1998 Islington London Borough Council election

1998 Islington London Borough Council election

←  1994 7 May 1998 (1998-05-07) 2002  →
All 52 seats up for election to Islington London Borough Council 27 seats needed for a majority
Registered	118,034 [1]
Turnout	42,096, 35.66% ( 7.66) [1]
First party Second party   Party Liberal Democrats Labour Last election 12 seats, 29.14% 39 seats, 52.49% Seats before 13 38 Seats won 26 26 Seat change 13 12 Popular vote 44,391 43,388 Percentage 43.98% 42.99% Swing 14.84 9.50   Third party Fourth party   Party Conservative Green Last election 1 seat, 12.47% 0 seats, 3.06% Seats before 1 0 Seats won 0 0 Seat change 1 Popular vote 6,369 6,366 Percentage 6.31% 6.31% Swing 6.16 3.25
Council control before election Labour Council control after election No Overall Control

The 1998 Islington Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Islington London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election and the Labour Party lost overall control of the council to no overall control. ^[2]

Election result

The results saw the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties finish tied on 26 seats each, after the Liberal Democrats gained 12 seats. ^[3] The Liberal Democrat gains included taking the ward of Barnsbury, where the then Prime Minister Tony Blair had lived before becoming prime minister. ^[3] In the final seat Labour won by 3 votes after 5 recounts to prevent the Liberal Democrats from winning a majority. ^[3] This meant Labour was able to continue as the administration, relying on the casting vote of the Labour mayor Pat Haynes. ^[3]

Reasons for the losses for Labour were reported as being the council tax level, which was the highest in London, poor schools and the council's £800 million debt. ^[3]

At the same as the election Islington voted 81.55% in favour of the 1998 Greater London Authority referendum and 18.45% against, on a 34.15% turnout. ^{[4] [5]}

Islington Local Election Result 1998 ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal Democrats	26	14	1	13	50.00	43.98	44,391	14.84
	Labour	26	1	13	12	50.00	42.99	43,388	9.50
	Conservative	0	0	1	1	0.00	6.31	6,369	6.16
	Green	0	0	0		0.00	6.31	6,366	3.25
	Socialist Labour	0	0	0		0.00	0.15	154	New
	Independent	0	0	0		0.00	0.13	135	0.54
	Tenants & Residents	0	0	0		0.00	0.13	131	2.04
Total		52						100,934

Ward results

(*) - Indicates an incumbent candidate

(†) - Indicates an incumbent candidate standing in a different ward

Barnsbury

Barnsbury (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Bridget C. Fox	1,725	54.28	30.22
	Liberal Democrats	Alastair Loraine	1,623
	Liberal Democrats	Carol A. Powell	1,575
	Labour	Paula V. Kahn	929	30.21	27.34
	Labour	Steven Barnett	914
	Labour	Lloyd G.T. Child	897
	Green	Robert Pearce	211	6.98	New
	Conservative	Christopher C.A. Cox	174	4.20	14.19
	Tenants & Residents	John A. Worker	131	4.33	New
	Conservative	Martin R.C. Moyes	111
	Conservative	Jonathan E. Small	96
Registered electors			6,761		254
Turnout			2,978	44.05	0.04
Rejected ballots			17	0.57	0.08
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour

Bunhill

Bunhill (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Joseph R. Trotter*	1,317	59.95	0.31
	Liberal Democrats	Rosetta E. Wooding*	1,236
	Liberal Democrats	Jyoti Vaja	1,176
	Labour	Ian J. Darby	555	24.47	10.29
	Labour	Theresa Debono	487
	Labour	Hassan I. Asmal	480
	Socialist Labour	Sharon Hayward	154	7.43	New
	Green	Denise A. Bennett	94	4.53	New
	Conservative	Peter G. Cuthbert	78	3.62	1.98
	Conservative	Doris M. Daly	76
	Conservative	Alam-Zeb Khan	71
Registered electors			5,460		377
Turnout			2,118	38.79	9.25
Rejected ballots			8	0.38	0.34
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold

Canonbury East

Canonbury East (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Jonathan Dearth	1,101	56.48	33.59
	Liberal Democrats	Richard C. Washington	1,026
	Labour	Andrew Bosi*	750	35.16	1.25
	Labour	Peter Lewis	574
	Green	Judith E. Kleinman	92	4.88	1.39
	Conservative	Timothy R. Devlin	72	3.48	0.20
	Conservative	Duncan E.S. Reed	59
Registered electors			4,998		29
Turnout			2,015	40.32	4.94
Rejected ballots			10	0.50	0.32
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour

Canonbury West

Canonbury West (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Angela Ribezzo	985	59.71	40.34
	Liberal Democrats	Barbara G. Smith	955
	Labour	Diane A.C. Brace	544	31.52	18.74
	Labour	Nicholas J.C. Stewart	480
	Conservative	Carol-Anne Aitken	89	5.45	18.45
	Conservative	Richard Campbell	88
	Green	Robert K. Turner	54	3.32	3.15
Registered electors			4,153		29
Turnout			1,750	42.14	1.48
Rejected ballots			23	1.31	1.09
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour

Clerkenwell

Clerkenwell (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah A. Ludford*	1,783	59.29	0.22
	Liberal Democrats	Bruce G. Neave*	1,449
	Liberal Democrats	George E. Allan	1,427
	Labour	Timothy Clark	762	25.58	0.94
	Labour	Harriet E. Quiney	672
	Labour	David B. Northcott	576
	Green	Raymond Cunningham	259	9.89	New
	Conservative	Gordon A. Dear	162	5.24	1.29
	Conservative	Nicholas H. Roberts	132
	Conservative	Margaret D. Reese	118
Registered electors			7,908		627
Turnout			2,771	35.04	12.77
Rejected ballots			15	0.54	0.17
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold

Gillespie

Gillespie (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Richard Greening*	966	55.30	9.91
	Labour	Nigel D. Mason	751
	Liberal Democrats	Philip D. Middleton	336	20.87	7.43
	Liberal Democrats	Elizabeth J. Rorison	312
	Green	Sara Meidan	276	17.78	5.68
	Conservative	John M. Shields	101	6.05	3.20
	Conservative	Rifat Bairam	87
Registered electors			4,471		453
Turnout			1,540	34.44	8.39
Rejected ballots			22	1.43	1.14
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Highbury

Highbury (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mary H. Creagh	1,107	48.69	5.13
	Labour	Maureen Leigh† [n 1]	1,052
	Labour	Jenny A. Rathbone	1,033
	Green	Christopher Ashby	748	27.20	0.49
	Green	Malcolm R. Powell	522
	Green	Patricia A. Tuson	513
	Liberal Democrats	Kathleen A. Williams	330	14.70	2.07
	Liberal Democrats	Mark J. Hornby	321
	Liberal Democrats	Sheila A. Thornton	313
	Conservative	Andrew P. Brooke	227	9.41	0.97
	Conservative	Jean-Paul Floru	199
	Conservative	James H.P. Barbaras	191
Registered electors			6,951		696
Turnout			2,475	35.61	5.51
Rejected ballots			14	0.57	0.41
	Labour hold
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Highview

Highview (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ruairi A. McCourt	766	64.16	5.46
	Labour	Jennifer M. Sands	720
	Green	Michael H.W. Holloway	223	16.93	6.71
	Liberal Democrats	Jonathan H.L. Griffiths	177	14.03	4.08
	Green	Michele A. Wilson	169
	Liberal Democrats	Ursula J. Craig	148
	Conservative	Simon R. Matthews	58	4.88	5.34
	Conservative	Bruce G. Picking	55
Registered electors			3,875		122
Turnout			1,261	32.54	7.85
Rejected ballots			20	1.59	1.06
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Hillmarton

Hillmarton (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Doreen Scott	1,028	49.93	30.02
	Liberal Democrats	Edward H. Featherstone	998
	Labour	Antonia M. Benedek	781	38.47	26.72
	Labour	Philip J. Kelly *	780
	Green	Mark Chilver	165	8.13	New
	Conservative	Roy P.C. Taft	82	3.47	11.44
	Conservative	Mahendra Oza	59
Registered electors			4,913		222
Turnout			2,111	42.97	2.37
Rejected ballots			7	0.33	0.14
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour

Hillrise

Hillrise (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Alan M. Clinton*	1,036	54.23	7.76
	Labour	Milton K. Babulall† [n 2]	948
	Labour	Sheila A. Camp	940
	Liberal Democrats	Heather Eggins	426	20.86	5.78
	Liberal Democrats	James R. Sanderson	371
	Liberal Democrats	Philip M. Vaughan	328
	Conservative	Maureen L. Campbell	255	10.72	2.83
	Green	Victoria F. Olliver	255	14.19	4.81
	Conservative	Simon N. Cooper	180
	Conservative	Bryan G. Wilsher	143
Registered electors			6,600		276
Turnout			1,846	27.97	10.28
Rejected ballots			6	0.33	0.08
	Labour hold
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Holloway

Holloway (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Margot J. Dunn*	1,338	54.91	6.69
	Liberal Democrats	Barry J. Kempton*	1,290
	Liberal Democrats	Douglas A. Taylor*	1,262
	Labour	Catriona M. Munro	838	35.23	7.52
	Labour	David T. Sayer	830
	Labour	Robert C. Dowd	828
	Green	Sheena J. Etches	138	5.85	0.76
	Conservative	Alan J.M. Reese	99	4.01	0.07
	Conservative	Mark A.H. Rittner	94
	Conservative	James A. Rooke	91
Registered electors			6,258		203
Turnout			2,550	40.75	8.76
Rejected ballots			13	0.51	0.41
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold

Junction

Junction (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Janet D. Burgess* [n 3]	1,104	55.30	7.04
	Labour	Taha T. Karim*	940
	Labour	Sandra Marks*	934
	Liberal Democrats	Margaret M. Lally	430	20.35	6.39
	Liberal Democrats	Elizabeth A. Sidney	347
	Liberal Democrats	Alford T. Reeves	319
	Green	Angela Royston	284	15.46	2.24
	Green	Ajay Burlingham-Johnson	271
	Conservative	Charles J.R. Sharman	167	8.89	1.59
	Conservative	Anthea D.P. Ward	152
Registered electors			6,487		1
Turnout			1,892	29.17	10.66
Rejected ballots			13	0.69	0.23
	Labour hold
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Mildmay

Mildmay (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Patrick E. Haynes*	1,056	44.99	6.68
	Labour	Jeanette Arnold	1,022
	Labour	Michael Boye-Anawomah*	941
	Liberal Democrats	Anna Berent	621	24.05	10.68
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew D. Crudgington	500
	Liberal Democrats	Derek R. Jackson	493
	Green	Grant M. Gilbert	290	12.97	0.84
	Conservative	Adam M. Duguid	277	11.95	10.89
	Conservative	Oriel S. Hutchinson	273
	Conservative	Gary Moores	252
	Independent	Margaret I. McDonnell	135	6.04	New
Registered electors			7,995		406
Turnout			2,075	25.95	12.45
Rejected ballots			27	1.30	1.06
	Labour hold
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Quadrant

Quadrant (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David P. Barnes* [n 4]	1,161	51.84	44.99
	Liberal Democrats	Laura C. Willoughby	992
	Labour	Philip R. Bird	689	30.29	12.22
	Labour	Caspar P.S. Bowden	569
	Conservative	Rebecca M. Baty	274	12.35	31.92
	Conservative	Oliver S.P. Judge	239
	Green	Susan Wilkinson	141	5.52	0.85
	Green	Stefan D. Tobler	88
Registered electors			5,228		129
Turnout			2,213	42.33	8.13
Rejected ballots			10	0.45	0.10
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour

St George's

St George's (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rosemary R. Blackmore	1,357	52.97	3.47
	Labour	Walter H. Burgess	1,165
	Labour	Shonagh Methven	1,147
	Liberal Democrats	Jody Beveridge	503	19.90	7.27
	Liberal Democrats	Paul J. Fox	464
	Green	Mary H. Adshead	450	19.49	6.46
	Liberal Democrats	Julian D. Glover	411
	Conservative	Allan J. Saile	216	7.64	2.88
	Conservative	Rosemarie Totvanian	161
	Conservative	Glenn H. Timmermans	152
Registered electors			6,931		310
Turnout			2,246	32.41	6.47
Rejected ballots			22	0.98	0.86
	Labour hold
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

St Mary

St Mary (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Isobel J. Cox	1,299	55.21	37.89
	Liberal Democrats	Joan Coupland	1,298
	Liberal Democrats	Richard M.H. Heseltine	1,272
	Labour	Jessica E.A. Bawden	815	34.35	17.79
	Labour	Paul E. Convery*	796
	Labour	Paul A. Jackson*	796
	Green	Mjka Scott	149	6.38	1.73
	Conservative	Tracey A. Braddick	118	4.07	18.36
	Conservative	Stephen M. McMinnies	88
	Conservative	Lisa G.I. Ruffell	79
Registered electors			5,894		532
Turnout			2,433	41.28	2.29
Rejected ballots			12	0.49	0.23
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour

St Peter

St Peter (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Maria Powell*	1,548	67.57	5.44
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Hitchins*	1,480
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher J. Pryce*	1,373
	Labour	Paula Beattie	515	20.35	12.99
	Labour	Nicholas P. Butcher	460
	Labour	Jenina R. Pendry	350
	Green	Ura Kiefer	155	7.14	New
	Conservative	Thomas R.M. Duke	138	4.94	0.42
	Conservative	Peter J.C. Warren	94
	Conservative	Ian J. Sparham-Souter	90
Registered electors			6,599		192
Turnout			2,294	34.76	14.08
Rejected ballots			8	0.35	0.13
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold
	Liberal Democrats hold

Sussex

Sussex (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Meg Hillier*	884	49.21	10.75
	Labour	Daniel C. Bonner	859
	Liberal Democrats	Graham A. Baker* [n 5]	856	44.47	12.35
	Liberal Democrats	Hewa Jaff	719
	Green	Robin W. Latimer	99	4.32	1.93
	Green	Swadesh Poorun	54
	Conservative	Raymond L.J. Muggeridge	38	2.00	2.67
	Conservative	John A. Wilkin	33
Registered electors			4,668		273
Turnout			1,926	41.26	7.05
Rejected ballots			19	0.99	0.61
	Labour hold
	Labour gain from Liberal Democrats

Thornhill

Thornhill (2) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ian P. Perry	828	53.58	9.99
	Labour	Edna Griffiths	735
	Liberal Democrats	Patricia M. Peel	411	26.98	10.53
	Liberal Democrats	Michael B. Aspell	376
	Green	Nicola L. Baird	143	9.81	2.37
	Conservative	Stanley W. Morris	142	9.63	2.90
	Conservative	Stephen A. Kreppel	139
Registered electors			4,721		232
Turnout			1,588	33.64	8.98
Rejected ballots			19	1.20	0.89
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Tollington

Tollington (3) ^{[7] [8]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Roger A. McKenzie*	1,178	59.68	1.43
	Labour	Barbara A. Sidnell	1,149
	Labour	Derek A. Sawyer*	1,103
	Liberal Democrats	Elizabeth A. Macmillan	418	20.22	9.20
	Liberal Democrats	Matthew T.M. Ryan	386
	Green	James L. Goggin	385	20.09	8.84
	Liberal Democrats	David C. Tibbs	358
Registered electors			7,163		326
Turnout			2,014	28.12	8.90
Rejected ballots			42	2.09	1.77
	Labour hold
	Labour hold
	Labour hold

Notes

1. Leigh was a sitting councillor representing the Highview ward
2. Babulall was a sitting councillor representing the Highbury ward
3. Burgess was elected in a by-election trigerred by the resignation of Cllr. Michael Tal after his resignation in 1997 ^[9]
4. Barnes was elected as a Labour councillor in 1994 but decided to run as a Liberal Democrat this election
5. Baker was elected in a by-election triggered by the resignation of Cllr. Stephen Twigg in 1997 ^[9]

References

1. Minors, Michael; Grenham, Dennis. "London Borough Council Elections - 7 May 1998 - including the Greater London Authority referendum results" (PDF). London Datastore. London Research Centre. p. 206. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
2. "Local Elections results". The Times . 9 May 1998. p. 46.
3. Harding, Luke. "Mugging shock for Labour on leader's old patch". The Guardian . p. 15.
4. "How London voted for a mayor". The Guardian . 9 May 1998. p. 16.
5. "London Borough Council Elections 7 May 1998 - including the Greater London Authority referendum results" (PDF). londondatastore-upload.s3.amazonaws.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2015.
6. "Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results". The Guardian . 9 May 1998. p. 16.
7. Minors, Michael; Grenham, Dennis. "London Borough Council Elections - 7 May 1998 - including the Greater London Authority referendum results" (PDF). London Datastore. London Research Centre. pp. 103–105, 204, 206–207. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
8. Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "London Borough of Islington Election Results 1964-2010" (PDF). Elections Centre. Plymouth University. p. 10-11. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
9. Minors, Michael; Grenham, Dennis. "London Borough Council Elections - 7 May 1998 - incluiding the Greater London Authority referendum results" (PDF). London Datastore. London Research Centre. p. 105. Retrieved 24 May 2025.