# 1978 Manchester City Council election

Elections to Manchester Council were held on Thursday, 4 May 1978. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a four-year term of office, expiring in 1982. The Labour Party retained overall control of the council.

## Election result

Manchester Council Election Result 1978 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 19 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 57.6 | 47.8 | 61,969 | +2.7% |
| Conservative | 14 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 42.4 | 45.3 | 58,717 | -2.3% |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 7,708 | -0.4% |
| National Front | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 636 | +0.5% |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 277 | +0.1% |
| Socialist Unity | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 139 | +0.1% |
| Workers Revolutionary | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 34 | +0.0% |
After the election, the composition of the council was as follows:
| Party | Seats | +/- |
| Labour | 53 | -1 |
| Conservative | 46 | +1 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

## Ward results
### Alexandra

Alexandra :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Flynn* | 2,895 | 59.9 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | G. M. Gorton | 1,249 | 25.8 | +7.5 |
| | Liberal | D. Hewitt | 689 | 14.3 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,646 | 34.1 | −8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,833 | 37.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.4 | |

### Ardwick

Ardwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Barrett* | 2,102 | 70.5 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | W. R. Swan | 783 | 26.3 | −4.8 |
| | Liberal | D. Nicholson | 96 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,319 | 44.2 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,981 | 27.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.2 | |

### Baguley

Baguley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Done | 3,536 | 56.4 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | P. Fitzsimons | 2,737 | 43.6 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 799 | 12.8 | +3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,273 | 46.1 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |

### Barlow Moor

Barlow Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | H. Tucker* | 2,136 | 63.9 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | A. Manning | 1,208 | 36.1 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 928 | 27.8 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,344 | 32.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.8 | |

### Beswick

Beswick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | S. Silverman | 1,746 | 77.3 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | J. Cartland | 370 | 16.4 | −2.8 |
| | National Front | A. Tatton | 81 | 3.6 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal | J. Thomson | 63 | 2.8 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,376 | 60.9 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,260 | 27.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |

### Blackley

Blackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | P. Loxley | 2,508 | 52.2 | +6.5 |
| | Labour | J. I. Owen* | 2,143 | 44.6 | −9.7 |
| | Liberal | V. Towers | 153 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 7.6 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,804 | 43.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +8.1 | |

### Bradford

Bradford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Gilmore* | 2,398 | 58.8 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | L. Hockey | 1,490 | 36.6 | −6.4 |
| | National Front | J. Hulse | 139 | 3.4 | +3.4 |
| | Communist | M. Murray | 49 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 908 | 22.3 | +11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,076 | 33.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.8 | |

### Brooklands

Brooklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Y. Emery* | 3,027 | 56.8 | +7.3 |
| | Labour | J. Wilner | 2,298 | 43.2 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 729 | 13.6 | +9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,325 | 40.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |

### Burnage

Burnage :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | L. Howarth* | 2,647 | 60.6 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | K. Robinson | 1,724 | 39.4 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 950 | 21.7 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,371 | 37.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.0 | |

### Charlestown

Charlestown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | L. Kelly* | 2,146 | 48.4 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | C. Maffei | 2,002 | 45.2 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal | N. Towers | 155 | 3.5 | −2.6 |
| | National Front | W. E. Caffrey | 91 | 2.1 | +2.1 |
| | Communist | S. Cole | 40 | 0.9 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 144 | 3.2 | −6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,434 | 44.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.1 | |

### Cheetham

Cheetham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. Broderick* | 1,482 | 66.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | F. Meaden | 743 | 33.4 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 739 | 33.2 | +8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,225 | 28.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.1 | |

### Chorlton

Chorlton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | L. Sanders* | 2,769 | 62.0 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | K. Cropper | 1,387 | 31.1 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal | J. Commons | 308 | 6.9 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,382 | 31.0 | −8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,464 | 38.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.5 | |

### Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | F. Balcombe* | 843 | 63.1 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | S. R. Newth | 416 | 31.1 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal | M. A. Plesch | 78 | 5.8 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 427 | 32.0 | −5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,337 | 28.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.6 | |

### Crossacres

Crossacres :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. L. Griffiths* | 2,877 | 59.5 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | A. Spencer | 1,418 | 29.3 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal | H. Griffiths | 537 | 11.1 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,459 | 30.2 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,832 | 35.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.3 | |

### Crumpsall

Crumpsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Fildes* | 2,183 | 53.9 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | G. Stringer | 1,517 | 37.5 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal | J. Cookson | 286 | 7.1 | −1.9 |
| | Communist | S. Ward | 61 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 666 | 16.5 | −7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,047 | 35.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.8 | |

### Didsbury

Didsbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. Hill* | 3,902 | 68.0 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Eddie Newman | 1,304 | 22.7 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal | J. T. Mitchell | 534 | 9.3 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,598 | 45.3 | −0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,740 | 44.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.9 | |

### Gorton North

Gorton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | T. O. Hamnett* | 1,856 | 56.7 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | E. Leadbetter | 1,184 | 36.2 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | J. Ashley | 231 | 7.1 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 672 | 20.5 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,271 | 37.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.9 | |

### Gorton South

Gorton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Conway* | 1,619 | 55.4 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative | D. Heywood | 1,174 | 40.2 | −3.0 |
| | National Front | N. J. Mead | 97 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| | Workers Revolutionary | A. Willams | 34 | 1.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 445 | 15.2 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,924 | 33.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Harpurhey

Harpurhey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | K. Litherland* | 1,341 | 62.5 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative | J. Harding | 804 | 37.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 537 | 25.0 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,145 | 30.9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |

### Hulme

Hulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J. V. Marshall* | 1,488 | 57.5 | −9.6 |
| | Liberal | P. Thompson | 523 | 20.2 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | W. H. Cox | 386 | 14.9 | −3.7 |
| | Socialist Unity | B. Crossman | 139 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| | Communist | R. W. Gwilt | 54 | 2.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 965 | 37.4 | −11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,590 | 29.4 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.7 | |

### Levenshulme

Levenshulme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | J. K. Barber* | 2,001 | 40.7 | −10.9 |
| | Labour | S. Loughlin | 1,827 | 37.2 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal | K. Whitmore | 1,085 | 22.1 | +13.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 174 | 3.5 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,913 | 38.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.9 | |

### Lightbowne

Lightbowne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. T. Lee* | 2,560 | 55.5 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | N. McHardy | 2,051 | 44.5 | −8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 509 | 11.0 | +5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,611 | 43.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.2 | |

### Lloyd Street

Lloyd Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | H. Collins* | 2,364 | 53.2 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | A. D. Neville | 1,867 | 42.0 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal | P. Davis | 212 | 4.8 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 497 | 11.2 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,443 | 35.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.3 | |

### Longsight

Longsight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | V. Stevens | 2,007 | 54.1 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | A. Malpas* | 1,516 | 40.9 | −7.3 |
| | Liberal | C. R. Brammer | 184 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 491 | 13.2 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,707 | 34.4 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.9 | |

### Miles Platting

Miles Platting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Conquest | 1,417 | 76.3 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | A. E. Halliday | 337 | 18.1 | −2.6 |
| | National Front | N. T. G. Wallace | 103 | 5.5 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,080 | 58.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,857 | 24.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.2 | |

### Moss Side

Moss Side :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | R. E. Talbot* | 1,360 | 70.0 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | S. Hussain | 364 | 18.7 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal | L. Ford | 220 | 11.3 | +11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 996 | 51.2 | +24.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,944 | 27.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.9 | |

### Moston

Moston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Hurley | 2,867 | 55.2 | −6.7 |
| | Labour | A. E. Bowden* | 2,327 | 44.8 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 540 | 10.4 | −13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,194 | 44.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | -6.7 | |

### Newton Heath

Newton Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | M. J. Taylor* | 2,165 | 57.0 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | L. Clarke | 1,636 | 43.0 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 529 | 14.0 | +13.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,801 | 39.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.6 | |

### Northenden

Northenden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | G. Leigh* | 2,697 | 46.3 | −5.2 |
| | Labour | A. J. Spencer | 2,546 | 43.8 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal | L. Griffiths | 576 | 9.9 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 | 2.6 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,819 | 46.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.7 | |

### Old Moat

Old Moat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. F. Lavin* | 2,314 | 58.7 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | S. Jean | 1,558 | 39.5 | +2.2 |
| | Communist | N. J. Gilroy | 73 | 1.9 | −0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 756 | 19.2 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,945 | 38.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.9 | |

### Rusholme

Rusholme :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | M. Pierce* | 2,289 | 55.0 | −9.2 |
| | Labour | L. Byrne | 1,585 | 38.1 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal | M. J. Hodgson | 286 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 704 | 16.9 | −14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,160 | 29.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.3 | |

### Withington

Withington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | E. R. Coker* | 1,971 | 42.6 | −12.4 |
| | Liberal | A. Jones | 1,492 | 32.2 | +13.5 |
| | Labour | F. Yaffe | 1,169 | 25.2 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 10.3 | −19.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,632 | 38.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -12.9 | |

### Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | G. Hall* | 2,820 | 67.5 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | J. C. Ridgard | 1,233 | 29.5 | −3.2 |
| | National Front | T. J. Hansen | 125 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,587 | 38.0 | +11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,178 | 37.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.6 | |

## By-elections between 1978 and 1979

Withington By-Election 16 November 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Audrey Jones | 2,137 | 52.8 | +20.6 |
| | Conservative | James Hill | 1,297 | 32.1 | −10.5 |
| | Labour | Alfred Home | 610 | 15.1 | −10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 840 | 20.8 | +10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,044 | 33.9 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.5 | |