# 1988 Bristol City Council election

The 1988 Bristol City Council election took place on 5 May 1988 to elect members of Bristol City Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections. One third of seats were up for election. This was the first election following the merger of the Liberal Party and SDP to form the Social & Liberal Democrats. There were also several candidates representing the continuing SDP. There was a general small swing to Labour.

## Ward results

The change is calculated using the results when these actual seats were last contested, i.e. the 1984 election.

### Avonmouth

Avonmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | V.M. Horrigan | 2,349 | 50.3 | −7.4 |
| | Conservative | D.P. Pullin | 2,054 | 44.0 | +11.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E. Jacobs | 212 | 4.5 | −4.5 |
| | Green | L.G. Jeffries | 57 | 1.2 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 295 | 6.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.5 | |
* The Conservatives won Avonmouth in a by-election in 1987 and lost the seat back to Labour at this election.

### Bishopston

Bishopston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P.M. McLaren | 2,027 | 38.0 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | M.C. Withers | 1,844 | 34.6 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S.V. Spilsbury | 1,318 | 24.7 | +0.8 |
| | Green | D.W. Bowring | 145 | 2.7 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 183 | 3.4 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.3 | |

### Bishopsworth

Bishopsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J.B. McLaren | 1,808 | 48.9 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | R.S. Eddy | 1,504 | 40.7 | −1.3 |
| | SDP | S.M. Willis | 249 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | G.K. Hughes | 136 | 3.7 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 304 | 8.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Brislington East

Brislington East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | D.J. Herod | 2,561 | 50.7 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | I.E. Temple | 1,950 | 38.6 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Exon | 446 | 8.8 | −3.7 |
| | Green | G.H. Davey | 95 | 1.9 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 611 | 12.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.7 | |

### Brislington West

Brislington West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Dodd | 1,565 | 34.8 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A.G. D'Eyncourt-Harvey | 1,536 | 34.2 | −0.1 |
| | Labour | R.C. Hall | 1,264 | 28.1 | −0.4 |
| | Green | M.B. Wood | 126 | 2.8 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 0.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.6 | |

### Clifton

Clifton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A.D. Tasker | 1,900 | 47.5 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E.R. Beaty | 925 | 23.1 | −14.8 |
| | Labour | G. Buchanan | 813 | 20.3 | +6.6 |
| | Green | G.A. Dorey | 215 | 5.4 | +2.0 |
| | SDP | W. Long | 150 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 975 | 24.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.7 | |

### Cotham

Cotham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P.J. Sidebottom | 1,564 | 44.7 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | L.M. McCabe | 1,048 | 29.9 | +12.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M.R. Laker | 512 | 14.6 | −20.8 |
| | Green | G. Collard | 243 | 6.9 | +3.2 |
| | SDP | P.W. Lloyd | 134 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 516 | 14.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -6.1 | |

### Hartcliffe

Hartcliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B.B. Richards | 2,021 | 62.7 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | B.R. Edwards | 911 | 28.3 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | I.H. Reed | 230 | 7.1 | −8.1 |
| | Green | D.A. Tayler | 59 | 1.8 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,110 | 34.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.4 | |

### Henbury

Henbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Patterson | 2,579 | 51.2 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | L.J. Roberts | 1,973 | 39.2 | −3.9 |
| | SDP | W.S. Gibbens | 315 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | E.A. Boney | 170 | 3.4 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 606 | 12.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.9 | |

### Hengrove

Hengrove :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D.R. Parsons | 2,065 | 40.6 | −13.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J.M. Webb | 1,706 | 33.6 | +33.6 |
| | Labour | M.P. McGrath | 1,239 | 24.4 | −18.7 |
| | Green | M.P.N. Turnbull | 70 | 1.4 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 7.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -23.3 | |

### Henleaze

Henleaze :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J.M. Fey | 2,893 | 64.7 | −11.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | J. Carpenter | 785 | 17.6 | +17.6 |
| | Labour | A.J. Danford | 629 | 14.1 | −2.3 |
| | Green | R.A. Glaves | 163 | 3.6 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,108 | 47.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -14.6 | |

### Horfield

Horfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F.J. Apperley | 2,136 | 52.1 | +11.6 |
| | Labour | R.P. Clease | 1,583 | 38.6 | +16.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S.E. Young | 377 | 9.2 | −28.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 553 | 13.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.7 | |

### Kingsweston

Kingsweston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A.E.C. Tudball | 2,346 | 52.3 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | M.J. Farrington | 1,820 | 40.6 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | F.R. Young | 320 | 7.1 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 526 | 11.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.4 | |

### Knowle

Knowle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Roberts | 2,089 | 55.6 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | T.J. Skipp | 1,331 | 35.5 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D.M. Usher | 261 | 7.0 | −0.5 |
| | Green | M.A. Pitt | 73 | 1.9 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 758 | 20.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.8 | |

### Redland

Redland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R.S. Trench | 1,849 | 46.9 | −6.3 |
| | Labour | A.M. Wallder | 1,153 | 29.2 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | S.C. Emmett | 692 | 17.6 | −4.0 |
| | Green | C.R. Leegwater | 248 | 6.3 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 696 | 17.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.9 | |

### St George East

St. George East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P.W. Hammond | 1,858 | 50.2 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | P.C. Hole | 1,403 | 37.9 | −4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | G.H. Draper | 272 | 7.3 | −0.7 |
| | SDP | J.R.S. Osborne | 106 | 2.9 | +2.9 |
| | Green | C.A. Stones | 64 | 1.7 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 455 | 12.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.7 | |

### St George West

St. George West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. O'Sullivan | 1,690 | 44.6 | +10.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B.J. Pinkerton | 1,521 | 40.1 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | D.A. Wiltshire | 513 | 13.5 | −7.5 |
| | Green | C. Adams | 66 | 1.7 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 169 | 4.5 | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +7.9 | |

### Southmead

Southmead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Broomhead | 2,288 | 60.4 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | A.M.B. Orr | 1,209 | 31.9 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | B.A. Knott | 288 | 7.6 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,079 | 28.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |

### Stockwood

Stockwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C.J.N. Williams | 2,635 | 47.8 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | D.J. Redgewell | 2,290 | 41.5 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R.C. Bingham | 439 | 8.0 | −5.9 |
| | SDP | R.A. Dickson | 85 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| | Green | L.D. Golden | 66 | 1.2 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 345 | 6.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Stoke Bishop

Stoke Bishop :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C.D.M.B. Alderson | 2,964 | 67.5 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | D.A.W. Branch | 661 | 15.1 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D.K. Jones | 609 | 13.9 | −6.3 |
| | Green | L. Hersey | 155 | 3.5 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,303 | 52.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.4 | |

### Westbury-on-Trym

Westbury-on-Trym :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R.W. Wall | 3,282 | 68.9 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | T.C. Collins | 639 | 13.4 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | A.D. West | 424 | 8.9 | −6.5 |
| | SDP | H.S. Long | 275 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
| | Green | D.C. Watson | 145 | 3.0 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,643 | 55.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.0 | |

### Whitchurch Park

Whitchurch Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P.H. Smith | 2,510 | 72.2 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | T.J. Part | 713 | 20.5 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | R.C. Steadman | 202 | 5.8 | −2.5 |
| | Green | B.B. Hussain | 51 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,797 | 51.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.7 | |

### Windmill Hill

Windmill Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P.R. Tatlow | 2,823 | 66.7 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | S. Woodward | 978 | 23.1 | −9.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | D.J.A. Boyle | 300 | 7.1 | −3.4 |
| | Green | S.J. Campbell | 134 | 3.2 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,845 | 43.6 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.6 | |

## Sources

* Bristol Evening Post 6 May 1988