1988 United Kingdom local elections

← 1987 5 May 1988 1989 →
All 36 metropolitan boroughs, 117 out of 296 English districts and all 53 Scottish districts
First party Second party Third party   Leader Margaret Thatcher Neil Kinnock David Steel and Robert Maclennan Party Conservative Labour SLD Leader since 11 February 1975 2 October 1983 7 July 1976 and 6 August 1987 Percentage 39% 38% 18% Councillors +/- 9 76 122

The 1988 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 5 May 1988.^[1][2][3] The Conservative government held its ground and remained ahead in the projected popular vote.

The election resulted in the Conservative Party winning 39% of the popular vote, the Labour Party winning 38% and the Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD) 18%. The Conservatives gained 9 seats, Labour gained 76 seats and the SLD lost 122 seats.

These were the first national elections contested by the SLD, which had just been formed as a merger of the SDP and Liberals after several years of an alliance existing between the two parties.

Summary of results

England

Metropolitan boroughs

All 36 metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.

District councils

In 117 districts one third of the council was up for election.

Scotland

District councils