# 2003 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2003 Gateshead Borough Council election was held on 1 May 2003 to elect members of Gateshead Council in Tyne and Wear, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party kept overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 46
* Liberal Democrat 19
* Liberal 1

## Campaign

The Labour Party feared that the Iraq War would cause them to lose ground in the election, after even their own councillors in Gateshead had passed a motion in February opposing the war. Labour hoped to separate the election from national issues by focusing on the council's record including the fact that council was rated as excellent in national league tables. The Liberal Democrats focused their attacks on the level of Council Tax including the 9.8% rise for Gateshead in 2003.
The main battleground was seen as being in Winlaton ward which the Liberal Democrats had won in the 2000 election but Labour had retained in 2002. As well as the two main parties on the council, the Conservatives contested all wards, while the British National Party put up 8 candidates and the Green Party 3 candidates.
As in the previous election in 2002 the election was held under all postal voting. As a result, overall turnout was 54.67% in Gateshead, which was the third highest turnout in the 2003 United Kingdom local elections with only the elections in Hertfordshire and Copeland seeing a higher turnout.

## Election result

The results saw no seats change hands between the parties with the Labour party pleased at managing to hold all of the seats they were defending. The result was seen as a blow to the Liberal Democrats chances of taking the Blaydon parliamentary seat at the next general election.
Gateshead Local Election Result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72.7 | 54.2 | 43,686 | -2.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.3 | 29.7 | 23,964 | +1.0 |
| Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.4 | 6,824 | -0.3 |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.7 | 2,955 | +2.7 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 2,437 | -0.1 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 598 | -0.2 |
| Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 135 | +0.1 |

## Ward results

Bede :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Murray | 1,539 | 67.6 | −8.7 |
| | BNP | Kevin Bell | 307 | 13.5 | +13.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Ball | 287 | 12.6 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | Ruth Fearby | 144 | 6.3 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,232 | 54.1 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,277 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Bensham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Dodds | 1,613 | 69.4 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Armstrong | 244 | 10.5 | +0.7 |
| | BNP | Terence Armstrong | 209 | 9.0 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Ada Callanan | 190 | 8.2 | −1.3 |
| | Socialist Alliance | David Morton | 67 | 2.9 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,369 | 58.9 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,323 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Birtley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Foy | 1,753 | 52.0 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal | Mark Davidson | 1,415 | 42.0 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Nye | 204 | 6.0 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 338 | 10.0 | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,372 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blaydon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elsdon Watson | 2,003 | 63.9 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maxine Thompson | 879 | 28.0 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Mark Watson | 254 | 8.1 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,124 | 35.9 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,136 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Chopwell and Rowlands Gill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael McNestry | 2,624 | 62.1 | +4.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eileen Blythe | 991 | 23.4 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative | Leonard Davidson | 312 | 7.4 | +0.1 |
| | Green | Pamela Woolner | 300 | 7.1 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,633 | 38.7 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,227 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Chowdene :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Keith Wood | 2,609 | 68.5 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Swadling | 646 | 17.0 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glenys Goodwill | 552 | 14.5 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,963 | 51.5 | −1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,807 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Crawcrook and Greenside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Danys | 1,995 | 46.7 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | Jack Graham | 1,746 | 40.9 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | David Moor | 331 | 7.8 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Duncan Couchman | 198 | 4.6 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 249 | 5.8 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,270 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Deckham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Gannon | 1,615 | 57.6 | −10.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ceila Wraith | 450 | 16.1 | −0.5 |
| | BNP | Ronald Fairlamb | 441 | 15.7 | +15.7 |
| | Conservative | Karl Gatiss | 296 | 10.6 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,165 | 41.5 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,802 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dunston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Brooks | 2,753 | 68.0 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Murray | 552 | 13.6 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | John Callanan | 392 | 9.7 | −0.5 |
| | BNP | Daniel Dafter | 352 | 8.7 | +8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,201 | 54.4 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,049 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Felling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Raymond Napier | 1,967 | 67.7 | −10.0 |
| | BNP | John Battersby | 405 | 13.9 | +13.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Lucas | 334 | 11.5 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Murray | 198 | 6.8 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,562 | 53.8 | −12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,904 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
High Fell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Malcolm Graham | 2,226 | 72.5 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Bird | 427 | 13.9 | +5.5 |
| | BNP | Kevin Scott | 237 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | June Murray | 181 | 5.9 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,799 | 58.6 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,071 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Lamesley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Craig Harrison | 1,954 | 59.2 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal | Susan Davidson | 1,022 | 31.0 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative | Karen Sludden | 322 | 9.8 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 932 | 28.2 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,298 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Leam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Tinnion | 2,475 | 69.3 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Norman Spours | 694 | 19.4 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | John McNeil | 402 | 11.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,781 | 49.9 | −6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,571 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Low Fell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frank Hindle | 2,875 | 61.6 | +3.8 |
| | Labour | Peter Wilson | 1,280 | 27.4 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative | Paul Sterling | 515 | 11.0 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,595 | 34.2 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,670 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Pelaw and Heworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Patterson | 2,215 | 55.7 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Goldsworthy | 1,531 | 38.5 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative | Maureen Moor | 129 | 3.2 | −1.0 |
| | Green | Nicholas Boldrini | 100 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 684 | 17.2 | +15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,975 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Ryton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ione Rippeth | 2,960 | 66.0 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Dane Roberts | 1,279 | 28.5 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | Antoinette Sterling | 248 | 5.5 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,681 | 37.5 | +9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,487 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Saltwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Mearns | 1,793 | 63.0 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Cowie | 420 | 14.8 | +2.2 |
| | BNP | George Bainbridge | 355 | 12.5 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Elaine McMaster | 279 | 9.8 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,373 | 48.2 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,847 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Teams :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Duddin | 2,362 | 62.7 | −4.6 |
| | BNP | Michael Dafter | 649 | 17.2 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Blythe | 463 | 12.3 | −1.3 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Bell | 292 | 7.8 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,899 | 45.5 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,766 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Whickham North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Wallace | 2,470 | 54.0 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | Frank Earl | 1,719 | 37.6 | −5.8 |
| | Conservative | Elaine Robertson | 383 | 8.4 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 751 | 16.4 | +11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,572 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Whickham South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Wallace | 2,901 | 55.0 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Gary Haley | 1,804 | 34.2 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Peter Ross | 567 | 10.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,097 | 20.8 | −6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,272 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Winlaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Wilson | 2,000 | 53.4 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Stokel | 1,545 | 41.3 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Charles Sludden | 199 | 5.3 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 455 | 12.1 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,744 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wrekendyke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Green | 3,041 | 73.1 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Diston | 710 | 17.1 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Steeley | 340 | 8.2 | −0.6 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Angela Makki | 68 | 1.6 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,331 | 56.0 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,159 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |