1971 Leeds City Council election

The Leeds municipal elections were held on 14 May 1971,[1] with one third of the councillors up for vote including a double vacancy in Talbot.[2]

Reflecting national patterns,[1] the results were a near mirror-image of the 1968 results, as Labour achieved their highest vote share since 1945, and their greatest number of votes since 1953. It was the Conservatives who sunk to a low-point this time around, setting post-war record lows in both vote percentages and actual votes. However, with the defeat being less severe and the entirety of the council not being elected this time, the Conservatives held on to control with the superior number of aldermen allotted to them the previous year.[2] Overall turnout across the city was 37.8%.[3]

Starting from such a shrunken base following their overwhelming defeat in 1968, Labour gained over half of seats up for election, as well as holding the seats in the four wards they won previously (City, East Hunslet, Holbeck and Middleton). Labour gained seventeen in total, with all but Castleton from the Conservatives: Armley, Beeston, Bramley, Burley, Burmantofts, Castleton, Gipton, Harehills, Kirkstall, Osmondthorpe, Richmond Hill, Scott Hall, Seacroft, Stanningley, Whinmoor, Woodhouse and Wortley. Castleton was gained from the Liberals, who repeated their success in West Hunslet for the third year running and gained from the Conservatives, leaving their total unchanged.[2]

Election result
Leeds Local Election Result 1971
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 21 17 0 +17 67.7 56.9 76,350 +14.8%
  Conservative 9 0 17 -17 29.0 36.4 48,893 -10.6%
  Liberal 1 1 1 0 3.2 6.0 8,016 -3.8%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.7 965 -0.2%

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

Party Previous council New council
Cllr Ald Cllr Ald
Conservatives 62 16 45 16
Labour 23 14 40 14
Liberals 5 0 5 0
Total 90 30 90 30
120 120
Working majority  34    2    0    2 
 36   2 

Ward results
Armley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Buttery 3,147 56.2 +23.6
Conservative B. Stockwell 1,734 31.0 -5.4
Liberal G. Ashton 678 12.1 -14.8
Communist P. Wilton 43 0.8 -0.1
Majority 1,413 25.2 +21.4
Turnout 5,602
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.5
Beeston[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Booth 3,151 56.7 +17.5
Conservative J. Farrell 2,161 38.9 -11.9
Liberal E. Webster 249 4.5 -5.5
Majority 990 17.8 +6.2
Turnout 5,561
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.7
Bramley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Denise Atkinson 4,013 67.1 +16.9
Conservative J. Hart 1,972 32.9 -10.0
Majority 2,041 34.1 +26.9
Turnout 5,985
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.4
Burley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Sully 2,700 61.4 +13.3
Conservative A. Rimmer 1,615 36.8 -12.9
Communist T. Flynn 79 1.8 -0.4
Majority 1,085 24.7 +23.2
Turnout 4,394
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.1
Burmantofts[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Millett 3,579 73.9 +18.0
Conservative H. Flockton 1,185 24.5 -9.0
Communist F. Stockdale 78 1.6 +0.8
Majority 2,394 49.4 +27.0
Turnout 4,842
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.5
Castleton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Sedler 2,096 48.9 +12.3
Liberal M. Begard 1,952 45.5 -8.2
Conservative H. Stockwell 191 4.5 -4.2
Communist K. Robinson 47 1.1 +0.1
Majority 144 3.4 -13.7
Turnout 4,286
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +10.2
Chapel Allerton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Sparling 2,527 71.1 -11.2
Labour B. Selby 685 19.3 +7.7
Liberal R. Whitelock 341 9.6 +3.5
Majority 1,842 51.8 -19.0
Turnout 3,553
Conservative hold Swing -9.4
City[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Merritt 2,226 85.8 +20.0
Conservative W. Annan 369 14.2 -14.5
Majority 1,857 71.6 +34.6
Turnout 2,595
Labour hold Swing +17.2
Cookridge[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Keith Loudon 2,465 49.7 -9.8
Labour G. Bowesley 1,776 35.8 +13.7
Liberal E. Finkle 719 14.5 -3.9
Majority 689 13.9 -23.5
Turnout 4,960
Conservative hold Swing -11.7
East Hunslet[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Haughton 2,555 84.1 +17.5
Conservative B. Cresswell 288 9.5 -3.6
Liberal H. Fearnley 194 6.4 -13.9
Majority 2,267 74.6 +28.3
Turnout 3,037
Labour hold Swing +10.5
Gipton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Waterman 3,037 64.4 +13.4
Conservative W. Buckland 1,527 32.4 -12.7
Liberal K. Pedder 92 2.0 -0.7
Communist J. Bellamy 61 1.3 +0.0
Majority 1,510 32.0 +26.0
Turnout 4,717
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.0
Halton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S. Tomlinson 3,185 65.9 -10.6
Labour J. Moran 1,651 34.1 +11.7
Majority 1,534 31.7 -22.3
Turnout 4,836
Conservative hold Swing -11.1
Harehills[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Wood 1,603 48.0 +18.2
Conservative J. Moran 1,583 47.4 -17.5
Liberal D. Thorpe 156 4.7 -0.6
Majority 20 0.6 -34.5
Turnout 3,342
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +17.8
Headingley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Goodwin 2,397 59.4 -12.0
Labour J. Chartres 1,641 40.6 +12.0
Majority 756 18.8 -24.0
Turnout 4,038
Conservative hold Swing -12.0
Holbeck[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Beevers 2,637 83.1 +23.0
Conservative N. Skin 366 11.5 -1.1
Liberal R. Newby 172 5.4 -22.0
Majority 2,271 71.5 +38.9
Turnout 3,175
Labour hold Swing +12.0
Kirkstall[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Stafford 4,052 60.2 +16.8
Conservative T. Beevers 2,594 38.5 -11.7
Communist J. Sidebottom 87 1.3 -0.5
Majority 1,458 21.7 +14.9
Turnout 6,733
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.2
Middleton[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Taylor 3,521 83.9 +20.7
Conservative P. Johnson 372 8.9 -5.2
Liberal L. Ellis 181 4.3 -15.9
Communist D. Prescott 122 2.9 +0.5
Majority 3,149 75.0 +32.0
Turnout 4,196
Labour hold Swing +12.9
Moortown[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Challenor 2,323 52.1 -16.5
Labour A. Baum 1,687 37.9 +14.6
Liberal S. Waldenburg 446 10.0 +1.9
Majority 636 14.3 -31.1
Turnout 4,456
Conservative hold Swing -15.5
Osmondthorpe[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Hamilton 3,660 75.3 +13.7
Conservative Doreen Wood 1,201 24.7 -12.4
Majority 2,459 50.6 +26.1
Turnout 4,861
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.0
Richmond Hill[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour V. Whelan 3,151 78.1 +20.8
Conservative S. Gill 818 20.3 -18.4
Communist P. Fawcett 65 1.6 +0.2
Majority 2,333 57.8 +39.1
Turnout 4,034
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +19.6
Roundhay[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative G. Lax 2,885 78.3 -7.0
Labour C. Green 800 21.7 +7.0
Majority 2,085 56.6 -14.1
Turnout 3,685
Conservative hold Swing -7.0
Scott Hall[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Bloom 2,586 67.9 +19.1
Conservative E. Lindins 1,153 30.3 -16.6
Communist M. Tomplak 69 1.8 -2.5
Majority 1,433 37.6 +35.7
Turnout 3,808
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +17.8
Seacroft[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Mudie 5,115 78.6 +9.3
Conservative D. Ball 1,328 20.4 -9.5
Communist A. Dale 67 1.0 +0.2
Majority 3,787 58.2 +18.9
Turnout 6,510
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +9.4
Stanningley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christina Myers 3,366 69.1 +14.7
Conservative K. Knapton 1,431 29.4 -7.4
Communist F. Sidebottom 77 1.6 +0.7
Majority 1,935 39.7 +22.2
Turnout 4,874
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.0
Talbot[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Sherwin 2,692 70.5 -11.0
Conservative Ronnie Feldman 2,645
Labour A. Barnard 902 23.6 +5.1
Labour J. Morgan 897
Liberal C. Thompson 225 5.9 +5.9
Liberal G. Braham 209
Majority 1,743 46.9 -16.1
Turnout 3,819
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing -8.0
Weetwood[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative R. Hall 3,607 81.4 +3.5
Labour J. Underwood 825 18.6 +8.9
Majority 2,782 62.8 -3.9
Turnout 4,432
Conservative hold Swing -2.7
West Hunslet[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Austick 2,201 52.1 +10.7
Labour J. Hodkinson 1,492 35.3 +4.6
Conservative D. Nicholls 533 12.6 -15.3
Majority 709 16.8 +6.1
Turnout 4,226
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.0
Whinmoor[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Jackson 3,181 75.8 +16.5
Conservative C. Clark 970 23.1 -15.5
Communist H. Besser 46 1.1 -1.0
Majority 2,211 52.7 +32.0
Turnout 4,197
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +16.0
Woodhouse[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour I. Levy 2,171 57.7 +13.4
Conservative May Sexton 1,465 39.0 -13.4
Communist L. Morris 124 3.3 -0.1
Majority 706 18.8 +10.7
Turnout 3,760
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.4
Wortley[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Thurlow 3,344 58.6 +12.1
Conservative J. Kirwan 1,956 34.3 -10.2
Liberal R. Buxton 410 7.2 -1.9
Majority 1,388 24.3 +22.4
Turnout 5,710
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.1

References
  1. "British Laborites Sweep Local Voting". The New York Times. 15 May 1971. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  2. "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 15 May 1971.
  3. "Labour sweeps in with 20 majority in Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 6 May 1972. Scan here
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