# 2012 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election

The 2012 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election took place on 3 May 2012. The elections took place shortly after the Bradford West by-election, in which the Respect Party's George Galloway pulled off a shock victory against the incumbent Labour Party. Held alongside was a referendum on directly elected mayors. The Labour Party were one seat short of an overall majority following the election, leaving the council in no overall control.

## Election result

Of the council's 90 seats, 30 were up for election.
Bradford Council election, 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Votes % | Votes |
| Labour | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 37.6 | 47,219 |
| Conservative | 8 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 23.4 | 29,332 |
| Respect | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 14.7 | 18,475 |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13.5 | 16,932 |
| Green | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.2 | 6,507 |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.5 | 1,836 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2.8 | 3,482 |
| Democratic Nationalists | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.8 | 1,042 |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.4 | 549 |
| Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.1 | 97 |

## Ward results

An asterisk denotes an incumbent.

### Baildon ward

Baildon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Debbie Davies | 1,844 | 38.19 | −1.33 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Lyons | 1,632 | 33.80 | −30.86 |
| | Labour | Jen Kilyon | 757 | 15.68 | +10.50 |
| | UKIP | James Fell | 331 | 6.85 | N/A |
| | Green | Alexander Newsham | 265 | 5.49 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 212 | 4.39 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,846 | 41.96 | −6.84 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Bingley ward

Bingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Pennington | 2,790 | 54.13 | −8.84 |
| | Labour | Andrew Mawson | 1,522 | 29.53 | +12.76 |
| | Green | Arthur Arnold | 593 | 11.51 | +2.82 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kay Kirkham | 249 | 4.83 | −6.73 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,268 | 26.26 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,191 | 38.16 | −4.83 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bingley Rural ward

Bingley Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Margaret Eaton* | 2,775 | 58.34 | −7.11 |
| | Labour | Robert Beckwith | 1,202 | 25.27 | +7.83 |
| | Green | Brian Newham | 499 | 10.49 | +3.68 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Sykes | 281 | 5.91 | −3.29 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,573 | 33.07 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,785 | 35.82 | −4.67 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bolton & Undercliffe ward

Bolton and Undercliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tracey Leeming | 1,888 | 48.96 | −8.44 |
| | Labour | Gareth Logan | 1,175 | 30.47 | +9.05 |
| | Respect | Tazeem Sawaiz | 529 | 13.72 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Ryan Robertshaw | 264 | 6.85 | −8.10 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 713 | 18.49 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,887 | 34.84 | +0.80 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Bowling & Barkerend ward

Bowling and Barkerend :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hassan Khan | 1,913 | 42.45 | +9.56 |
| | Respect | Mohammed Khan | 1,535 | 34.06 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amjad Ali | 561 | 12.45 | −11.74 |
| | Conservative | John Robertshaw* | 498 | 11.05 | −31.88 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 378 | 8.39 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,546 | 37.47 | +1.71 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Bradford Moor ward

Faisal Khan resigned from the Respect Party along with four other councillors in October 2013 and served as an independent councillor until March 2015 when he rejoined the party.
Bradford Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Respect | Faisal Khan | 2,720 | 42.06 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Riaz Ahmed* | 2,085 | 32.24 | −20.31 |
| | Labour | Salma Iqbal | 1,441 | 22.28 | −11.12 |
| | UKIP | Jim Dempsey | 143 | 2.21 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Abid Majid | 78 | 1.21 | −12.84 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 635 | 9.82 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,508 | 54.98 | +6.77 |
| | Respect gain from Liberal Democrats | Respect gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### City ward

Ruqayyah Collector resigned from the Respect Party along with four other councillors in October 2013 and served as an independent councillor until March 2015 when he rejoined the party.
City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Respect | Ruqayyah Collector | 2,570 | 56.10 | N/A |
| | Labour | Sajawal Hussain* | 1,797 | 39.23 | −24.60 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynne Gray | 116 | 2.53 | −6.26 |
| | Conservative | Susan Mills | 98 | 2.14 | −18.69 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 773 | 16.87 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,611 | 37.64 | +0.83 |
| | Respect gain from Labour | Respect gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Clayton & Fairweather Green ward

Clayton & Fairweather Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michelle Swallow | 1,605 | 44.28 | +13.07 |
| | Conservative | David Servant | 905 | 24.97 | −12.23 |
| | Respect | Dawud Islam | 762 | 21.02 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lorna Leeming | 353 | 9.74 | +0.62 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 700 | 19.31 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,648 | 32.30 | −7.68 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Craven ward

In 2008, Adrian Naylor stood successfully in this ward as a Conservative Party candidate.
Craven :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | The Independents | Adrian Naylor* | 1,836 | 40.36 | −26.86 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Rowley | 1,204 | 26.47 | −40.75 |
| | Labour | Val Carroll | 1,134 | 24.93 | +6.52 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart Ebden | 184 | 4.04 | −10.33 |
| | Green | Robert Nicholls | 182 | 4.00 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 632 | 13.89 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,572 | 37.25 | −0.97 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Eccleshill ward

Eccleshill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Wallace* | 1,511 | 45.35 | +8.90 |
| | Labour | Yvonne Oliver | 1,242 | 37.27 | +23.13 |
| | Conservative | Edward Ward | 328 | 9.84 | −20.73 |
| | Green | David Ford | 251 | 7.53 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 269 | 8.07 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,360 | 29.99 | −8.35 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Great Horton ward

Great Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Abdul Jabar | 2,293 | 48.16 | −12.34 |
| | Respect | Salim Jelani | 1,542 | 32.39 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Slingsby | 536 | 11.26 | −2.16 |
| | UKIP | Pal Bjornstom | 390 | 8.19 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 751 | 15.77 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,796 | 42.89 | +7.31 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Heaton ward

Mohammad Shabbir resigned from the Respect Party along with four other councillors in October 2013. He served as an independent councillor until April 2015 when he joined the Labour Party.
Heaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Respect | Mohammad Shabbir | 2,036 | 39.61 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Sajid Akhtar* | 1,331 | 25.89 | −11.36 |
| | Labour | Rizwana Jamil | 1,021 | 19.86 | −0.94 |
| | Green | Celia Hickson | 384 | 7.47 | −24.96 |
| | UKIP | Sonja McNally | 302 | 5.88 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dominic Fear | 66 | 1.28 | −8.22 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 705 | 13.72 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,167 | 46.50 | −0.83 |
| | Respect gain from Conservative | Respect gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Idle & Thackley ward

Idle and Thackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alun Griffiths* | 1,968 | 51.67 | −9.99 |
| | Labour | Michael Brown | 959 | 25.18 | +14.10 |
| | Conservative | Howard Clough | 589 | 15.46 | −11.80 |
| | Green | Vanessa Pliny | 293 | 7.69 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,009 | 26.49 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,828 | 31.70 | −4.56 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Ilkley ward

Anne Hawkesworth left the Conservative Party in January 2013 and joined The Independents: Adrian Naylor (Craven) and Chris Greaves (Wharfedale).
Ilkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anne Hawkesworth* | 2,436 | 49.33 | −15.01 |
| | Labour | Ann Cryer | 1,683 | 34.08 | +19.83 |
| | UKIP | Paul Latham | 354 | 7.17 | N/A |
| | Green | Brian Ford | 238 | 4.82 | −5.61 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Ferguson | 227 | 4.60 | −6.37 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 753 | 15.25 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,954 | 43.92 | −1.44 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Keighley Central ward

Keighley Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Khadim Hussain* | 2,435 | 47.23 | −5.63 |
| | Conservative | Zafar Ali | 2,169 | 42.07 | +13.07 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gerald Brooksbank | 552 | 10.71 | −7.43 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 266 | 5.16 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,218 | 44.64 | +1.39 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Keighley East ward

Keighley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Malcolm Slater | 2,511 | 58.83 | +16.72 |
| | Conservative | Dorothy Clamp* | 1,400 | 32.80 | −10.66 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judith Brooksbank | 357 | 8.36 | −6.05 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,111 | 26.03 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,315 | 36.79 | −4.14 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Keighley West

Keighley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Adrian Farley | 1,876 | 62.39 | +19.75 |
| | Conservative | Brian Hudson | 844 | 28.07 | −16.45 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Wilkinson | 287 | 9.54 | −3.30 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,032 | 34.32 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,050 | 28.91 | −3.21 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Little Horton ward

* Ian Greenwood had been the Bradford City Council leader prior to the election.
* Alyas Karmani resigned from the Respect Party along with four other councillors in October 2013 and served as an independent councillor until March 2015 when he rejoined the party.
Little Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Respect | Alyas Karmani | 2,191 | 47.83 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ian Greenwood* | 2,174 | 47.46 | −12.99 |
| | Conservative | Andrea Taylor | 120 | 2.62 | −12.24 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shabir Butt | 96 | 2.10 | −22.60 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 0.37 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,603 | 41.52 | +8.25 |
| | Respect gain from Labour | Respect gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Manningham ward

Ishtiaq Ahmed resigned from the Respect Party along with four other councillors in October 2013 and served as an independent councillor until March 2015 when he rejoined the party.
Manningham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Respect | Ishtiaq Ahmed | 3,265 | 57.45 | +50.09 |
| | Labour | Soofi Amin | 2,126 | 37.41 | −5.84 |
| | Green | John Robinson | 147 | 2.59 | −1.40 |
| | Conservative | Qurban Malik | 87 | 1.53 | −3.06 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brendan Stubbs | 58 | 1.02 | −38.55 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,139 | 20.04 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,725 | 50.03 | +0.89 |
| | Respect gain from Labour | Respect gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Queensbury ward

Queensbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Walls* | 1,073 | 30.20 | −7.88 |
| | Labour | Rosie Watson | 956 | 26.91 | +11.06 |
| | UKIP | Jason Smith | 884 | 24.88 | +19.83 |
| | BNP | Eric Baxendale | 549 | 15.45 | −18.36 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Stelling | 91 | 2.56 | −4.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 117 | 3.29 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,570 | 31.50 | −8.20 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Royds ward

Royds :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andrew Thornton* | 1,771 | 58.90 | +19.79 |
| | Conservative | Sharon Robertshaw | 571 | 18.99 | −6.51 |
| | Democratic Nationalists | James Lewthwaite | 453 | 15.06 | +7.43 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Boulton | 212 | 7.05 | −1.55 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,200 | 39.91 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,035 | 26.43 | −5.31 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Shipley ward

Shipley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Martin Love* | 2,323 | 52.02 | +4.24 |
| | Labour | Andrew McCormick | 862 | 19.30 | +4.61 |
| | Conservative | Mike Pollard | 755 | 16.91 | −10.08 |
| | UKIP | Philip Bird | 297 | 6.65 | +3.38 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Briggs | 132 | 2.96 | −2.27 |
| | Socialist Labour | Christopher Butler | 97 | 2.17 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,461 | 32.71 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,484 | 40.57 | −3.27 |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |

### Thornton & Allerton ward

Thornton and Allerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Sykes* | 1,633 | 45.29 | +3.34 |
| | Labour | Mark Blackburn | 1,074 | 29.78 | +9.79 |
| | Respect | Patrick Mulligan | 648 | 17.97 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kezia Rooke | 251 | 6.96 | −4.42 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 559 | 15.50 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,633 | 33.36 | −4.43 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Toller ward

163 (3.66%) ballot papers were rejected, compared to 48 (0.96%) in the 2008 election in this ward. Arshad Hussain stood successfully here as a Conservative Party candidate in 2008, before defecting in 2010 following a race row - his vote change corresponds to the 2008 Labour Party candidate, Sobia Kauser.
Toller :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arshad Hussain* | 3,346 | 78.07 | +42.54 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Leeming | 482 | 11.25 | −12.57 |
| | Conservative | Rosie Russell | 458 | 10.69 | −24.99 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,864 | 66.82 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,449 | 37.83 | −10.17 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Tong ward

Tong :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Johnson* | 1,385 | 57.61 | +28.87 |
| | Respect | Sarah Cartin | 385 | 16.01 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kirsty Yeadon | 358 | 14.89 | +3.56 |
| | Democratic Nationalists | Liam Kernaghan | 276 | 11.48 | +8.81 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,000 | 41.60 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,444 | 21.11 | −3.74 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Wharfedale ward

Wharfedale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dale Smith* | 2,252 | 60.80 | −5.24 |
| | Labour | Dave Allen | 694 | 18.74 | +9.67 |
| | Green | Janet Souyave | 565 | 15.25 | +6.80 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gillian Thorne | 193 | 5.21 | −11.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,558 | 42.06 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,718 | 40.53 | −4.81 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Wibsey ward

Wibsey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Green* | 1,753 | 52.85 | +14.29 |
| | UKIP | Jamie Illingworth | 781 | 23.55 | +20.79 |
| | Conservative | Thomas McMeeking | 399 | 12.03 | −13.39 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Boulton | 384 | 11.58 | +0.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 972 | 29.30 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,330 | 33.52 | −1.94 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Windhill & Wrose ward

Windhill and Wrose :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Ross-Shaw | 1,604 | 43.96 | +12.31 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Watmough | 1,401 | 38.39 | −1.20 |
| | Conservative | Derek Green | 367 | 10.06 | −7.24 |
| | Green | Helen Love | 277 | 7.59 | +4.99 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 203 | 5.56 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,669 | 34.84 | −2.67 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Worth Valley ward

Worth Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Russell Brown | 1,372 | 42.33 | −17.71 |
| | Labour | Mark Curtis | 1,141 | 35.21 | +10.29 |
| | Green | Robert Swindells | 490 | 15.12 | +7.65 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharon Purvis | 238 | 7.34 | −0.23 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 231 | 7.13 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,284 | 31.72 | −8.07 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Wyke ward

Wyke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Robinson* | 1,767 | 54.42 | +22.38 |
| | Conservative | Richard Milczanowski | 692 | 21.31 | −8.35 |
| | Democratic Nationalists | Neil Craig | 313 | 9.64 | +0.68 |
| | Respect | James Clayton | 292 | 8.99 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Hall | 183 | 5.64 | −6.73 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,075 | 33.11 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,268 | 31.96 | −4.00 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## Referendum result

Mayoral referendums were held in 11 local authorities across England to decide whether to introduce directly elected mayors, as opposed in Bradford to the previous system of Councillors electing a leader of the council. Alongside Birmingham, Coventry, Leeds, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield, Bradford voted against directly elected mayors. Only Bristol and Doncaster voted in favour.
Bradford Mayoral referendum 2012 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| No | 66,283 | 55.13 |
| Yes | 53,949 | 44.87 |
| Total votes | 120,232 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 341,126 | 35.25 |

## By-elections between 2012 and 2013 elections

Vote changes correspond to the 2012 Council election.

### Wharfedale ward

This was triggered by the resignation of Cllr. Matt Palmer, who had stood successfully for the Conservative Party in this ward in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 council elections, in early October.
Wharfedale by-election, 15 November 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jackie Whiteley | 1,353 | 54.03 | −6.77 |
| | Labour | David Green | 485 | 19.37 | +0.63 |
| | Green | Janet Souyave | 320 | 12.78 | −2.47 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Treadwell | 222 | 8.87 | +3.66 |
| | UKIP | Samuel Fletcher | 124 | 4.95 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 868 | 34.66 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,516 | 27.51 | −13.02 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |