# 1978 Islington London Borough Council election

The 1978 Islington Council election took place on 4 May 1978 to elect members of Islington London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.

## Background

Since the last election, the council had changed the boundaries of their wards as such: Changes to wards from 1974 to 1978
| Ward | 1974 election | 1978 election |
| Bunhill | 2 seats | 3 seats |
| Canonbury | 4 seats | Ward divided |
| Canonbury East | Part of Canonbury Ward | 2 seats |
| Canonbury West | Part of Canonbury Ward | 2 seats |
| Gillespie | Didn't exist | 2 seats |
| Highbury | 4 seats | 3 seats |
| Highview | 3 seats | 2 seats |
| Holloway | 4 seats | 3 seats |
| Junction | 4 seats | 3 seats |
| Mildmay | 4 seats | 3 seats |
| Parkway | 3 seats | Ward abolished |
| Pentonville | 3 seats | Ward abolished |
| Quadrant | 4 seats | 2 seats |
| Station | 2 seats | Ward Abolished |
| Sussex | Didn't exist | 2 seats |
| Tollington | Didn't exist | 3 seats |
Overall the size of the council shrunk by 8, going from 60 councillors to 52 councillors

## Election result

1978 Islington Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| | Labour | 48 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 92.31 | 49.62 | 54,262 |
| | Conservative | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3.84 | 38.42 | 42,014 |
| | Labour Co-op | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3.84 | 1.65 | 1,804 |
| | National Front | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 5.62 | 6,149 |
| | Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 2.22 | 2,426 |
| | Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 1.20 | 1,315 |
| | Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.67 | 731 |
| | Socialist Unity | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.55 | 603 |
| | Workers Revolutionary | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.04 | 46 |
| Total | Total | 52 | | | | | | 109,350 |

## Ward results

(*) - Represents an incumbent candidate
(‡) - Represents an incumbent from a ward that was split into two separate wards

### Barnsbury

Barnsbury (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Christopher R. Smith | 1,257 | |
| | Labour | Cecilia McAskill | 1,235 | |
| | Labour | Alexander J. Farrell | 1,221 | |
| | Conservative | John D.E. Gallagher | 923 | |
| | Conservative | Gillian A. Gallagher | 915 | |
| | Conservative | George B. Skelly | 882 | |
| | National Front | Lawrence O'Brien | 171 | |
| | National Front | Arthur R. Jupp | 164 | |
| | National Front | Frederick G. Atkin | 163 | |
| | Liberal | John W. Hamilton | 132 | |
| | Liberal | David J. Trillo | 115 | |
| | Communist | Maria Loftus | 107 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,355 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Bunhill

Bunhill (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | George A.W. Ives* | 1,338 | |
| | Labour | Edna K. Browning* | 1,326 | |
| | Labour | Christie Payne | 1,317 | |
| | Conservative | Peter H. Britten | 1,110 | |
| | Conservative | Patricia M. Robertson | 1,070 | |
| | Conservative | John G. Watson | 1,049 | |
| | National Front | Joseph Cohen | 257 | |
| | National Front | Frank A. Benson | 247 | |
| | National Front | Gordon H. Shergold | 237 | |
| | Workers Revolutionary | Kay G. Wrightson | 46 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,135 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Canonbury East

Canonbury East (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Ernest J.W. Bayliss$^‡$ | 801 | |
| | Labour | Sybil P. James | 708 | |
| | Conservative | Nicholas B. Baile | 462 | |
| | Conservative | George H.C. Bennett | 450 | |
| | National Front | Leslie A. Powell | 109 | |
| | National Front | John R. Smith | 99 | |
| | Liberal | John P. Hudson | 76 | |
| | Liberal | John H. Marshall | 50 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,249 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.6 |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Canonbury West

Canonbury West (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Audrey Bayliss | 865 | |
| | Conservative | Colin S. Miller | 853 | |
| | Conservative | Alan J.M. Reese | 820 | |
| | Labour | Frederick W.H. Sandford | 766 | |
| | Liberal | Patricia M. Duncan | 146 | |
| | Liberal | Philip G. Watkins | 126 | |
| | National Front | Colin Woolgrove | 104 | |
| | National Front | Robert Woolgrove | 87 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,689 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.9 |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Clerkenwell

Clerkenwell (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Hyams* | 1,224 | |
| | Labour | Doris K.A. Rogers | 1,088 | |
| | Labour | Gerald D. Southgate* | 1,083 | |
| | Conservative | Donald W. Bromfield | 1,082 | |
| | Conservative | Rita M. Bromfield | 1,033 | |
| | Conservative | Stanley W. Morris | 969 | |
| | National Front | Michael Harris | 238 | |
| | National Front | Richard Chambers | 235 | |
| | National Front | Edward Wilcox | 191 | |
| | Liberal | Colin A. Muntzer | 156 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,804 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Gillespie

Gillespie (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia A. Bradbury | 864 | |
| | Labour | Carol O'Brien | 814 | |
| | Conservative | Nigel J. Bradley | 616 | |
| | Conservative | Marie B.T. Philipsz | 499 | |
| | Liberal | Margot J. Dunn | 127 | |
| | Liberal | Niranjian S. Mukherjee | 111 | |
| | National Front | Stephen Boon | 63 | |
| | National Front | Henry Green | 51 | |
| | Communist | Sarah J. Benton | 44 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,562 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.8 |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Highbury

Highbury (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia Brown* | 1,537 | |
| | Labour | Jennifer Morris | 1,414 | |
| | Labour | Catherine S. Powloski | 1,371 | |
| | Conservative | Simon R. Matthews | 1,179 | |
| | Conservative | Christina F. Rooke | 1,104 | |
| | Conservative | Alan N. Spinney | 1,082 | |
| | National Front | Anthony W. Perry | 129 | |
| | National Front | Anthony R. Wood | 127 | |
| | National Front | Rory A. Bevan | 126 | |
| | Liberal | Muriel Pidcock | 122 | |
| | Liberal | Michael R. Shipman | 116 | |
| | Liberal | Arthur W.R. Capel | 112 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,268 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### Highview

Highview (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | James C. Evans* | 746 | |
| | Labour | Patrick Sheeran | 643 | |
| | Conservative | Sheilagh M. Barrett | 572 | |
| | Conservative | Douglas Gerrard-Reynolds | 544 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Michael A. Sullivan | 115 | |
| | Socialist Unity | James Gosling | 105 | |
| | National Front | Harry Fenton | 48 | |
| | Liberal | Lorna M. James | 46 | |
| | National Front | Irene McCleod | 45 | |
| | Liberal | Ruth C. Smith | 36 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,212 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### Hillmarton

Hillmarton (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Arthur L. Bell* | 987 | |
| | Labour | Crispin R. St. Hill | 881 | |
| | Conservative | George H. Leeson | 768 | |
| | Conservative | Roy P.C. Taft | 714 | |
| | National Front | Terence F. Savage | 120 | |
| | National Front | George Wilson | 86 | |
| | Communist | Margaret S. Beardon | 65 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,212 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Hillrise

Hillrise (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Mary McCann* | 858 | |
| | Conservative | Neil D. Kerr | 843 | |
| | Labour | John Barnes | 819 | |
| | Labour | Jack Lethbridge | 808 | |
| | Conservative | Roman Kowalski | 792 | |
| | Conservative | Timothy S.K. Yeo | 730 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Kathryn Adams | 110 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Michael P. Simpson | 97 | |
| | National Front | Harold A. Farey | 44 | |
| | National Front | John J. Taylor | 40 | |
| | National Front | William Hall | 34 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,207 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Holloway

Holloway (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patrick E. Haynes* | 1,065 | |
| | Labour | William J.D. Moroney* | 1,021 | |
| | Labour | Edward Holroyd-Doveton* | 983 | |
| | Conservative | Anne V. Bradley | 575 | |
| | Conservative | William H. Giles | 573 | |
| | Conservative | Merryl S. Cave | 545 | |
| | National Front | Sidney A. Chaney | 146 | |
| | National Front | George W. Gilder | 134 | |
| | National Front | Shaun P. Bowdidge | 123 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,019 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### Junction

Junction (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Christopher M.B. King | 1,504 | |
| | Labour | Catherine D. Kaplinsky | 1,439 | |
| | Labour | Mark S.B. Van de Weyer* | 1,402 | |
| | Conservative | David J. Nicholson | 1,088 | |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Sayeed | 986 | |
| | Conservative | Michael D.X. Portillo | 980 | |
| | National Front | Clifford NF Baker | 97 | |
| | National Front | Anthony J. Hedge | 97 | |
| | National Front | Ian Binnie | 96 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,428 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### Mildmay

Mildmay (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Marjorie A. Ogilvy-Webb | 1,489 | |
| | Labour | Jane L. Streather | 1,442 | |
| | Labour | Valerie A. Veness | 1,383 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Felton-Gerber | 1,037 | |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth M. Carlson | 1,032 | |
| | Conservative | James A. Rooke | 989 | |
| | Independent | Terence B. Hernstead | 210 | |
| | National Front | Sandra McKenzie | 209 | |
| | National Front | Alan B. Butler | 202 | |
| | National Front | Derek J. McGranaghan | 202 | |
| | Independent | Lawrence O'Shea | 182 | |
| | Independent | John C. Score | 165 | |
| | Liberal | Raymond C. James | 150 | |
| | Liberal | Jannette Dawson | 147 | |
| | Liberal | Peter Murphy | 134 | |
| | Communist | William J. Norris | 76 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,467 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 46.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### Quadrant

Quadrant (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Anthony J. Mooney | 1,179 | |
| | Labour | Janet B. Gibson | 1,149 | |
| | Conservative | Arthur H.S. Hull | 901 | |
| | Conservative | Marion J. Pike | 872 | |
| | National Front | David F. Hammond | 190 | |
| | National Front | Gordon W. Strange | 157 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,764 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### St George's

St George's (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David J. Davies* | 1,199 | |
| | Labour | Gerrard F. Flynn | 1,182 | |
| | Labour | Philomena Kershaw | 1,169 | |
| | Conservative | Kenneth E.J. Graham | 1,104 | |
| | Conservative | Albert V. Hiam | 1,030 | |
| | Conservative | Edmund N.T. Tickell | 1,005 | |
| | Communist | Angela Mason | 212 | |
| | National Front | Andrew Desmond | 135 | |
| | National Front | Terry List | 112 | |
| | National Front | Thomas Pollard | 99 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,291 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### St Mary

St Mary (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Alan Pedrick | 1,027 | |
| | Labour | Donald B. Hoodless* | 990 | |
| | Labour | Ian S. Wilson | 981 | |
| | Conservative | Alistair R. Goobey | 823 | |
| | Conservative | Christopher C. McCann | 772 | |
| | Conservative | Michael A. Kuhn | 744 | |
| | Communist | Marie Betteridge | 196 | |
| | National Front | Richard B. Hughes | 161 | |
| | National Front | Richard J. Tiley | 123 | |
| | National Front | Alfred J. Aldris | 119 | |
| | Liberal | Alison J. Norman | 119 | |
| | Liberal | Ronald E. Sanderson | 87 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,017 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### St Peter

St Peter (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Anne L. Page* | 1,188 | |
| | Labour | Christopher J. Pryce | 1,063 | |
| | Labour | Martin P. Reynolds* | 1,014 | |
| | Conservative | Francis M. Haddon-Cave | 958 | |
| | Conservative | Rupert M. Stephenson | 955 | |
| | Conservative | Marten G. Tasker | 947 | |
| | Liberal | William A.A. Bearnish | 160 | |
| | Liberal | Norma Heigham | 158 | |
| | National Front | David Faulkner | 153 | |
| | National Front | Leonard Dark | 147 | |
| | National Front | David Tedder | 141 | |
| | Communist | Edward C. Archer | 107 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,228 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 36.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Sussex

Sussex (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Ellen M. Brosnan | 887 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Henry J. Reid | 781 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony B. Anderson | 381 | |
| | Conservative | Nigel M. Cumber | 354 | |
| | National Front | Ian J. Macarthur | 70 | |
| | National Front | Graham P. Southern | 51 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,757 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.4 |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) |

### Thornhill

Thornhill (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Margaret Pitt | 777 | |
| | Labour | Margaret Watson | 736 | |
| | Conservative | Terence P. Kelly | 521 | |
| | Conservative | Marina Y. Oliver | 500 | |
| | Independent | Frederick Johns | 388 | |
| | Independent | Timothy F. Finch | 334 | |
| | Independent | Richard D. Gilbey | 36 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,289 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) | Labour loss (seat eliminated) |

### Tollington

Tollington (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Arthur G. Smith | 1,027 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Andrew Carty | 1,023 | |
| | Labour | Rose L. Evans | 989 | |
| | Conservative | Edward F. Bull | 455 | |
| | Conservative | Martyn D.M. Berkin | 434 | |
| | Conservative | Abdul A. Siddiqui | 392 | |
| | National Front | Frederick Shepherd | 100 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Diana Udall | 97 | |
| | National Front | Keith Squire | 83 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Adrian E. Yeeles | 79 | |
| | National Front | Mark Squire | 77 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,931 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.4 |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |