# 1988 Leeds City Council election

The 1988 Leeds City Council elections were held on Thursday, 5 May 1988, with one third of the council and a vacancy in Headingley to be elected.
Following national patterns, the newly merged Social and Liberal Democrats, seen a substantial fall in vote to their lowest share in a decade, with former candidates standing against them as SDP in opposition to the merger. The SLD collapse was largely uniform, mostly transferring to Labour, except in northern wards – where support tended to disperse between the main parties and any minor candidate standing (usually Green or the aforementioned breakaway SDP) – or wards in which Independents stood. Importantly for the SLD, their support in the three wards they were defending notably withstood that collapse, although hopes of retaking Armley after their councillor turned Independent were dashed by large swings away to allow a Labour gain there (with Michael Meadowcroft later alleging racist campaigning by Labour). Elsewhere, the incumbent Independent in Pudsey South was comfortably re-elected, tripling his majority there. As the chief recipient of lost SLD support, Labour won their highest share of vote since the council's inception in 1973, and their greatest vote and majority on the council since 1980's re-warding.

## Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1988 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 21 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 61.8 | 46.2 | 94,347 | +8.1 |
| Conservative | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26.5 | 33.0 | 67,550 | -0.1 |
| SLD | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.8 | 17.1 | 35,033 | -11.2 |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 3,600 | +1.7 |
| SDP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1,894 | +0.9 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1,549 | +0.5 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 414 | +0.1 |
This result has the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 58 | 59 |
| | Conservative | 25 | 25 |
| | SLD | 14 | 14 |
| | Independent | 2 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 17 | 19 |

## Ward results

Aireborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. Hughes-Rowlands | 3,096 | 43.8 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | M. Dunn | 2,211 | 31.2 | +11.8 |
| | SLD | S. Denby | 1,769 | 25.0 | −18.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 885 | 12.5 | +5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,076 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.4 | |
Armley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James McKenna | 3,312 | 55.0 | +18.8 |
| | SLD | Mohammed Riasat | 1,688 | 28.0 | −17.7 |
| | Conservative | P. Netzel | 1,026 | 17.0 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,624 | 26.9 | +17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,026 | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | +18.2 | |
Barwick & Kippax :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Keith Sturgess | 4,381 | 58.8 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | B. Caro | 2,616 | 35.1 | +1.8 |
| | SLD | R. Hutchinson | 448 | 6.0 | −8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,765 | 23.7 | +5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,445 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
Beeston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | A. Beevers | 2,949 | 67.9 | +12.8 |
| | Conservative | H. Woodhead | 1,083 | 24.9 | −2.7 |
| | SLD | K. Lee | 270 | 6.2 | −11.1 |
| | Communist | W. Innes | 44 | 1.0 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,866 | 42.9 | +15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,346 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.7 | |
Bramley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | C. Cliff | 3,539 | 68.8 | +13.2 |
| | Conservative | H. Hinchcliffe | 861 | 16.7 | −1.8 |
| | SLD | M. Tones | 747 | 14.5 | −11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,678 | 52.0 | +22.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,147 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.5 | |
Burmantofts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SLD | N. Mackie | 3,044 | 49.5 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | J. Lister | 2,728 | 44.4 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Galbraith | 378 | 6.1 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 316 | 5.1 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,150 | | |
| | SLD hold | SLD hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
Chapel Allerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Frankland | 3,795 | 65.4 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | I. Baxter | 1,388 | 23.9 | −1.7 |
| | SLD | J. Levy | 301 | 5.2 | −10.9 |
| | Green | S. Needham | 165 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| | SDP | S. Cohen | 158 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,407 | 41.4 | +8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,807 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
City & Holbeck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Glassford | 3,389 | 77.0 | +11.9 |
| | Conservative | D. Boynton | 677 | 15.4 | −0.7 |
| | SLD | D. Hollingsworth | 336 | 7.6 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,712 | 61.6 | +15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,402 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.3 | |
Cookridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | K. Loudon | 4,084 | 60.3 | +7.6 |
| | Labour | A. Procter | 1,563 | 23.1 | +7.9 |
| | SLD | J. Hall | 760 | 11.2 | −20.8 |
| | SDP | M. Bray | 367 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,521 | 37.2 | +16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,774 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.1 | |
Garforth & Swillington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Moakes | 4,692 | 57.5 | +13.2 |
| | Conservative | M. Stelling | 2,954 | 36.2 | −0.5 |
| | SLD | G. Roberts | 517 | 6.3 | −12.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,738 | 21.3 | +13.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,163 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.8 | |
Halton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | D. Townsley | 3,399 | 54.6 | −0.5 |
| | Labour | S. Butterfield | 2,102 | 33.7 | +10.5 |
| | SLD | T. Ayres | 729 | 11.7 | −10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,297 | 20.8 | −11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,230 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.5 | |
Harehills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Cohen | 3,525 | 65.5 | +15.3 |
| | SLD | C. Holden | 1,029 | 19.1 | −19.3 |
| | Conservative | R. Richardson | 830 | 15.4 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,496 | 46.4 | +34.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,384 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +17.3 | |
Headingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Page | 2,828 | 41.8 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | K. Nathan | 2,822 | | |
| | SLD | C. Shaw | 2,032 | 30.1 | −6.6 |
| | SLD | E. Low | 1,756 | | |
| | Conservative | G. Castle | 1,042 | 15.4 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | J. Montague | 1,001 | | |
| | Green | C. Nash | 640 | 9.5 | +4.1 |
| | Communist | B. Cooper | 216 | 3.2 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 796 | 11.8 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,758 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.8 | |
Horsforth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SLD | S. Cooksey | 3,432 | 44.5 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | J. Cason | 3,087 | 40.0 | −1.2 |
| | Labour | A. Radford | 1,192 | 15.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 345 | 4.5 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,711 | | |
| | SLD hold | SLD hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
Hunslet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Driver | 3,011 | 77.8 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | A. Larvin | 407 | 10.5 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | L. Parrish | 308 | 8.0 | +8.0 |
| | SLD | C. Lunn | 142 | 3.7 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,604 | 67.3 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,868 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
Kirkstall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | E. St. David-Smith | 3,707 | 66.5 | +13.6 |
| | Conservative | C. Mollitt | 1,061 | 19.0 | −1.2 |
| | SLD | J. Brophy | 810 | 14.5 | −12.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,646 | 47.4 | +21.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,578 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.4 | |
Middleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Dignan | 3,126 | 77.4 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | A. Dufton | 642 | 15.9 | −0.7 |
| | SLD | T. Garbett | 273 | 6.8 | −5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,484 | 61.5 | +10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,041 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.4 | |
Moortown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SLD | M. Harris | 3,814 | 47.6 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | V. Kendall | 2,729 | 34.1 | −2.5 |
| | Labour | A. Hollas | 1,470 | 18.3 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,085 | 13.5 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,013 | | |
| | SLD hold | SLD hold | Swing | +1.8 | |
Morley North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Jones | 3,552 | 50.8 | +11.4 |
| | Conservative | E. Reddyhoff | 2,767 | 39.6 | −5.9 |
| | SDP | L. Jagger | 313 | 4.9 | +4.9 |
| | SLD | P. Haywood | 329 | 4.7 | −10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 785 | 11.2 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,991 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.6 | |
Morley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | B. North | 3,915 | 63.5 | +13.7 |
| | Conservative | R. Senior | 1,807 | 29.3 | −4.8 |
| | SLD | T. Leadley | 441 | 7.2 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,108 | 34.2 | +18.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,163 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.2 | |
North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | S. Morris | 3,593 | 57.6 | +6.5 |
| | Labour | E. Moxon | 1,476 | 23.7 | +12.8 |
| | SLD | M. Gregory | 854 | 13.7 | −24.3 |
| | SDP | P. Rogers | 313 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,117 | 33.9 | +20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,236 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.1 | |
Otley & Wharfedale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | C. Hindle | 4,343 | 46.6 | +6.1 |
| | SLD | M. Coles | 3,232 | 34.7 | −9.4 |
| | Labour | S. Egan | 1,261 | 13.5 | +0.5 |
| | SDP | J. Cusworth | 253 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| | Green | A. Stevens | 226 | 2.4 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,111 | 11.9 | +8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,315 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.7 | |
Pudsey North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Carter | 3,968 | 51.7 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | B. Dale | 2,260 | 29.4 | +4.8 |
| | SLD | C. Garner | 1,450 | 18.9 | −12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,708 | 22.2 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,678 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
Pudsey South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | P. Kersting | 3,292 | 46.4 | +46.4 |
| | Labour | A. Jarosz | 2,102 | 29.6 | −9.4 |
| | Conservative | D. Ballinger | 1,487 | 21.0 | −15.5 |
| | SLD | B. Selby | 214 | 3.0 | −21.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,190 | 16.8 | +14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,095 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +27.9 | |
Richmond Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. Lyons | 3,863 | 79.1 | +13.4 |
| | Conservative | W. Birch | 544 | 11.1 | −1.8 |
| | SLD | K. Norman | 474 | 9.7 | −11.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,319 | 68.0 | +23.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,881 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.6 | |
Rothwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. Lund | 3,829 | 66.5 | +8.3 |
| | Conservative | A. Heeson | 1,495 | 26.0 | −2.4 |
| | SLD | M. Galdas | 433 | 7.5 | −5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,334 | 40.5 | +10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,757 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.3 | |
Roundhay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Crotty | 3,862 | 56.8 | +2.4 |
| | Labour | K. Prior | 1,674 | 24.6 | +5.8 |
| | SLD | S. Holland | 963 | 14.2 | −12.7 |
| | Green | P. Ellis | 305 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,188 | 32.2 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,804 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.7 | |
Seacroft :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Mudie | 3,594 | 81.3 | +16.2 |
| | Conservative | R. Negus | 599 | 13.5 | −2.8 |
| | SLD | R. Senior | 229 | 5.2 | −13.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,995 | 67.7 | +21.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,422 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.5 | |
University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | W. Kilgallon | 3,253 | 74.9 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | J. Leng | 597 | 13.7 | −2.0 |
| | SLD | R. Mundell | 341 | 7.8 | −9.4 |
| | Communist | R. Honey | 154 | 3.5 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,656 | 61.1 | +14.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,345 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
Weetwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | A. Castle | 2,881 | 42.5 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | P. Hall | 1,990 | 29.4 | +2.3 |
| | SLD | J. Ewens | 1,692 | 25.0 | −4.1 |
| | Green | G. Rainford | 213 | 3.1 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 891 | 13.1 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,776 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.8 | |
Wetherby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Gardiner | 4,844 | 67.0 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | J. Postill | 1,161 | 16.1 | +3.7 |
| | SLD | T. Burgess | 764 | 10.6 | −15.3 |
| | SDP | H. Westbrook | 460 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,683 | 50.9 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,229 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
Whinmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Armitage | 3,128 | 57.3 | +6.0 |
| | Conservative | M. Silversides | 1,991 | 36.5 | +2.9 |
| | SLD | N. Snowdon | 340 | 6.2 | −8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,137 | 20.8 | +3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,459 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
Wortley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | P. Towler | 3,769 | 59.7 | +17.0 |
| | Conservative | B. Nicol | 1,412 | 22.4 | +0.5 |
| | SLD | L. Thackray | 1,136 | 18.0 | −17.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,357 | 37.3 | +30.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,317 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.2 | |

## By-elections between 1988 and 1990

Armley by-election 8 December 1988 replacing David Selby (resigned) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Paley | 1,580 | 46.4 | −8.6 |
| | SLD | | 1,110 | 32.6 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | | 662 | 19.4 | +2.4 |
| | SDP | | 53 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 470 | 13.8 | −13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,405 | 21.3 | −16.4 |
| | Labour gain from SLD | Labour gain from SLD | Swing | -6.6 | |
Double by-election, Horsforth, 8 June 1989 replacing S.J. Cooksey and B. Rich :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| SLD | Andrew McCaig | 2,658 |
| SLD | John Meade | 2,625 |
| Conservative | June Casson | 2,374 |
| Conservative | Rodney Cam (Con) | 2,273 |
| Labour | Brian Dale (Lab) | 886 |
| Labour | Alan Radford (Lab) | 959 |
Burmantofts by-election 15th June 1989 replacing Margaret Clay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sydney Butterfield | 3,226 | 53.3 | +8.9 |
| | SLD | | 2,356 | 39.0 | −10.5 |
| | Conservative | | 465 | 7.7 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 870 | 14.3 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,047 | 44.0 | −0.7 |
| | Labour gain from SLD | Labour gain from SLD | Swing | +9.7 | |
Morley North by-election 15th June 1989 replacing Philippa Fitzpatrick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Francis Jones | 3,617 | 48.7 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | | 2,747 | 37.0 | −2.6 |
| | Green | | 614 | 8.3 | +8.3 |
| | SLD | | 444 | 6.0 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 870 | 11.7 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,422 | 42.0 | +2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
City & Holbeck by-election 30th November 1989 replacing Roy Glassford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Nash | 1,982 | 80.2 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | | 254 | 10.3 | −5.1 |
| | SLD | | 234 | 9.5 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,728 | 69.9 | +8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,470 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.1 | |