A. Jarosz 2,102 29.6 -9.4
Conservative D. Ballinger 1,487 21.0 -15.5
SLD B. Selby 214 3.0 -21.5
Majority 1,190 16.8 +14.2
Turnout 7,095
Independent hold Swing +27.9
Richmond Hill[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Lyons 3,863 79.1 +13.4
Conservative W. Birch 544 11.1 -1.8
SLD K. Norman 474 9.7 -11.6
Majority 3,319 68.0 +23.5
Turnout 4,881
Labour hold Swing +7.6
Rothwell[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Lund 3,829 66.5 +8.3
Conservative A. Heeson 1,495 26.0 -2.4
SLD M. Galdas 433 7.5 -5.8
Majority 2,334 40.5 +10.7
Turnout 5,757
Labour hold Swing +5.3
Roundhay[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Crotty 3,862 56.8 +2.4
Labour K. Prior 1,674 24.6 +5.8
SLD S. Holland 963 14.2 -12.7
Green P. Ellis 305 4.5 +4.5
Majority 2,188 32.2 +4.7
Turnout 6,804
Conservative hold Swing -1.7
Seacroft[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Mudie 3,594 81.3 +16.2
Conservative R. Negus 599 13.5 -2.8
SLD R. Senior 229 5.2 -13.4
Majority 2,995 67.7 +21.3
Turnout 4,422
Labour hold Swing +9.5
University[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Kilgallon 3,253 74.9 +11.1
Conservative J. Leng 597 13.7 -2.0
SLD R. Mundell 341 7.8 -9.4
Communist R. Honey 154 3.5 +0.3
Majority 2,656 61.1 +14.7
Turnout 4,345
Labour hold Swing +6.5
Weetwood[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Castle 2,881 42.5 +0.6
Labour P. Hall 1,990 29.4 +2.3
SLD J. Ewens 1,692 25.0 -4.1
Green G. Rainford 213 3.1 +1.1
Majority 891 13.1 +0.3
Turnout 6,776
Conservative hold Swing -0.8
Wetherby[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. Gardiner 4,844 67.0 +5.3
Labour J. Postill 1,161 16.1 +3.7
SLD T. Burgess 764 10.6 -15.3
SDP H. Westbrook 460 6.4 +6.4
Majority 3,683 50.9 +15.1
Turnout 7,229
Conservative hold Swing +0.8
Whinmoor[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Armitage 3,128 57.3 +6.0
Conservative M. Silversides 1,991 36.5 +2.9
SLD N. Snowdon 340 6.2 -8.8
Majority 1,137 20.8 +3.1
Turnout 5,459
Labour hold Swing +1.5
Wortley[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. Towler 3,769 59.7 +17.0
Conservative B. Nicol 1,412 22.4 +0.5
SLD L. Thackray 1,136 18.0 -17.5
Majority 2,357 37.3 +30.1
Turnout 6,317
Labour hold Swing +8.2

By-elections between 1988 and 1990

Armley by-election 8 December 1988
replacing David Selby (resigned)[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Paley 1,580 46.4 -8.6
SLD 1,110 32.6 +4.6
Conservative 662 19.4 +2.4
SDP 53 1.5 +1.5
Majority 470 13.8 -13.1
Turnout 3,405 21.3 -16.4
Labour gain from SLD Swing -6.6
Double by-election, Horsforth, 8 June 1989
replacing S.J. Cooksey and B. Rich[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SLD Andrew McCaig[4] 2,658
SLD John Meade 2,625
Conservative June Casson 2,374
Conservative Rodney Cam (Con) 2,273
Labour Brian Dale (Lab) 886
Labour Alan Radford (Lab) 959
Burmantofts by-election 15th June 1989
replacing Margaret Clay[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sydney Butterfield 3,226 53.3 +8.9
SLD 2,356 39.0 -10.5
Conservative 465 7.7 +1.6
Majority 870 14.3 +9.2
Turnout 6,047 44.0 -0.7
Labour gain from SLD Swing +9.7
Morley North by-election 15th June 1989
replacing Philippa Fitzpatrick[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Francis Jones 3,617 48.7 -2.1
Conservative 2,747 37.0 -2.6
Green 614 8.3 +8.3
SLD 444 6.0 +1.3
Majority 870 11.7 +0.5
Turnout 7,422 42.0 +2.5
Labour hold Swing +0.2
City & Holbeck by-election 30th November 1989
replacing Roy Glassford[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elizabeth Nash 1,982 80.2 +3.2
Conservative 254 10.3 -5.1
SLD 234 9.5 +1.9
Majority 1,728 69.9 +8.3
Turnout 2,470
Labour hold Swing +4.1

References

  1. ^ 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 ae af ag ah "District results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 6 May 1988.
  2. ^ "By-elections December 1988". Tribune. 16 December 1988. Retrieved 10 December 2012.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Page 11". Yorkshire Evening Post. 9 June 1989.
  4. ^ McCaig, Andrew. "Index of Leeds City Council election candidates 1980-2016" (PDF). The Thoresby Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  5. ^ a b "By-elections June 1989". Tribune. 23 June 1989. Retrieved 10 December 2012.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "By-elections December 1989". Tribune. 8 December 1989. Retrieved 10 December 2012.[permanent dead link]
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