Leeds City Council election, 1953
The Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 7 May 1953,[1] with one third of the council as well as a vacancy in Richmond Hill to be elected.[2]
Winning control of Leeds was one of Labour's highlights in a night that seen them make gains across the country.[1] Whilst there was a swing away from Labour to the Conservatives of over four percent[3] from the previous year's high benchmark, Labour were able to repeat most of the gains they achieved the year before, with the two exceptions being Armley - a seat they already held - and Beeston, which the Tories managed to hold by sixty-six votes this time around. In total they gained seven seats, replacing the Tories slim majority of two with a majority of twelve.[2] Turnout continued its trend downwards with a post-war low of 41.4%.[3]
Election result
Leeds Local Election Result 1953 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | ||
Labour | 19 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 65.5 | 52.5 | 78,259 | -4.0% | ||
Conservative | 10 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 34.5 | 46.7 | 69,560 | +4.2% | ||
Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 923 | -0.2% | ||
Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 294 | +0.1% | ||
The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:[3]
Party | Previous council | New council | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cllr | Ald | Cllr | Ald | ||
Labour | 41 | 14 | 48 | 14 | |
Conservatives | 43 | 14 | 36 | 14 | |
Total | 84 | 28 | 84 | 28 | |
112 | 112 | ||||
Working majority | -2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
-2 | 12 |
Ward results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | M. Mustill | 5,260 | 85.2 | +1.3 | |
Labour | W. Stoner | 917 | 14.8 | -1.3 | |
Majority | 4,343 | 70.3 | +2.6 | ||
Turnout | 6,177 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Hodgson | 3,815 | 61.3 | -0.1 | |
Conservative | J. Longstaff | 2,407 | 38.7 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 1,408 | 22.6 | -0.2 | ||
Turnout | 6,222 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -0.1 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | P. Woodward | 3,810 | 50.4 | +1.5 | |
Labour | S. Binns | 3,744 | 49.6 | -1.5 | |
Majority | 66 | 0.9 | -1.2 | ||
Turnout | 7,554 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Merritt | 3,144 | 56.9 | -0.6 | |
Conservative | K. Davison | 2,386 | 43.1 | +0.6 | |
Majority | 758 | 13.7 | -1.2 | ||
Turnout | 5,530 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -0.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Lord | 3,285 | 53.4 | -6.6 | |
Conservative | B. Pearce | 2,862 | 46.6 | +6.6 | |
Majority | 423 | 6.9 | -13.1 | ||
Turnout | 6,147 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -6.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Murray | 2,832 | 71.1 | -3.7 | |
Conservative | K. Platts | 1,150 | 28.9 | +3.7 | |
Majority | 1,682 | 42.2 | -7.5 | ||
Turnout | 3,982 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Stubbs | 2,449 | 69.3 | +0.4 | |
Conservative | N. Kay | 1,083 | 30.7 | -0.4 | |
Majority | 1,366 | 38.7 | +0.9 | ||
Turnout | 3,532 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +0.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | A. Harrison | 3,181 | 66.3 | -3.8 | |
Conservative | W. Tull | 1,618 | 33.7 | +3.8 | |
Majority | 1,563 | 32.6 | -7.6 | ||
Turnout | 4,799 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -3.8 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | E. Kavanagh | 3,064 | 75.1 | -7.6 | |
Conservative | G. Hewdey | 1,017 | 24.9 | +7.6 | |
Majority | 2,047 | 50.2 | -15.1 | ||
Turnout | 4,081 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -7.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | G. Dovenor | 4,112 | 82.1 | +3.1 | |
Labour | J. Bissell | 897 | 17.9 | -3.1 | |
Majority | 3,215 | 64.2 | +6.2 | ||
Turnout | 5,009 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.1 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | P. Dodson | 3,933 | 72.7 | +6.3 | |
Labour | A. Vickers | 1,476 | 27.3 | -2.4 | |
Majority | 2,457 | 45.4 | +8.7 | ||
Turnout | 5,409 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | B. Garden | 2,918 | 53.6 | +2.4 | |
Labour | D. Gabb | 2,529 | 46.4 | -2.4 | |
Majority | 389 | 7.1 | +4.7 | ||
Turnout | 5,447 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | G. Bray | 3,545 | 64.3 | -5.0 | |
Conservative | S. Ristron | 1,384 | 25.1 | +1.6 | |
Liberal | K. Heald | 582 | 10.6 | +3.4 | |
Majority | 2,161 | 39.2 | -6.7 | ||
Turnout | 5,511 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Parker | 3,408 | 75.1 | -5.0 | |
Conservative | N. Cooke | 942 | 20.8 | +3.9 | |
Communist | R. Wilkinson | 185 | 4.1 | +1.2 | |
Majority | 2,466 | 54.4 | -8.9 | ||
Turnout | 4,535 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -4.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | H. Walmsley | 3,402 | 63.4 | +3.4 | |
Labour | I. Calvert | 1,965 | 36.6 | -3.4 | |
Majority | 1,437 | 26.8 | +6.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,367 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | D. Matthews | 4,446 | 62.8 | -0.3 | |
Conservative | R. Neill | 2,628 | 37.2 | +5.2 | |
Majority | 1,818 | 25.7 | -5.5 | ||
Turnout | 7,074 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -2.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | F. Carter | 4,231 | 69.0 | +0.9 | |
Labour | J. Hedley | 1,900 | 31.0 | -0.9 | |
Majority | 2,331 | 38.0 | +1.7 | ||
Turnout | 6,131 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | S. Hand | 3,510 | 85.3 | -4.4 | |
Conservative | F. Stubley | 604 | 14.7 | +4.4 | |
Majority | 2,906 | 70.6 | -8.9 | ||
Turnout | 4,114 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -4.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | L. Henson | 4,179 | 70.2 | -2.5 | |
Labour | R. Hyams | 1,771 | 29.8 | +2.5 | |
Majority | 2,408 | 40.5 | -4.9 | ||
Turnout | 2,408 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | -2.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | L. Walsh | 3,690 | 79.5 | -3.5 | |
Conservative | D. Bradley | 954 | 20.5 | +3.5 | |
Majority | 2,736 | 58.9 | -7.1 | ||
Turnout | 4,644 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -3.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | E. Coleman | 2,460 | 61.3 | +5.6 | |
Labour | F. Howard | 1,550 | 38.7 | -5.6 | |
Majority | 910 | 22.7 | +11.1 | ||
Turnout | 4,010 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Cain | 2,838 | 80.0 | -5.0 | |
Labour | W. Fowler | 2,728 | |||
Conservative | W. Clayton | 710 | 20.0 | +5.0 | |
Conservative | H. Harwood | 585 | |||
Majority | 2,018 | 60.0 | -10.0 | ||
Turnout | 3,548 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -5.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | H. Jowitt | 4,409 | 66.6 | +7.3 | |
Labour | E. Morris | 2,207 | 33.4 | -7.3 | |
Majority | 2,202 | 33.3 | +14.6 | ||
Turnout | 6,616 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | P. Kennally | 3,059 | 51.8 | -7.5 | |
Conservative | F. Ayres | 2,850 | 48.2 | +7.5 | |
Majority | 209 | 3.5 | -15.1 | ||
Turnout | 5,909 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -7.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | J. Underwood | 3,461 | 72.7 | -3.1 | |
Conservative | J. Palmer | 848 | 17.8 | -0.2 | |
Liberal | H. Burbridge | 341 | 7.2 | +2.7 | |
Communist | F. Warburton | 109 | 2.3 | +0.7 | |
Majority | 2,613 | 54.9 | -2.9 | ||
Turnout | 4,759 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | -1.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Stan Cohen | 2,916 | 56.7 | +1.7 | |
Conservative | G. Appleby | 2,228 | 43.3 | -1.7 | |
Majority | 688 | 13.4 | +3.4 | ||
Turnout | 5,144 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | H. Bretherick | 3,456 | 59.9 | -5.0 | |
Conservative | H. Stott | 2,318 | 40.1 | +5.0 | |
Majority | 1,138 | 19.7 | -10.1 | ||
Turnout | 5,774 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -5.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | W. Smart | 3,204 | 52.9 | -2.4 | |
Conservative | Charles Horner | 2,857 | 47.1 | +2.4 | |
Majority | 347 | 5.7 | -4.8 | ||
Turnout | 6,061 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | -2.4 | |||
References
- 1 2 "U.K. Labour Gains in Boroughs". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1953. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 8 May 1953.
- 1 2 3 Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.