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2004 United Kingdom local elections

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2004 United Kingdom local elections

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FieldValue
election_name2004 United Kingdom local elections
countryUnited Kingdom
typelegislative
previous_election2003 United Kingdom local elections
previous_year2003
next_election2005 United Kingdom local elections
next_year2005
seats_for_election36 metropolitan boroughs, 19 unitary authorities,
89 English districts, and all 22 Welsh principal areas
election_date10 June 2004
1blankCouncils
2blankCouncils +/-
3blankCouncillors
4blankCouncillors +/-
image1[[File:Tony Blair in 2002.jpg160x160pxTony Blair]]
leader1Tony Blair
leader_since121 July 1994
party1Labour Party (UK)
percentage126%
swing14%
1data139
2data18
3data1**2,251**
4data1464
image2[[File:Michael Howard (cropped).jpg160x160px]]
leader2Michael Howard
leader_since26 November 2003
party2Conservative Party (UK)
percentage2**37%**
swing22%
1data2**51**
2data213
3data21,714
4data2288
image3[[File:Charles Kennedy MP (cropped).jpg160x160px]]
leader3Charles Kennedy
leader_since39 August 1999
party3Liberal Democrats (UK)
percentage327%
swing33%
1data39
2data32
3data31,279
4data3123
map_imageFile:United Kingdom local elections, 2004.svg
map_size300px
map_captionColours denote council control following elections, as shown in the main table of results.

89 English districts, and all 22 Welsh principal areas

The 2004 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 10 June 2004, along with the European elections and the London mayoral and Assembly elections.

The councils of all the metropolitan boroughs in England and all the principal areas of Wales were all up for re-election, along with many other district and unitary authorities throughout England. No local elections were held in Scotland.

Overall

These were the first elections since Michael Howard became leader of the Conservative Party. Howard was looking for a good result in the election to confirm that the Conservatives were back on the road to being able to seriously consider winning the next general election.

Early results confirmed that the Labour Party was having a bad time. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said that, "Iraq was a cloud, or indeed a shadow, over these elections. I am not saying we haven't had a kicking. It's not a great day for Labour".

However the Conservatives were not making many of the gains that would have indicated a complete change of electoral fortune. The national equivalent share of the vote in the election was found by academics Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher to be 37% to the Conservatives, 27% to the Liberal Democrats and 26% to Labour. For one of the two major parties to come third in local elections was unheard of in the post-1945 period, let alone for a governing party with such a large majority to come third.

Even in the North, Labour's traditional heartland, Labour did not do too well, losing control of Doncaster, Leeds, Newcastle and St Helens. However, they did pick up several councils, notably Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taff from Plaid Cymru in Wales.

Despite an increase in their vote and number of councillors, the Liberal Democrats saw a net loss of councils to NOC. The loss to the Conservatives of Eastbourne was in a single-seat by-election. This was partially offset by victories in Newcastle upon Tyne and Pendle.

The British National Party made a net gain of four seats, and held 14. This left them with a total 21 councillors in the country, including six in Burnley and four in Bradford. In the wards they contested, they averaged 16.1% of the vote.

It was to prove a false dawn for the Conservatives; when Britain went to the polls for the following year's general election, Labour was re-elected, although its majority was greatly reduced and the Conservatives did make gains.

England

Metropolitan boroughs

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsBarnsley ‡Birmingham ‡Bolton ‡Bradford ‡Bury ‡Calderdale ‡Coventry ‡Doncaster ‡Dudley ‡Gateshead ‡Kirklees ‡Knowsley ‡Leeds ‡Liverpool ‡Manchester ‡Newcastle upon Tyne ‡North Tyneside ‡Oldham ‡Rochdale ‡Rotherham ‡St Helens ‡Salford ‡Sandwell ‡Sefton ‡Sheffield ‡Solihull ‡South Tyneside ‡Stockport ‡Sunderland ‡Tameside ‡Trafford ‡Wakefield ‡Walsall ‡Wigan ‡Wirral ‡Wolverhampton ‡
holdDetails
holdDetails
holdDetails
hold[Details](2004-bradford-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-bury-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-calderdale-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-coventry-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-doncaster-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-dudley-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-gateshead-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-kirklees-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-knowsley-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-leeds-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-liverpool-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-manchester-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-newcastle-upon-tyne-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-north-tyneside-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-oldham-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-rochdale-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-rotherham-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-st-helens-metropolitan-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-salford-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-sandwell-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-sefton-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-sheffield-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-solihull-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-south-tyneside-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-stockport-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-sunderland-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-tameside-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-trafford-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wakefield-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-walsall-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wigan-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wirral-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wolverhampton-council-election)

‡ New ward boundaries

Unitary authorities

Whole council

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsBlackburn with Darwen ‡Halton ‡Hartlepool ‡Peterborough ‡Reading ‡Slough ‡Thurrock ‡Warrington ‡Wokingham ‡
hold[Details](2004-blackburn-with-darwen-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-halton-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-hartlepool-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-peterborough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-reading-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-slough-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-thurrock-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-warrington-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wokingham-council-election)

‡ New ward boundaries

Third of council

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsDerbyKingston upon HullMilton KeynesNorth East LincolnshirePlymouthPortsmouthSouthamptonSouthend-on-SeaStoke-on-TrentSwindon
hold[Details](2004-derby-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-hull-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-milton-keynes-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-north-east-lincolnshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-plymouth-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-portsmouth-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-southampton-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-southend-on-sea-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-stoke-on-trent-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-swindon-council-election)

District councils

Whole council

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsAdur ‡Broadland ‡Cambridge ‡Crawley ‡Great Yarmouth ‡Huntingdonshire ‡Norwich ‡Penwith ‡Redditch ‡South Cambridgeshire ‡Weymouth & Portland ‡Worcester ‡Worthing ‡Wyre Forest ‡
hold[Details](2004-adur-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-broadland-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-cambridge-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-crawley-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-great-yarmouth-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-huntingdonshire-district-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-norwich-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-penwith-council-election)
gainDetails
hold[Details](2004-south-cambridgeshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-weymouth-portland-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-worcester-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-worthing-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wyre-forest-district-council-election)

‡ New ward boundaries

Half of council

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsCheltenhamFarehamGosportHastingsNuneaton & BedworthOxford
gain[Details](2004-cheltenham-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-fareham-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-gosport-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-hastings-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-nuneaton-bedworth-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-oxford-city-council-election)

Third of council

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsAmber ValleyBarrow-in-FurnessBasildonBasingstoke & DeaneBassetlawBedfordBrentwoodBroxbourneBurnleyCannock ChaseCarlisleCastle PointCherwellChesterChorleyColchesterCongletonCravenCrewe & NantwichDaventryEastbourneEastleighEllesmere Port & NestonElmbridgeEpping ForestExeterGloucesterHarlowHarrogateHartHavantHertsmereHyndburnIpswichLincolnMacclesfieldMaidstoneMole ValleyNewcastle-under-LymeNorth HertfordshirePendlePrestonPurbeckReigate and BansteadRochfordRossendaleRugbyRunnymedeRushmoorSt AlbansShrewsbury & AtchamSouth BedfordshireSouth LakelandStevenageStratford-on-AvonStroudSwaleTamworthTandridgeThree RiversTunbridge WellsWatfordWaveneyWelwyn HatfieldWest LancashireWest LindseyWest OxfordshireWinchesterWoking
hold[Details](2004-amber-valley-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-barrow-in-furness-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-basildon-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-basingstoke-and-deane-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-bassetlaw-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-bedford-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-brentwood-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-broxbourne-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-burnley-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-cannock-chase-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-carlisle-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-castle-point-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-cherwell-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-chester-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-chorley-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-colchester-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-congleton-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-craven-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-crewe-and-nantwich-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-daventry-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-eastbourne-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-eastleigh-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-ellesmere-port-and-neston-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-elmbridge-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-epping-forest-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-exeter-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-gloucester-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-harlow-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-harrogate-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-hart-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-havant-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-hertsmere-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-hyndburn-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-ipswich-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-lincoln-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-macclesfield-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-maidstone-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-mole-valley-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-newcastle-under-lyme-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-north-hertfordshire-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-pendle-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-preston-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-purbeck-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-reigate-and-banstead-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-rochford-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-rossendale-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-rugby-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-runnymede-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-rushmoor-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-st-albans-city-and-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-shrewsbury-atcham-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-south-bedfordshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-south-lakeland-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-stevenage-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-stratford-on-avon-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-stroud-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-swale-borough-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-tamworth-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-tandridge-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-three-rivers-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-tunbridge-wells-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-watford-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-waveney-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-welwyn-hatfield-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-west-lancashire-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-west-lindsey-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-west-oxfordshire-district-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-winchester-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-woking-council-election)

Mayoral elections

Local AuthorityPrevious MayorMayor-electDetailsLondon
Ken Livingstone (Labour)Ken Livingstone (Labour) hold[Details](2004-london-mayoral-election)

Wales

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

Main article: 2004 Welsh local elections

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsAngleseyBlaenau GwentBridgendCaerphillyCardiffCarmarthenshireCeredigionConwyDenbighshireFlintshireGwyneddMerthyr TydfilMonmouthshireNeath Port TalbotNewportPembrokeshirePowysRhondda Cynon TaffSwanseaTorfaenVale of GlamorganWrexham
hold[Details](2004-anglesey-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-blaenau-gwent-county-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-bridgend-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-caerphilly-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-cardiff-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-carmarthenshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-ceredigion-county-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-conwy-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-denbighshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-flintshire-council-election)
[Details](2004-gwynedd-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-merthyr-tydfil-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-monmouthshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-neath-port-talbot-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-newport-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-pembrokeshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-powys-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-rhondda-cynon-taf-council-election)
gain[Details](2004-swansea-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-torfaen-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-vale-of-glamorgan-council-election)
hold[Details](2004-wrexham-council-election)

References

References

  1. (12 June 2004). "Blair plea for calm after huge losses in election".
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