1966 Leeds City Council election

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The 1966 Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 12 May 1966, [1] with one third of the council up for election.

Contents

A 2.7% swing towards Labour [2] allowed the party to defend half of their losses of the previous year, and win a majority of the seats up for election, despite still trailing the Conservatives by a significant number in votes. The three Tory gains were in the marginal wards of Beeston, Bramley and Wortley, adding to the gains they were enjoying around the country. [1] [3]

There was a sharp drop in turnout for the election - falling into the twenties for only the second time in post-war history - to 29.6%. [2] Unlike the nadir of 1960 election, where the fall mostly came from the Labour vote, this year's drop chiefly hit Conservative support. None-the-less, the Labour vote received was close to their worst. [3]

The Liberals managed to regain second place in Far Headingley and Wellington, although standing their lowest number of candidates since 1958 and receiving their lowest share since that year. The Communists' received their greatest share on a reduced vote, from their peak in the prior election and the British National Party participated after a five-year absence, fielding a sole candidate in Armley. [3]

Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1966
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 1603-357.140.740,170+2.9
  Conservative 1230+342.853.752,921-2.4
  Liberal 00000.03.83,767-0.8
  Communist 00000.01.61,553+0.1
  British National 00000.00.2195+0.2

The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections: [4]

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Cllr Ald CllrAld
Labour49194619
Conservatives359389
Total84288428
112112
Working majority 14  10   8  10 
 24  18 

Ward results

Allerton [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Long4,38883.0+4.2
Labour J. Marshall89917.0−4.2
Majority 3,48966.0+8.4
Turnout 5,287
Conservative hold Swing +4.2
Armley [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S. Lee1,63553.3+0.7
Conservative K. Beal1,23540.3−7.1
British National P. Stone1956.4+6.4
Majority 40013.0+7.9
Turnout 3,065
Labour hold Swing +3.9
Beeston [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Farrell2,87350.8−7.7
Labour A. Beevers2,78849.2+9.1
Majority 851.5−16.8
Turnout 5,661
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -8.4
Blenheim [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ernest Morris84460.3+0.8
Conservative R. Austwick55539.7−0.8
Majority 28920.7+1.6
Turnout 1,399
Labour hold Swing +0.8
Bramley [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Armitage2,52352.7−3.7
Labour M. Chadwick2,26447.3+3.7
Majority 2595.4−7.4
Turnout 4,787
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -3.7
Burmantofts [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour F. Watson1,41357.2+1.1
Conservative J. White1,05842.8−1.1
Majority 35514.4+2.2
Turnout 2,471
Labour hold Swing +1.1
City [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jim Marshall69665.4+3.8
Conservative M. Baker36834.6−3.8
Majority 32830.8+7.6
Turnout 1,064
Labour hold Swing +3.8
Cross Gates [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour L. Jackson1,84749.1−8.7
Conservative R. Vaughan1,69345.0+9.3
Communist F. Sidebottom2246.0−0.6
Majority 1544.1−17.9
Turnout 3,764
Labour hold Swing -9.0
East Hunslet [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour E. Haughton1,07064.0+0.9
Conservative P. Wooler60136.0−0.9
Majority 46928.0+1.8
Turnout 1,671
Labour hold Swing +0.9
Far Headingley [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative G. Somers4,63065.0−2.2
Liberal J. Harris1,48520.8+6.8
Labour N. Jenner1,01214.2−4.6
Majority 3,14544.1−4.3
Turnout 7,127
Conservative hold Swing -4.5
Halton [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Brooksbank3,97877.4−1.0
Labour D. Hamilton1,16122.6+1.0
Majority 2,81754.8−1.9
Turnout 5,139
Conservative hold Swing -1.0
Harehills [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative J. Astle2,38060.9+2.0
Labour H. Howlett1,52539.1+3.6
Majority 85521.9−1.5
Turnout 3,905
Conservative hold Swing -0.8
Holbeck [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W. Smith1,32661.8+6.8
Conservative M. Waddington75935.4−2.8
Communist J. McCarthy592.8−4.0
Majority 56726.4+9.6
Turnout 2,144
Labour hold Swing +4.8
Hunslet Carr [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Harry Booth1,42767.0+9.1
Conservative H. Lister63029.6−8.1
Communist E. Burwin733.4−1.0
Majority 79737.4+17.1
Turnout 2,130
Labour hold Swing +8.6
Hyde Park [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Kenneth Davison2,03057.8+1.9
Labour M. Lawrence1,34238.2+12.1
Communist S. Walker1434.1+1.5
Majority 68819.6−10.2
Turnout 3,515
Conservative hold Swing -5.1
Kirkstall [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Matthews2,86454.4+8.2
Conservative H. Newton2,25142.8−7.6
Communist B. Huffingley1482.8−0.6
Majority 61311.67.4
Turnout 5,263
Labour hold Swing +7.9
Meanwood [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alan Pedley2,59666.7−0.9
Labour J. McPheat82421.2−0.8
Liberal Evelyn Mary Briggs47012.1+1.6
Majority 1,77245.6−0.1
Turnout 3,890
Conservative hold Swing -0.0
Middleton [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Taylor1,87279.1+4.4
Conservative R. Heslet38916.4−3.0
Communist E. Moore1064.5−1.4
Majority 1,48362.7+7.4
Turnout 2,367
Labour hold Swing +3.7
Moortown [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative S. Bolton4,54075.6+4.4
Labour D. Chadwick1,08218.0−1.1
Communist P. Boyes3846.4+3.9
Majority 3,45857.6+5.5
Turnout 6,006
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
Osmondthorpe [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Douglas Gabb1,23467.6+2.3
Conservative E. Lewis59232.4−2.3
Majority 64235.2+4.7
Turnout 1,826
Labour hold Swing +2.3
Potternewton [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Bradley1,67659.8+3.6
Labour Joyce Gould 81929.2−2.2
Liberal Sydney Herbert Bexan2599.2−1.3
Communist R. Rawson491.7−0.1
Majority 85730.6+5.8
Turnout 2,803
Conservative hold Swing +2.9
Richmond Hill [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour M. Rooney1,54771.2+1.7
Conservative E. Dean44620.5−4.1
Communist T. Johnson1798.2+2.5
Majority 1,10150.7+5.8
Turnout 2,172
Labour hold Swing +2.9
Roundhay [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative D. Wolstenholme3,79378.5+1.1
Labour D. Thomas1,03721.5−1.1
Majority 2,75657.1+2.3
Turnout 4,830
Conservative hold Swing +1.1
Stanningley [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Kevin Gould1,97945.2+7.8
Conservative A. Redmond1,73939.8−5.4
Liberal F. Robertson65615.0−2.4
Majority 2405.5−2.2
Turnout 4,374
Labour hold Swing +6.6
Wellington [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour A. Donohoe95062.8+4.4
Liberal G. Hoyland23715.7−0.3
Conservative D. Tiffany23515.5−5.3
Communist M. Rogers916.0+1.2
Majority 71347.1+9.6
Turnout 1,513
Labour hold Swing +2.3
Westfield [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Bell1,03151.3+7.9
Conservative A. Sexton97848.7−7.9
Majority 532.6−10.6
Turnout 2,009
Labour hold Swing +7.9
Woodhouse [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour R. Ellis1,50748.7+3.8
Conservative D. Crawford1,49348.2−3.5
Communist A. Dale973.1−0.3
Majority 140.5−6.3
Turnout 3,097
Labour hold Swing +3.6
Wortley [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative F. Stubley2,49246.8−4.6
Labour J. Moynihan2,17540.8+2.3
Liberal Walter Holdsworth66012.4+2.3
Majority 3176.0−6.8
Turnout 5,327
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -3.4

References

  1. 1 2 "British Tories Gain in Cities". Toledo Blade . 13 May 1966. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post . 13 May 1966.
  4. Whitaker, Joseph (1966). Whitaker's Almanack 1966.