1954 Leeds City Council election
The Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 14 May 1954,[1] with one third of the council up for election.[2]
Despite a further swing away from Labour to the Conservatives of 3.7%,[3] leaving both parties neck and neck in votes, Labour continued on to their third and final gains unabated in the wards of Armley, Blenheim, Bramley, Cross Gates, Stanningley, Westfield, and Woodhouse, comfortably winning the majority of seats. The swing however helped the Conservatives to hold on to Wortley, unlike previous years.[2] As such Labour doubled its majority on the council as part of a victorious night on the whole for them.[1] Turnout for the election sunk below the 40% mark for the first time in the post-war period, to 39.2%.[3]
Election result
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 18 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 64.3 | 49.9 | 69,429 | -2.6% | |
Conservative | 10 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 35.7 | 49.4 | 68,801 | +2.7% | |
Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 527 | +0.2% | |
Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 495 | -0.2% |
The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:[3]
Party | Previous council | New council | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cllr | Ald | Cllr | Ald | ||
Labour | 48 | 14 | 54 | 14 | |
Conservatives | 36 | 14 | 30 | 14 | |
Total | 84 | 28 | 84 | 28 | |
112 | 112 | ||||
Working majority | 12 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
12 | 24 |
Ward results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edwin Wooler | 5,603 | 86.6 | +1.5 | |
Labour | F. Watson | 866 | 13.4 | -1.5 | |
Majority | 4,737 | 73.2 | +2.9 | ||
Turnout | 6,469 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Lee | 3,064 | 57.4 | -3.9 | |
Conservative | E. Glover | 2,273 | 42.6 | +3.9 | |
Majority | 791 | 14.8 | -7.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,337 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -3.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | M. Collins | 3,797 | 53.0 | +2.5 | |
Labour | H. Booth | 3,369 | 47.0 | -2.5 | |
Majority | 428 | 6.0 | +5.1 | ||
Turnout | 7,166 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Lake | 3,164 | 57.9 | +1.0 | |
Conservative | B. Lyons | 2,303 | 42.1 | -1.0 | |
Majority | 861 | 15.7 | +2.0 | ||
Turnout | 5,467 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Rhodes | 3,455 | 53.4 | +0.0 | |
Conservative | T. Bennett | 3,011 | 46.6 | -0.0 | |
Majority | 444 | 6.9 | +0.0 | ||
Turnout | 6,466 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Shutt | 2,266 | 66.3 | -4.8 | |
Conservative | A. Clark | 1,150 | 33.7 | +4.8 | |
Majority | 1,116 | 32.7 | -9.5 | ||
Turnout | 3,416 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -4.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Stoner | 2,023 | 67.3 | -2.0 | |
Conservative | R. Hudson | 981 | 32.7 | +2.0 | |
Majority | 1,042 | 34.7 | -4.0 | ||
Turnout | 3,004 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -2.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | L. Jackson | 2,688 | 58.7 | -7.5 | |
Conservative | L. Demaine | 1,888 | 41.3 | +7.5 | |
Majority | 800 | 17.5 | -15.1 | ||
Turnout | 4,576 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -7.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | F. Naylor | 3,094 | 76.9 | +1.8 | |
Conservative | G. Hewdy | 931 | 23.1 | -1.8 | |
Majority | 2,163 | 53.7 | +3.5 | ||
Turnout | 4,025 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | W. Hargrave | 3,931 | 83.9 | +1.8 | |
Labour | D. Yalland | 756 | 16.1 | -1.8 | |
Majority | 3,175 | 67.7 | +3.5 | ||
Turnout | 4,687 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J. Brooksbank | 4,086 | 76.2 | +3.4 | |
Labour | N. Barrett | 1,279 | 23.8 | -3.4 | |
Majority | 2,807 | 52.3 | +6.9 | ||
Turnout | 5,365 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | N. Kay | 2,921 | 53.5 | -0.1 | |
Labour | A. Vickers | 2,541 | 46.5 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 380 | 7.0 | -0.1 | ||
Turnout | 5,462 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | T. Smith | 2,930 | 68.6 | +4.3 | |
Conservative | J. Sizer | 1,340 | 31.4 | +6.3 | |
Majority | 1,590 | 37.2 | -2.0 | ||
Turnout | 4,270 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -1.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | T. Ellison | 2,643 | 88.8 | +13.7 | |
Communist | R. Wilkinson | 332 | 11.2 | +7.1 | |
Majority | 2,311 | 77.7 | +23.3 | ||
Turnout | 2,975 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +3.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Kenneth Davison | 3,322 | 68.4 | +5.1 | |
Labour | I. Calvert | 1,532 | 31.6 | -5.1 | |
Majority | 1,790 | 36.9 | +10.1 | ||
Turnout | 4,854 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. Happold | 3,543 | 61.1 | -1.7 | |
Conservative | E. Lucas | 2,253 | 38.9 | +1.7 | |
Majority | 1,290 | 22.3 | -3.4 | ||
Turnout | 5,796 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -1.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Alan Pedley | 4,270 | 70.1 | +1.1 | |
Labour | J. Hedley | 1,817 | 29.9 | -1.1 | |
Majority | 2,453 | 40.3 | +2.3 | ||
Turnout | 6,087 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Arthur Brown | 2,800 | 81.2 | -4.1 | |
Conservative | F. Stubley | 648 | 18.8 | +4.1 | |
Majority | 2,152 | 62.4 | -8.2 | ||
Turnout | 3,448 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -4.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | S. Bolton | 4,580 | 76.7 | +6.4 | |
Labour | J. Slater | 1,393 | 23.3 | -6.4 | |
Majority | 3,187 | 53.4 | +12.9 | ||
Turnout | 5,973 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Gabb | 3,409 | 77.4 | -2.1 | |
Conservative | D. Bradley | 997 | 22.6 | +2.1 | |
Majority | 2,412 | 54.7 | -4.2 | ||
Turnout | 4,406 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | J. Bidgood | 2,385 | 64.7 | +3.4 | |
Labour | F. Howard | 1,301 | 35.3 | -3.4 | |
Majority | 1,084 | 29.4 | +6.7 | ||
Turnout | 3,686 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Fowler | 2,215 | 80.2 | +0.2 | |
Conservative | W. Clayton | 547 | 19.8 | -0.2 | |
Majority | 1,668 | 60.4 | +0.4 | ||
Turnout | 2,762 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | G. Monkman | 4,619 | 64.5 | -2.1 | |
Labour | R. Pennington | 2,541 | 35.5 | +2.1 | |
Majority | 2,078 | 29.0 | -4.3 | ||
Turnout | 7,160 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | -2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Spence | 2,939 | 50.3 | -1.4 | |
Conservative | F. Ayres | 2,899 | 49.7 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 40 | 0.7 | -2.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,838 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -1.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. Farrington | 2,942 | 71.6 | -1.1 | |
Conservative | D. Wolstenholme | 972 | 23.7 | +5.8 | |
Communist | J. Wheatley | 195 | 4.7 | +2.5 | |
Majority | 1,970 | 47.9 | -7.0 | ||
Turnout | 4,109 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | H. Wiseman | 2,331 | 50.9 | -5.8 | |
Conservative | S. Cowling | 1,756 | 38.3 | -5.0 | |
Liberal | H. Burbridge | 495 | 10.8 | +10.8 | |
Majority | 575 | 12.5 | -0.9 | ||
Turnout | 4,582 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -0.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | R. Ellis | 3,528 | 60.7 | +0.9 | |
Conservative | F. Winterburn | 2,280 | 39.3 | -0.9 | |
Majority | 1,248 | 21.5 | +1.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,808 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Bertrand Mather | 3,058 | 50.5 | +3.3 | |
Labour | E. Morris | 3,000 | 49.5 | -3.3 | |
Majority | 58 | 1.0 | -4.7 | ||
Turnout | 6,058 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.3 |
References
- "British Laborites Widen Poll Gains". The New York Times. 14 May 1954. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
- "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 15 May 1954.
- Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.