# 1947 Leeds City Council election

The 1947 Leeds municipal elections were held on Saturday 1 November 1947, with one third of the seats, as well as a vacancy in Potternewton, up for election. With no Liberal candidate this time, East Hunslet went unopposed.
Following favourable national patterns, the swing of two percent to the Conservatives helped the party decisively win the popular vote and, in part thanks to a spike in turnout to 55.3%, gain new post-war records in both share and votes. Despite a deficit of over 20,000 votes and losses totalling seven seats to the Conservatives, Labour were still able to pip them in seats won by an additional seat. As such, Labour's majority was cut by close to a third, but remained safe at 30.

## Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1947 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 14 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 51.8 | 42.8 | 81,559 | -2.1 |
| Conservative | 13 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 48.1 | 53.5 | 101,832 | +2.1 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 5,774 | +0.1 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1,332 | -0.0 |
The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | Previous council | New council | New council |
| Party | Party | Cllr | Ald | Cllr | Ald |
| | Labour | 59 | 15 | 52 | 15 |
| | Conservatives | 19 | 11 | 26 | 11 |
| Total | Total | 78 | 26 | 78 | 26 |
| Total | Total | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 40 | 4 | 26 | 4 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 44 | 44 | 30 | 30 |

## Ward results

Armley & Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Coan | 3,412 | 63.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | G. Atkinson | 1,955 | 36.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,457 | 27.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,367 | | N/A |
Beeston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Woodward | 4,776 | 49.4 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | E. Whitehead | 3,840 | 39.7 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal | A. Whitaker | 1,053 | 10.9 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 936 | 9.7 | +9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,669 | | |
Blenheim :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. Lister | 3,853 | 56.5 | +1.0 |
| | Labour | A. D'Arcy | 2,343 | 34.3 | −10.2 |
| | Liberal | M. Allen | 626 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,510 | 22.2 | +11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,822 | | |
Bramley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Womersley | 5,134 | 46.5 | −8.4 |
| | Conservative | A. Baker | 4,709 | 42.6 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal | Ms Booth | 1,199 | 10.9 | +10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 425 | 3.9 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,042 | | |
Burmantofts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Shutt | 2,573 | 67.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | C. Kirby | 1,226 | 32.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,347 | 35.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,799 | | N/A |
Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Walsh | 2,043 | 54.2 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | F. Morat | 1,729 | 45.8 | +8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 | 8.3 | −16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,772 | | |
Cross Gates & Temple Newsam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Bell | 8,052 | 57.4 | +0.0 |
| | Labour | R. Thomas | 5,965 | 42.6 | −0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,087 | 14.8 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,017 | | |
East Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Mayhew | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Far Headingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Hargrave | 9,236 | 81.0 | +8.7 |
| | Labour | A. Tallant | 2,169 | 19.0 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,067 | 62.0 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,405 | | |
Farnley & Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Wallbanks | 5,188 | 52.3 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | C. Horner | 4,738 | 47.7 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 450 | 4.5 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,926 | | |
Harehills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | W. Power | 5,310 | 51.2 | +4.6 |
| | Labour | K. Muir | 5,060 | 48.8 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 | 2.4 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,370 | | |
Holbeck North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Veitch | 1,155 | 59.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | A. Parkinson | 503 | 26.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal | W. Holdsworth | 269 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 652 | 33.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,927 | | N/A |
Holbeck South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Jones | 2,916 | 55.6 | −17.1 |
| | Conservative | H. Drake | 1,757 | 33.5 | +33.5 |
| | Liberal | W. Hopper | 568 | 10.8 | −16.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,159 | 22.1 | −23.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,241 | | |
Hunslet Carr & Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Hodkinson | 6,133 | 64.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | J. Walton | 3,326 | 35.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,807 | 29.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,459 | | N/A |
Hyde Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | F. Walker | 5,644 | 72.5 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | G. Issott | 2,137 | 27.5 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,507 | 45.1 | +7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,781 | | |
Kirkstall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Sellers | 5,021 | 49.8 | +4.3 |
| | Labour | M. Malcolm | 4,101 | 40.7 | −13.7 |
| | Liberal | L. Spencer | 638 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | Communist | R. Huffingley | 313 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 920 | 9.1 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,073 | | |
Mill Hill & South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Jowitt | 1,538 | 52.5 | +1.0 |
| | Labour | H. Holdsworth | 1,394 | 47.5 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 144 | 4.9 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,932 | | |
North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Murphy | 9,724 | 80.5 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | N. Davey | 2,349 | 19.5 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,375 | 61.1 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,073 | | |
Osmondthorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Fish | 4,257 | 63.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | T. Nipe | 2,491 | 36.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,766 | 26.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,748 | | N/A |
Potternewton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Bidgood | 4,468 | 57.5 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | C. Driver | 4,442 | | |
| | Labour | K. Cohen | 2,551 | 32.8 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | R. Peart | 2,401 | | |
| | Communist | B. Ramelson | 753 | 9.7 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,917 | 24.7 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,772 | | |
Richmond Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Fowler | 1,900 | 69.3 | −20.5 |
| | Conservative | R. Eden | 840 | 30.7 | +30.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,060 | 38.7 | −41.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,740 | | |
Roundhay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Monkman | 10,330 | 77.0 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | A. King | 3,083 | 23.0 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,247 | 54.0 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,413 | | |
Upper Armley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Hiley | 4,386 | 54.1 | +8.9 |
| | Labour | J. Underwood | 3,720 | 45.9 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 666 | 8.2 | +5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,106 | | |
West Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Adamson | 3,343 | 52.4 | −13.5 |
| | Conservative | J. Farrell | 1,865 | 29.2 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal | A. Smith | 903 | 14.2 | +14.2 |
| | Communist | F. Warburton | 266 | 4.2 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,478 | 23.2 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,377 | | |
Westfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. Youngman | 1,693 | 54.4 | −7.1 |
| | Conservative | M. Gledhill | 1,417 | 45.6 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 276 | 8.9 | −14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,110 | | |
Woodhouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Bretherick | 3,100 | 47.3 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative | G. Taylor | 2,938 | 44.8 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal | Ms. Hobson | 518 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 2.5 | −10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,556 | | |