1978 Manchester City Council election

(Redirected from 1978 Manchester Council election) 1978 UK local government 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
	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:

	Seats	+/-
Labour	53	-1
Conservative	46	+1
Labour hold

Ward results

Alexandra

Alexandra
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			1,646	34.1	−8.0
Turnout			4,833	37.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	-4.4

Ardwick

Ardwick
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			1,319	44.2	+6.5
Turnout			2,981	27.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.2

Baguley

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

Barlow Moor

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

Beswick

Beswick
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			1,376	60.9	+4.7
Turnout			2,260	27.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.3

Blackley

Blackley
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			365	7.6	−0.9
Turnout			4,804	43.2
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+8.1

Bradford

Bradford
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			908	22.3	+11.7
Turnout			4,076	33.3
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.8

Brooklands

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

Burnage

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

Charlestown

Charlestown
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			144	3.2	−6.3
Turnout			4,434	44.5
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.1

Cheetham

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

Chorlton

Chorlton
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			1,382	31.0	−8.9
Turnout			4,464	38.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	-4.5

Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church
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			427	32.0	−5.3
Turnout			1,337	28.2
	Labour hold		Swing	-2.6

Crossacres

Crossacres
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			1,459	30.2	−0.6
Turnout			4,832	35.3
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.3

Crumpsall

Crumpsall
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			666	16.5	−7.5
Turnout			4,047	35.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.8

Didsbury

Didsbury
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			2,598	45.3	−0.0
Turnout			5,740	44.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	-2.9

Gorton North

Gorton North
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			672	20.5	−1.8
Turnout			3,271	37.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.9

Gorton South

Gorton South
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			445	15.2	+1.7
Turnout			2,924	33.8
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.8

Harpurhey

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

Hulme

Hulme
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			965	37.4	−11.1
Turnout			2,590	29.4
	Labour hold		Swing	-7.7

Levenshulme

Levenshulme
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			174	3.5	−9.9
Turnout			4,913	38.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	-4.9

Lightbowne

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

Lloyd Street

Lloyd Street
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			497	11.2	+4.6
Turnout			4,443	35.8
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.3

Longsight

Longsight
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			491	13.2	+9.7
Turnout			3,707	34.4
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+4.9

Miles Platting

Miles Platting
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			1,080	58.2	−0.4
Turnout			1,857	24.0
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.2

Moss Side

Moss Side
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			996	51.2	+24.3
Turnout			1,944	27.2
	Labour hold		Swing	+9.9

Moston

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

Newton Heath

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

Northenden

Northenden
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			151	2.6	−7.3
Turnout			5,819	46.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.7

Old Moat

Old Moat
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			756	19.2	+3.9
Turnout			3,945	38.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.9

Rusholme

Rusholme
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			704	16.9	−14.8
Turnout			4,160	29.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.3

Withington

Withington
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			479	10.3	−19.3
Turnout			4,632	38.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	-12.9

Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park
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			1,587	38.0	+11.3
Turnout			4,178	37.3
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.6

By-elections between 1978 and 1979

Withington By-Election 16 November 1978
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			840	20.8	+10.5
Turnout			4,044	33.9	−4.9
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+15.5

References

Manchester City Council Election Results, 2nd Edition, Swarbrick (1993).

v t e (1977 ←) 1978 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1979)
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v t e Council elections in Greater Manchester
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Bolton	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Bury	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Manchester	1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1945 1946 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Oldham	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Rochdale	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Salford	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Stockport	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Tameside	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Trafford	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
Wigan	1973 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026
County Council	1973 1977 1981
See also: Wards Boundary changes

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