Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1987

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Map of the results of the 1987 Wigan council election. Wigan85.png
Map of the results of the 1987 Wigan council election.

Elections to the Wigan council were held on Thursday, 7 May 1987, with one third of the council up for election. Previous to the election there had been two by-elections held, resulting in a Labour gain of the seat being fought in Swinley from the Conservatives and Labour retaining one of their Hindley Green seats. Participation for this election increased substantially from the previous year's lows. Only one ward went unopposed (Leigh Central) as Labour reliably provided a full-slate of candidates, the Alliance all but Atherton and the Conservatives up from 16 to 18, by way of fielding candidates in the Labour strongholds of Abram and Worsley Mesnes this time around. An Independent Labour candidate also fought and won Hindley, with an Independent victory last seen in 1976, and Independent representation in 1980, when that same victor failed to survive the re-warding.

Metropolitan Borough of Wigan Metropolitan borough in England

The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town and former county borough, Wigan and includes the towns and villages of Leigh, part of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Orrell, Standish, Atherton, Tyldesley, Golborne, Lowton, Billinge, Astley, Haigh and Aspull. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an amalgamation of several former local government districts and parishes. The borough has three civil parishes and lies directly to the west of the City of Salford and southwest of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton. The local authority is Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.

The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom that 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.

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.

Contents

The results seen an end to four years of consecutive increases in Labour's share, peaking with last year's all-time high, as they slipped back into a respectable high-fifties and their loss dispersing to each of the opposition parties. Labour lost four seats in total, with the aforementioned Independent Labour loss in Hindley, an Alliance casualty from last year's elections re-elected in Winstanley, another loss to Alliance in Aspull-Standish and the Conservatives comfortable retaking the seat in Swinley they'd lost in the earlier mentioned by-election. These losses were offset somewhat by a gain from Alliance in Tyldesley East, returning the ward to entire Labour representation. Overall turnout rose to an above-average 37.1%. [1]

Aspull village in United Kingdom

Aspull is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Lancashire, Aspull, along with Haigh, is surrounded by greenbelt and agricultural land, separated from Westhoughton, on its southeast side, by a brook running through Borsdane Wood. The ground rises from south to north, reaching 400 feet (122 m), and has views towards Winter Hill and the West Pennine Moors. It has a population of 4,977.

Standish, Greater Manchester village in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England

Standish is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the A49 road between Chorley and Wigan, near Junction 27 of the M6 motorway. The population of the village was 13,278 in the 2011 census.

Election result

Wigan Local Election Result 1987
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 19 1 4 -3 79.2 59.3 49,800 -5.7%
  SDP–Liberal Alliance 3 2 1 +1 12.5 23.1 19,406 +1.3%
  Conservative 1 1 0 +1 4.2 15.3 12,820 +2.2%
  Independent Labour 1 1 0 +1 4.2 2.2 1,894 +2.2%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Labour 65 62
SDP-Liberal Alliance 5 6
Conservatives 2 3
Independent Labour 0 1
Total 72 72
Working majority 58  52 

Ward results

Abram [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour N. Cumberbach 2,687 80.0N/A
Conservative J. Wright 377 11.2N/A
SDP–Liberal Alliance R. Murphy 296 8.8N/A
Majority 2,310 68.7N/A
Turnout 3,360 34.8N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Ashton-Golborne [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour J. Hilton 2,206 65.3 -7.3
Conservative S. Edwards 718 21.2 +6.2
SDP–Liberal Alliance B. Miners 453 13.4 +1.2
Majority 1,488 44.0 -13.5
Turnout 3,377 34.6 +4.3
Labour hold Swing -6.7
Aspull-Standish [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
SDP–Liberal Alliance G. Davies 2,153 42.0 +0.5
Labour A. Durkin 2,117 41.3 -4.6
Conservative K. Hart 860 16.7 +4.0
Majority 36 0.7 -3.7
Turnout 5,130 49.4 +4.8
SDP–Liberal Alliance gain from Labour Swing +2.5
Atherton [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour J. Sumner 2,507 76.1 -6.6
Conservative M. Sharland 1,418 23.8 +6.6
Majority 1,722 52.3 -13.1
Turnout 3,292 35.0 +5.4
Labour hold Swing -6.6
Bedford-Astley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour H. Hayes 1,999 58.5 -9.1
SDP–Liberal Alliance D. Wilkinson 1,418 41.5 +9.1
Majority 581 17.0 -18.2
Turnout 3,417 34.2 +3.5
Labour hold Swing -9.1
Beech Hill [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour H. Antill 1,834 57.2 -17.0
SDP–Liberal Alliance J. McGarty 929 29.0 +13.7
Conservative R. Gibson 44.2 13.8 +3.2
Majority 905 28.2 -30.7
Turnout 3,205 36.1 +4.2
Labour hold Swing -15.3
Bryn [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour J. Foster 2,709 72.9 -5.9
Conservative R. Clayton 560 15.1 +3.8
SDP–Liberal Alliance W. Claypole 448 12.0 +2.0
Majority 2,149 57.8 -9.7
Turnout 3,717 37.5 +3.7
Labour hold Swing -4.8
Hindley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Independent Labour E. Edwardson 1,894 54.2N/A
Labour M. O'Halloran 1,140 32.6N/A
SDP–Liberal Alliance S. Galeazzi 459 13.1N/A
Majority 754 21.6N/A
Turnout 3,493 36.4N/A
Independent Labour gain from Labour Swing N/A
Hindley Green [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour R. McAllister 2,275 72.1N/A
SDP–Liberal Alliance J. Cranfield 880 27.9N/A
Majority 1,395 44.2N/A
Turnout 3,155 28.2N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Hindsford [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour S. Little 2,189 64.0 -9.3
SDP–Liberal Alliance S. Jones 1,232 36.0 +9.3
Majority 957 28.0 -18.7
Turnout 3,421 32.0 +3.6
Labour hold Swing -9.3
Hope Carr [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour L. Birtles 1,976 55.8 -10.2
Conservative E. Manson 1,103 31.2 -2.7
SDP–Liberal Alliance G. Pullin 460 13.0 +13.0
Majority 873 24.7 -7.5
Turnout 3,539 36.2 +1.8
Labour hold Swing -3.7
Ince [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour D. Molyneaux 2,385 87.7 -1.2
SDP–Liberal Alliance A. Robinson 172 6.3 +0.5
Conservative D. Edwards 161 5.9 +0.7
Majority 2,213 81.4 -1.7
Turnout 2,718 34.0 +0.6
Labour hold Swing -0.8
Langtree [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
SDP–Liberal Alliance S. Jeffers 2,220 44.4 -2.6
Labour S. Turner 1,945 38.9 -4.6
Conservative J. Wolstenholme 839 16.8 +7.2
Majority 275 5.5 +2.0
Turnout 5,004 46.3 -0.9
SDP–Liberal Alliance hold Swing +1.0
Leigh Central [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour UnopposedN/AN/A
Labour hold Swing N/A
Leigh East [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour D. Caley 1,857 61.6 -12.4
Conservative M. Turner 722 24.0 -1.9
SDP–Liberal Alliance P. Claypole 433 14.4 +14.4
Majority 1,135 37.7 -10.5
Turnout 3,012 29.3 +1.6
Labour hold Swing -5.2
Lightshaw [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour B. Strett 2,406 58.6 -8.9
Conservative G. Jackson 1,071 26.1 +7.6
SDP–Liberal Alliance J. Wilson 628 15.3 +1.2
Majority 1,335 32.5 -16.5
Turnout 4,105 38.9 -2.9
Labour hold Swing -8.2
Newtown [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour M. Milligan 2,406 77.0 -7.0
Conservative I. Nicholson 419 13.4 +4.8
SDP–Liberal Alliance W. Hewer 300 9.6 +2.2
Majority 1,987 63.6 -11.8
Turnout 3,125 34.5 +3.0
Labour hold Swing -5.9
Norley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour J. Smith 2,544 85.5 -2.7
SDP–Liberal Alliance R. Richardson 231 7.8 +1.0
Conservative J. Carrington 200 6.7 +1.7
Majority 2,313 77.7 -3.7
Turnout 2,975 37.5 +2.1
Labour hold Swing -1.8
Orrell [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour R. Capstick 1,946 46.4 -0.3
Conservative D. Patmore 1,346 32.1 +10.2
SDP–Liberal Alliance N. Somers 903 21.5 -9.9
Majority 600 14.3 -0.8
Turnout 4,195 40.8 +1.2
Labour hold Swing -5.2
Swinley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Conservative M. Dowling 1,908 40.0 +1.8
Labour M. Gallagher 1,767 37.0 +0.4
SDP–Liberal Alliance C. Rhys 1,096 23.0 -2.2
Majority 141 2.9 +1.3
Turnout 4,771 53.0 +5.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +0.7
Tyldesley East [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour C. Hopkinson 2,104 56.0 -5.6
SDP–Liberal Alliance A. Shaw 1,653 44.0 +5.6
Majority 451 12.0 -11.1
Turnout 3,757 35.7 -3.6
Labour gain from SDP–Liberal Alliance Swing -5.6
Whelley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour M. Pendleton 2,448 77.0 -2.9
Conservative F. Sidebotham 387 12.2 +3.8
SDP–Liberal Alliance D. Armstrong 342 10.7 -0.9
Majority 2,061 64.9 -3.4
Turnout 3,177 36.0 +0.5
Labour hold Swing -3.3
Winstanley [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
SDP–Liberal Alliance J. Fitzpatrick 2,171 44.8 +1.1
Labour G. Taberner 2,049 42.2 -4.0
Conservative N. Edmond 630 13.0 +2.9
Majority 122 2.5 -0.0
Turnout 4,850 42.2 +2.1
SDP–Liberal Alliance gain from Labour Swing +2.5
Worsley Mesnes [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Labour B. Baldwin 2,304 73.7 -10.5
SDP–Liberal Alliance B. Pryle 529 16.9 +1.2
Conservative C. Michaels 292 9.3 +9.3
Majority 1,775 56.8 -11.7
Turnout 3,125 31.5 +3.8
Labour hold Swing -5.8

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