# 2008 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election

The 2008 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council in West Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Labour 32
* Conservative 23
* Independent 6
* Liberal Democrat 2

## Background

Before the election there was disagreement among commentators about how safe Wakefield council was for Labour. The Daily Telegraph felt Labour would struggle to remain in control, but the Yorkshire Post believed it would remain safe for Labour.
Wakefield council joined with other councils from Yorkshire to run a television advertising campaign in an attempt to increase turnout.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives make 7 gains, all but one from Labour, and come up only one seat short of depriving Labour of their majority. Altogether Labour lost 8 seats including 2 to independents, while the Liberal Democrats lost their only seat that was being contested in Ossett to the Conservatives. Labour losses included the mayor, Allan Garbutt, and the cabinet member for children and young people, Trevor Izon, in Pontefract South. Overall turnout was 32.28%.
The Conservatives said that their victories were due both to the unpopularity of the national Labour government and due to the Labour council behaving in an arrogant way. The results were seen by the Conservatives as an encouraging sign of how they would perform at the next general election in the Wakefield constituencies. Meanwhile, Labour put their defeats down to national issues such as the abolition of the 10p rate of income tax and immigration.
Wakefield Local Election Result 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 11 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 50.0 | 34.3 | 28,506 | +4.3% |
| Labour | 8 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 36.4 | 35.1 | 29,168 | -3.9% |
| Independent | 3 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 13.6 | 12.0 | 9,978 | +1.8% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 8.8 | 7,319 | -1.3% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.9 | 6,567 | -0.4% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 1,024 | -0.2% |
| Socialist Alternative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 352 | +0.1% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 145 | +0.0% |
| British Voice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 142 | -0.2% |

## Ward results

Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Molloy | 1,653 | 43.2 | +13.5 |
| | Labour | Allan Garbutt | 1,466 | 38.3 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Arthur | 709 | 18.5 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 187 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,828 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Airedale and Ferry Fryston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Phelps | 1,401 | 46.7 | −10.5 |
| | BNP | Stephen Rogerson | 628 | 20.9 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Mellisa Wan Omer | 540 | 18.0 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Kirby | 430 | 14.3 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 773 | 25.8 | −12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,999 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Altofts and Whitwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Box | 1,316 | 37.4 | −10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Burch | 827 | 23.5 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Tennant | 793 | 22.5 | +6.7 |
| | BNP | Dawn Byrom | 585 | 16.6 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 489 | 13.9 | −15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,521 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Castleford Central and Glasshoughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mark Burns-Williamson | 1,775 | 54.1 | −9.3 |
| | BNP | Rita Robinson | 854 | 26.1 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Eamonn Mullins | 649 | 19.8 | +6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 921 | 28.0 | −12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,278 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Crofton, Ryhill and Walton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Susan Lodge | 1,783 | 40.4 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Albert Manifield | 1,730 | 39.2 | −6.9 |
| | BNP | Dean Crossland | 902 | 20.4 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 53 | 1.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,415 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Featherstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kay Binnersley | 1,974 | 45.8 | +4.3 |
| | Labour | Dick Taylor | 1,872 | 43.4 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Michael Ledgard | 464 | 10.8 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 102 | 2.4 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,310 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Hemsworth (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ian Womersley | 1,695 |
| | Labour | Glyn Lloyd | 1,288 |
| | Labour | Sandra Pickin | 1,203 |
| | Independent | John Evans | 663 |
| | Independent | Maurice Kent | 503 |
| | BNP | Jeanette Womack | 400 |
| | Conservative | Christian l'Anson | 371 |
| | Conservative | Rebecca Mullins | 329 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,986 |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
Horbury and South Ossett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Jesty | 1,845 | 40.1 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | Janet Holmes | 1,657 | 36.0 | −2.0 |
| | Independent | Susan Armitage | 576 | 12.5 | +12.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Rowland | 522 | 11.3 | −8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 4.1 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,600 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Knottingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1,417 | 56.7 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Tom Dixon | 1,081 | 43.3 | +23.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 336 | 13.4 | −28.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,498 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Normanton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barry Smith | 1,037 | 31.8 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | Richard Wakefield | 784 | 24.0 | +12.4 |
| | Independent | Graeme Milner | 699 | 21.4 | −3.5 |
| | BNP | Adam Frazer | 520 | 15.9 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Smith | 221 | 6.8 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 | 7.8 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,261 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Ossett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Terry Brown | 1,709 | 37.9 | +12.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Goodair | 1,694 | 37.6 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | David Watts | 1,105 | 24.5 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 0.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,508 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Pontefract North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip Thomas | 1,352 | 40.8 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Jack Kershaw | 1,323 | 39.9 | −12.9 |
| | Independent | Bob Evison | 398 | 12.0 | +12.0 |
| | Green | Rennie Smith | 240 | 7.2 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 0.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,313 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Pontefract South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Crowther | 2,340 | 48.8 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Trevor Izon | 1,801 | 37.6 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Rush | 650 | 13.6 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 539 | 11.2 | −1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,791 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
South Elmsall and South Kirkby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Wilf Benson | 2,248 | 56.5 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Mollie Wright | 1,342 | 33.7 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | Allan Crouch | 389 | 9.8 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 906 | 22.8 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,979 | | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Stanley and Outwood East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Wilson | 1,392 | 36.9 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Charles Keith | 1,112 | 29.5 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Evans | 661 | 17.5 | −0.7 |
| | BNP | Loraine Frazer | 608 | 16.1 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 7.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,773 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Wakefield East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ros Lund | 1,478 | 44.8 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | Mark Pickard | 1,022 | 31.0 | +8.5 |
| | BNP | Robert Arnold | 447 | 13.5 | +1.9 |
| | Socialist Alternative | Michael Griffiths | 352 | 10.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 456 | 13.8 | −10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,299 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wakefield North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Rhodes | 1,177 | 34.7 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | Graham Ridler | 1,140 | 33.6 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Tennant | 468 | 13.8 | −4.0 |
| | BNP | Graham Thewlis-Hardy | 458 | 13.5 | +1.7 |
| | UKIP | Keith Wells | 145 | 4.3 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 37 | 1.1 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,388 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wakefield Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Colley | 2,837 | 62.0 | +9.6 |
| | Labour | Tony Richardson | 1,108 | 24.2 | −2.5 |
| | Green | Miriam Hawkins | 628 | 13.7 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,729 | 37.8 | +12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,573 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Wakefield South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Hopkins | 1,725 | 40.0 | −1.6 |
| | Independent | Norman Hazell | 1,222 | 28.4 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | Simon Young | 672 | 15.6 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Nuthall | 369 | 8.6 | +1.4 |
| | BNP | John Aveyard | 321 | 7.4 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 503 | 11.6 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,309 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Wakefield West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Walker | 2,479 | 60.2 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | Matthew Morley | 738 | 17.9 | −3.2 |
| | BNP | Neville Poynton | 348 | 8.5 | +8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Morgan | 252 | 6.1 | −3.0 |
| | Green | Brian Else | 156 | 3.8 | −3.1 |
| | British Voice | Norman Tate | 142 | 3.5 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,741 | 42.3 | +8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,115 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Wrenthorpe and Outwood West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Annemarie Glover | 1,829 | 45.8 | +5.9 |
| | Labour | Martyn Johnson | 1,150 | 28.8 | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Dodd | 516 | 12.9 | +0.5 |
| | BNP | Grant Rowe | 496 | 12.4 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 679 | 17.0 | +12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,991 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |