1966 Leeds City Council election

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

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
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 16 0 3 -3 57.1 40.7 40,170 +2.9%
  Conservative 12 3 0 +3 42.8 53.7 52,921 -2.4%
  Liberal 0 0 0 0 0.0 3.8 3,767 -0.8%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.6 1,553 +0.1%
  British National 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 195 +0.2%

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

Party Previous council New council
Cllr Ald Cllr Ald
Labour 49 19 46 19
Conservatives 35 9 38 9
Total 84 28 84 28
112 112
Working majority  14   10    8   10 
 24   18 

Ward results
Allerton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Long 4,388 83.0 +4.2
Labour J. Marshall 899 17.0 -4.2
Majority 3,489 66.0 +8.4
Turnout 5,287
Conservative hold Swing +4.2
Armley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Lee 1,635 53.3 +0.7
Conservative K. Beal 1,235 40.3 -7.1
British National P. Stone 195 6.4 +6.4
Majority 400 13.0 +7.9
Turnout 3,065
Labour hold Swing +3.9
Beeston[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Farrell 2,873 50.8 -7.7
Labour A. Beevers 2,788 49.2 +9.1
Majority 85 1.5 -16.8
Turnout 5,661
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -8.4
Blenheim[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ernest Morris 844 60.3 +0.8
Conservative R. Austwick 555 39.7 -0.8
Majority 289 20.7 +1.6
Turnout 1,399
Labour hold Swing +0.8
Bramley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Armitage 2,523 52.7 -3.7
Labour M. Chadwick 2,264 47.3 +3.7
Majority 259 5.4 -7.4
Turnout 4,787
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -3.7
Burmantofts[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Watson 1,413 57.2 +1.1
Conservative J. White 1,058 42.8 -1.1
Majority 355 14.4 +2.2
Turnout 2,471
Labour hold Swing +1.1
City[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Marshall 696 65.4 +3.8
Conservative M. Baker 368 34.6 -3.8
Majority 328 30.8 +7.6
Turnout 1,064
Labour hold Swing +3.8
Cross Gates[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Jackson 1,847 49.1 -8.7
Conservative R. Vaughan 1,693 45.0 +9.3
Communist F. Sidebottom 224 6.0 -0.6
Majority 154 4.1 -17.9
Turnout 3,764
Labour hold Swing -9.0
East Hunslet[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Haughton 1,070 64.0 +0.9
Conservative P. Wooler 601 36.0 -0.9
Majority 469 28.0 +1.8
Turnout 1,671
Labour hold Swing +0.9
Far Headingley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Somers 4,630 65.0 -2.2
Liberal J. Harris 1,485 20.8 +6.8
Labour N. Jenner 1,012 14.2 -4.6
Majority 3,145 44.1 -4.3
Turnout 7,127
Conservative hold Swing -4.5
Halton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Brooksbank 3,978 77.4 -1.0
Labour D. Hamilton 1,161 22.6 +1.0
Majority 2,817 54.8 -1.9
Turnout 5,139
Conservative hold Swing -1.0
Harehills[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Astle 2,380 60.9 +2.0
Labour H. Howlett 1,525 39.1 +3.6
Majority 855 21.9 -1.5
Turnout 3,905
Conservative hold Swing -0.8
Holbeck[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Smith 1,326 61.8 +6.8
Conservative M. Waddington 759 35.4 -2.8
Communist J. McCarthy 59 2.8 -4.0
Majority 567 26.4 +9.6
Turnout 2,144
Labour hold Swing +4.8
Hunslet Carr[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Booth 1,427 67.0 +9.1
Conservative H. Lister 630 29.6 -8.1
Communist E. Burwin 73 3.4 -1.0
Majority 797 37.4 +17.1
Turnout 2,130
Labour hold Swing +8.6
Hyde Park[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Davison 2,030 57.8 +1.9
Labour M. Lawrence 1,342 38.2 +12.1
Communist S. Walker 143 4.1 +1.5
Majority 688 19.6 -10.2
Turnout 3,515
Conservative hold Swing -5.1
Kirkstall[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Matthews 2,864 54.4 +8.2
Conservative H. Newton 2,251 42.8 -7.6
Communist B. Huffingley 148 2.8 -0.6
Majority 613 11.6 7.4
Turnout 5,263
Labour hold Swing +7.9
Meanwood[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Pedley 2,596 66.7 -0.9
Labour J. McPheat 824 21.2 -0.8
Liberal Evelyn Mary Briggs 470 12.1 +1.6
Majority 1,772 45.6 -0.1
Turnout 3,890
Conservative hold Swing -0.0
Middleton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Taylor 1,872 79.1 +4.4
Conservative R. Heslet 389 16.4 -3.0
Communist E. Moore 106 4.5 -1.4
Majority 1,483 62.7 +7.4
Turnout 2,367
Labour hold Swing +3.7
Moortown[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Bolton 4,540 75.6 +4.4
Labour D. Chadwick 1,082 18.0 -1.1
Communist P. Boyes 384 6.4 +3.9
Majority 3,458 57.6 +5.5
Turnout 6,006
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
Osmondthorpe[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Douglas Gabb 1,234 67.6 +2.3
Conservative E. Lewis 592 32.4 -2.3
Majority 642 35.2 +4.7
Turnout 1,826
Labour hold Swing +2.3
Pottemewton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Bradley 1,676 59.8 +3.6
Labour Joyce Gould 819 29.2 -2.2
Liberal Sydney Herbert Bexan 259 9.2 -1.3
Communist R. Rawson 49 1.7 -0.1
Majority 857 30.6 +5.8
Turnout 2,803
Conservative hold Swing +2.9
Richmond Hill[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Rooney 1,547 71.2 +1.7
Conservative E. Dean 446 20.5 -4.1
Communist T. Johnson 179 8.2 +2.5
Majority 1,101 50.7 +5.8
Turnout 2,172
Labour hold Swing +2.9
Roundhay[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Wolstenholme 3,793 78.5 +1.1
Labour D. Thomas 1,037 21.5 -1.1
Majority 2,756 57.1 +2.3
Turnout 4,830
Conservative hold Swing +1.1
Stanningley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kevin Gould 1,979 45.2 +7.8
Conservative A. Redmond 1,739 39.8 -5.4
Liberal F. Robertson 656 15.0 -2.4
Majority 240 5.5 -2.2
Turnout 4,374
Labour hold Swing +6.6
Wellington[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Donohoe 950 62.8 +4.4
Liberal G. Hoyland 237 15.7 -0.3
Conservative D. Tiffany 235 15.5 -5.3
Communist M. Rogers 91 6.0 +1.2
Majority 713 47.1 +9.6
Turnout 1,513
Labour hold Swing +2.3
Westfield[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Bell 1,031 51.3 +7.9
Conservative A. Sexton 978 48.7 -7.9
Majority 53 2.6 -10.6
Turnout 2,009
Labour hold Swing +7.9
Woodhouse[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Ellis 1,507 48.7 +3.8
Conservative D. Crawford 1,493 48.2 -3.5
Communist A. Dale 97 3.1 -0.3
Majority 14 0.5 -6.3
Turnout 3,097
Labour hold Swing +3.6
Wortley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F. Stubley 2,492 46.8 -4.6
Labour J. Moynihan 2,175 40.8 +2.3
Liberal Walter Holdsworth 660 12.4 +2.3
Majority 317 6.0 -6.8
Turnout 5,327
Conservative gain from Labour Swing -3.4

References
  1. "British Tories Gain in Cities". Toledo Blade. 13 May 1966. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  2. Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.
  3. "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 13 May 1966.
  4. Whitaker, Joseph (1966). Whitaker's Almanack 1966.
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