Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election, 2008

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2008 local election results in Wakefield Wakefield UK ward map 2008.jpg
2008 local election results in Wakefield

The 2008 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council in West Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party stayed in overall control of the council. [1]

West Yorkshire County of England

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England. It is an inland and in relative terms upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in moors of the Pennines and has a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.

England Country in north-west Europe, part of the United Kingdom

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north-northwest. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom which has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The party's platform emphasises greater state intervention, social justice and strengthening workers' rights.

Contents

After the election, the composition of the council was

Conservative Party (UK) Political party in the United Kingdom

The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom. The governing party since 2010, it is the largest in the House of Commons, with 313 Members of Parliament, and also has 249 members of the House of Lords, 18 members of the European Parliament, 31 Members of the Scottish Parliament, 12 members of the Welsh Assembly, eight members of the London Assembly and 8,916 local councillors.

Liberal Democrats (UK) Political party in the United Kingdom

The Liberal Democrats are a liberal political party in the United Kingdom. They have 11 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 96 members of the House of Lords, one member of the European Parliament, five Members of the Scottish Parliament and one member in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly. At the height of its influence, the party formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2015 with its leader Nick Clegg serving as Deputy Prime Minister. It is currently led by Sir Vince Cable.

Background

Before the election there was disagreement among commentators about how safe Wakefield council was for Labour. The Daily Telegraph felt Labour would struggle to remain in control, but the Yorkshire Post believed it would remain safe for Labour. [3] [4]

<i>The Daily Telegraph</i> British daily broadsheet newspaper

The Daily Telegraph, commonly referred to simply as The Telegraph, is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was founded by Arthur B. Sleigh in 1855 as Daily Telegraph & Courier.

Wakefield council joined with other councils from Yorkshire to run a television advertising campaign in an attempt to increase turnout. [5]

Yorkshire Historic county of Northern England

Yorkshire, formally known as the County of York, is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Due to its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform. Throughout these changes, Yorkshire has continued to be recognised as a geographical territory and cultural region. The name is familiar and well understood across the United Kingdom and is in common use in the media and the military, and also features in the titles of current areas of civil administration such as North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Voter turnout percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Eligibility varies by country, and the voting-eligible population should not be confused with the total adult population. Age and citizenship status are often among the criteria used to determine eligibility, but some countries further restrict eligibility based on sex, race, or religion.

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives make 7 gains, all but one from Labour, and come up only one seat short of depriving Labour of their majority. [6] Altogether Labour lost 8 seats including 2 to independents, while the Liberal Democrats lost their only seat that was being contested in Ossett to the Conservatives. [7] Labour losses included the mayor, Allan Garbutt, and the cabinet member for children and young people, Trevor Izon, in Pontefract South. [7] Overall turnout was 32.28%. [8]

Ossett town in the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

Ossett is a market town in within the metropolitan district of the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is halfway between Dewsbury, to the west, and Wakefield, to the east. At the 2011 Census, the population was 21,231.

Cabinet (government) group of high ranking officials, usually representing the executive branch of government

A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the top leaders of the executive branch. Members of a cabinet are usually called Cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a Cabinet varies: in some countries it is a collegiate decision-making body with collective responsibility, while in others it may function either as a purely advisory body or an assisting institution to a decision making head of state or head of government. Cabinets are typically the body responsible for the day-to-day management of the government and response to sudden events, whereas the legislative and judicial branches work in a measured pace, in sessions according to lengthy procedures.

Pontefract market town in West Yorkshire, England

Pontefract is a historic market town in West Yorkshire, England, near the A1 and the M62 motorway. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250, increasing to 30,881 at the 2011 Census. Pontefract's motto is Post mortem patris pro filio, Latin for "After the death of the father, support the son", a reference to the English Civil War Royalist sympathies.

The Conservatives said that their victories were due both to the unpopularity of the national Labour government and due to the Labour council behaving in an arrogant way. [7] The results were seen by the Conservatives as an encouraging sign of how they would perform at the next general election in the Wakefield constituencies. [7] Meanwhile, Labour put their defeats down to national issues such as the abolition of the 10p rate of income tax and immigration. [7]

United Kingdom constituencies electoral area in the UK (do not use in P31; use subclasses of this instead)

In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elect one member to a parliament or assembly, with the exception of European Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly constituencies which are multi member constituencies.

An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) that varies with respective income or profits. Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times taxable income. Taxation rates may vary by type or characteristics of the taxpayer.

Wakefield Local Election Result 2008 [8]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 11 7 0 +7 50.0 34.3 28,506 +4.3%
  Labour 8 0 8 -8 36.4 35.1 29,168 -3.9%
  Independent 3 2 0 +2 13.6 12.0 9,978 +1.8%
  Liberal Democrat 0 0 1 -1 0 8.8 7,319 -1.3%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 7.9 6,567 -0.4%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 1.2 1,024 -0.2%
  Socialist Alternative 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 352 +0.1%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 145 +0.0%
  British Voice 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 142 -0.2%

Ward results

Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Richard Molloy 1,653 43.2 +13.5
Labour Allan Garbutt 1,466 38.3 +1.1
Liberal Democrat David Arthur 709 18.5 +4.1
Majority 187 4.9
Turnout 3,828
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Airedale and Ferry Fryston [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Graham Phelps 1,401 46.7 -10.5
BNP Stephen Rogerson 628 20.9 +2.2
Conservative Mellisa Wan Omer 540 18.0 +5.3
Liberal Democrat Paul Kirby 430 14.3 +2.9
Majority 773 25.8 -12.7
Turnout 2,999
Labour hold Swing
Altofts and Whitwood [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Peter Box 1,316 37.4 -10.8
Liberal Democrat Michael Burch 827 23.5 +4.4
Conservative Gordon Tennant 793 22.5 +6.7
BNP Dawn Byrom 585 16.6 -0.2
Majority 489 13.9 -15.2
Turnout 3,521
Labour hold Swing
Castleford Central and Glasshoughton [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Mark Burns-Williamson 1,775 54.1 -9.3
BNP Rita Robinson 854 26.1 +3.4
Conservative Eamonn Mullins 649 19.8 +6.0
Majority 921 28.0 -12.7
Turnout 3,278
Labour hold Swing
Crofton, Ryhill and Walton [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Susan Lodge 1,783 40.4 +6.3
Labour Albert Manifield 1,730 39.2 -6.9
BNP Dean Crossland 902 20.4 +0.6
Majority 53 1.2
Turnout 4,415
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Featherstone [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Kay Binnersley 1,974 45.8 +4.3
Labour Dick Taylor 1,872 43.4 +4.9
Conservative Michael Ledgard 464 10.8 +5.5
Majority 102 2.4 -0.6
Turnout 4,310
Independent hold Swing
Hemsworth (2) [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Ian Womersley 1,695
Labour Glyn Lloyd 1,288
Labour Sandra Pickin 1,203
Independent John Evans 663
Independent Maurice Kent 503
BNP Jeanette Womack 400
Conservative Christian l'Anson 371
Conservative Rebecca Mullins 329
Turnout 2,986
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing
Horbury and South Ossett [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Graham Jesty 1,845 40.1 -2.6
Labour Janet Holmes 1,657 36.0 -2.0
Independent Susan Armitage 576 12.5 +12.5
Liberal Democrat David Rowland 522 11.3 -8.0
Majority 188 4.1 -0.6
Turnout 4,600
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Knottingley [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Graham Stokes 1,417 56.7 -4.8
Conservative Tom Dixon 1,081 43.3 +23.5
Majority 336 13.4 -28.3
Turnout 2,498
Labour hold Swing
Normanton [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Barry Smith 1,037 31.8 -8.2
Conservative Richard Wakefield 784 24.0 +12.4
Independent Graeme Milner 699 21.4 -3.5
BNP Adam Frazer 520 15.9 -0.1
Liberal Democrat Jack Smith 221 6.8 -0.7
Majority 253 7.8 -7.3
Turnout 3,261
Labour hold Swing
Ossett [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Terry Brown 1,709 37.9 +12.4
Liberal Democrat Mark Goodair 1,694 37.6 +1.1
Labour David Watts 1,105 24.5 +0.2
Majority 15 0.3
Turnout 4,508
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat Swing
Pontefract North [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Philip Thomas 1,352 40.8 -6.4
Labour Jack Kershaw 1,323 39.9 -12.9
Independent Bob Evison 398 12.0 +12.0
Green Rennie Smith 240 7.2 +7.2
Majority 29 0.9
Turnout 3,313
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Pontefract South [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Mark Crowther 2,340 48.8 -1.0
Labour Trevor Izon 1,801 37.6 +0.2
Liberal Democrat Chris Rush 650 13.6 +0.8
Majority 539 11.2 -1.2
Turnout 4,791
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
South Elmsall and South Kirkby [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Wilf Benson 2,248 56.5 +1.5
Labour Mollie Wright 1,342 33.7 -0.8
Conservative Allan Crouch 389 9.8 -0.7
Majority 906 22.8 +2.3
Turnout 3,979
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Stanley and Outwood East [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Simon Wilson 1,392 36.9 +6.6
Labour Charles Keith 1,112 29.5 -6.4
Liberal Democrat David Evans 661 17.5 -0.7
BNP Loraine Frazer 608 16.1 +0.5
Majority 280 7.4
Turnout 3,773
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Wakefield East [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Ros Lund 1,478 44.8 -1.8
Conservative Mark Pickard 1,022 31.0 +8.5
BNP Robert Arnold 447 13.5 +1.9
Socialist Alternative Michael Griffiths 352 10.7 +3.7
Majority 456 13.8 -10.3
Turnout 3,299
Labour hold Swing
Wakefield North [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour Elizabeth Rhodes 1,177 34.7 -1.9
Conservative Graham Ridler 1,140 33.6 +5.8
Liberal Democrat Andrew Tennant 468 13.8 -4.0
BNP Graham Thewlis-Hardy 458 13.5 +1.7
UKIP Keith Wells 145 4.3 +0.0
Majority 37 1.1 -7.7
Turnout 3,388
Labour hold Swing
Wakefield Rural [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative John Colley 2,837 62.0 +9.6
Labour Tony Richardson 1,108 24.2 -2.5
Green Miriam Hawkins 628 13.7 -0.5
Majority 1,729 37.8 +12.1
Turnout 4,573
Conservative hold Swing
Wakefield South [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative David Hopkins 1,725 40.0 -1.6
Independent Norman Hazell 1,222 28.4 +8.3
Labour Simon Young 672 15.6 -1.7
Liberal Democrat Stephen Nuthall 369 8.6 +1.4
BNP John Aveyard 321 7.4 +2.9
Majority 503 11.6 -9.9
Turnout 4,309
Conservative hold Swing
Wakefield West [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Mike Walker 2,479 60.2 +5.3
Labour Matthew Morley 738 17.9 -3.2
BNP Neville Poynton 348 8.5 +8.5
Liberal Democrat Susan Morgan 252 6.1 -3.0
Green Brian Else 156 3.8 -3.1
British Voice Norman Tate 142 3.5 -4.6
Majority 1,741 42.3 +8.5
Turnout 4,115
Conservative hold Swing
Wrenthorpe and Outwood West [8] [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative Annemarie Glover 1,829 45.8 +5.9
Labour Martyn Johnson 1,150 28.8 -6.8
Liberal Democrat Margaret Dodd 516 12.9 +0.5
BNP Grant Rowe 496 12.4 +0.2
Majority 679 17.0 +12.7
Turnout 3,991
Conservative hold Swing

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References

  1. ↑ "Wakefield". BBC News Online . 19 April 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  2. ↑ "National: Full election results". The Guardian . 3 May 2008. p. 45. ISSN   0261-3077.
  3. ↑ Porter, Andrew (28 April 2008). "Cameron takes aim at Brown with election target of 40pc". The Daily Telegraph. p. 8. ISSN   0307-1235.
  4. ↑ "Voters give their verdict at the ballot box". Yorkshire Post . 1 May 2008. ISSN   0963-1496.
  5. ↑ "Persuading voters to make their mark". Wakefield Express . 25 April 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  6. ↑ "Misery for Labour as cracks appear in bastions". Yorkshire Post . 3 May 2008. ISSN   0963-1496.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jubilant Tories claim city is turning blue". Yorkshire Post . 3 May 2008. ISSN   0963-1496.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "Local Election Results May 2008". Wakefield Council. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Local Elections: Wakefield results". Yorkshire Evening Post . 2 May 2008. ISSN   0963-2255.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Wakefield Council elections - final results". Wakefield Express . 24 April 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
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