2008 United Kingdom local elections

2008 United Kingdom local elections

← 2007 1 May 2008 2009 →
137 English Local Authorities and all Welsh Councils
First party Second party   Leader David Cameron Gordon Brown Party Conservative Labour Leader since 6 December 2005 24 June 2007 Percentage 44% 24% Swing 4% 3% Councils 65 18 Councils +/– 12 9 Councillors 3,154 2,368 Councillors +/– 256 331   Third party Fourth party   Leader Nick Clegg Ieuan Wyn Jones Party Liberal Democrats Plaid Cymru Leader since 18 December 2007 18 December 2007 Percentage 25% — Swing 1% — Councils 12 0 Councils +/��� 1 1 Councillors 1,805 205 Councillors +/– 34 31
Colours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results.

The 2008 United Kingdom local elections were held on 1 May 2008. These elections took place in 137 English Local Authorities and all Welsh Councils.^[1]

There were also extraordinary elections held for four of the new unitary authorities being created, in Northumberland, County Durham and Cheshire (two councils – Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester).^[2] Scheduled elections for Penwith in Cornwall, Shrewsbury and Atcham in Shropshire, Bedford and South Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire and five district councils in Cheshire were cancelled, due to the up-coming unitary authorities being established in those counties.

The Labour Party finished in 3rd place, trailing the Conservatives by 20%, the largest such margin ever between the two main parties. Aside from the strong showing for David Cameron's Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems each made net gains of over 30 seats and the BNP made 10 net gains to finish with over 30 seats.

The strong showing for the Conservatives and the disappointing showing by Labour reflected the change in the political mood of Britain at the time, where the Labour government, now led by prime minister Gordon Brown, had suffered a slump in popularity due to the financial crisis and economic fears which were affecting Britain at the time.

Summary of results[]

Party		Councillors		Councils
		Number	Change	Number	Change
	Conservative	3,155	257	65	12
	Labour	2,365	334	18	9
	Liberal Democrats	1,804	33	12	1
	Plaid Cymru	205	31	0	1
	Green	47	5	0
	Residents	43	11	0
	BNP	37	10	0
	Liberal	20	2	0
	Health Concern	10		0
	UKIP	8	3	0
	Respect	4	1	0
	Socialist Alternative	2		0
	Others	716	4	0
	No overall control	n/a	n/a	64	3

England[]

Metropolitan boroughs[]

All 36 English metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.

Unitary authorities[]

Existing councils[]

In 19 English unitary authorities one third of the council was up for election.

New councils[]

Elections were held in three of the current non-metropolitan counties of Cheshire, County Durham and Northumberland for four new unitary authorities which were established in 2009. These councils were "shadow councils" until then.

District councils[]

Whole council[]

In 4 English district authorities the whole council was up for election following ward boundary changes.

Half of council[]

In 7 English district authorities, half of the council was up for election.

Third of council[]

In 67 English district authorities, a third of the council was up for election.

Mayoral elections[]

Wales[]

Map showing council control (left) and ward control (right).

In all 22 Welsh councils the whole of the council was up for election.

See also[]

• 2008 London Mayoral election
• 2008 London Assembly election

References[]