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2008 United Kingdom local elections

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2008 United Kingdom local elections

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FieldValue
election_name2008 United Kingdom local elections
countryUnited Kingdom
typeparliamentary
previous_election2007 United Kingdom local elections
previous_year2007
next_election2009 United Kingdom local elections
next_year2009
seats_for_electionAll 36 metropolitan boroughs, 23 out of 50 unitary authorities,
78 out of 238 English districts, all 22 Welsh principal councils,
and 1 directly elected mayor
election_date1 May 2008
1blankCouncils
2blankCouncils +/–
3blankCouncillors
4blankCouncillors +/–
<!-- Conservative -->image1[[File:Davidcameron (cropped).jpg160x160pxDavid Cameron]]
leader1David Cameron
leader_since16 December 2005
party1Conservative Party (UK)
percentage1**44%**
swing14%
1data1**65**
2data112
3data1**3,154**
4data1256
<!-- Labour -->image2[[File:Gordon Brown (2008).jpg160x160pxGordon Brown]]
leader2Gordon Brown
leader_since224 June 2007
party2Labour Party (UK)
percentage224%
swing23%
1data218
2data29
3data22,368
4data2331
<!-- Liberal Democrats -->image3[[File:Nick Clegg by the 2009 budget cropped.jpg160x160pxNick Clegg]]
leader3Nick Clegg
leader_since318 December 2007
party3Liberal Democrats (UK)
percentage325%
swing31%
1data312
2data31
3data31,805
4data334
map_imageUnited Kingdom local elections, 2008.svg
map_size300px
map_captionColours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results.

78 out of 238 English districts, all 22 Welsh principal councils, and 1 directly elected mayor

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.

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). 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 by vote share, 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 2008 financial crisis and economic fears which were affecting Britain at the time.

Results

PartyCouncillorsCouncilsNumberChangeNumberChange
3,1552576512
2,365334189
1,80433121
2053101
4750
43110
37100
2020
100
830
410
20
Others71640
n/an/a643

England

Metropolitan boroughs

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

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsBarnsleyBirminghamBoltonBradfordBuryCalderdaleCoventryDoncasterDudleyGatesheadKirkleesKnowsleyLeedsLiverpoolManchesterNewcastle upon TyneNorth TynesideOldhamRochdaleRotherhamSalfordSandwellSeftonSheffieldSolihullSouth TynesideSt HelensStockportSunderlandTamesideTraffordWakefieldWalsallWiganWirralWolverhampton
hold[Details](2008-barnsley-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-birmingham-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-bolton-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-city-of-bradford-metropolitan-district-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-bury-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-calderdale-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-coventry-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-doncaster-metropolitan-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-dudley-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-gateshead-metropolitan-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-kirklees-metropolitan-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-knowsley-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-leeds-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-liverpool-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-manchester-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-newcastle-city-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-north-tyneside-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-oldham-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-rochdale-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-rochdale-metropolitan-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-salford-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-sandwell-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-sefton-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-sheffield-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-solihull-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-south-tyneside-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-st-helens-metropolitan-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-stockport-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-sunderland-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-tameside-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-trafford-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-wakefield-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-walsall-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-wigan-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-wirral-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-wolverhampton-council-election)

Unitary authorities

Existing councils

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

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsBlackburn with DarwenDerbyHaltonHartlepoolKingston upon HullMilton KeynesNorth East LincolnshirePeterboroughPlymouthPortsmouthReadingSloughSouthamptonSouthend-on-SeaStoke-on-TrentSwindonThurrockWarringtonWokingham
hold[Details](2008-blackburn-with-darwen-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-derby-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-halton-council-election)
gain
gain[Details](2008-hull-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-milton-keynes-council-election)
hold
holdDetails
hold
hold[Details](2008-portsmouth-council-election)
gain
gain[Details](2008-slough-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-southampton-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-southend-on-sea-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-stoke-on-trent-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-swindon-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-thurrock-council-election)
hold
hold[Details](2008-wokingham-council-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.

CouncilResultDetailsCheshire EastCheshire West and ChesterDurhamNorthumberland
[Details](2008-cheshire-east-council-election)
[Details](2008-cheshire-west-and-chester-council-election)
[Details](2008-durham-council-election)

District councils

Whole council

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

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsBarrow-in-FurnessBasingstoke and DeaneSouth LakelandWelwyn Hatfield
hold[Details](2008-barrow-in-furness-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-basingstoke-and-deane-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-south-lakeland-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-welwyn-hatfield-council-election)

Half of council

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

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsAdurCheltenhamFarehamGosportHastingsNuneaton and BedworthOxford
hold[Details](2008-adur-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-cheltenham-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-fareham-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-gosport-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-hastings-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-nuneaton-and-bedworth-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-oxford-council-election)

Third of council

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

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsAmber ValleyBasildonBassetlawBrentwoodBroxbourneBurnleyCambridgeCannock ChaseCarlisleCastle PointCherwellChorleyColchesterCravenCrawleyDaventryEastleighElmbridgeEpping ForestExeterGloucesterGreat YarmouthHarlowHarrogateHartHavantHertsmereHuntingdonshireHyndburnIpswichLincolnMaidstoneMole ValleyNewcastle-under-LymeNorth HertfordshireNorwichPendlePrestonPurbeckRedditchReigate and BansteadRochfordRossendaleRugbyRunnymedeRushmoorSouth CambridgeshireSt AlbansStevenageStratford-on-AvonStroudSwaleTamworthTandridgeThree RiversTunbridge WellsWatfordWaveneyWest LancashireWest LindseyWest OxfordshireWeymouth and PortlandWinchesterWokingWorcesterWorthingWyre Forest
hold[Details](2008-amber-valley-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-basildon-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-bassetlaw-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-brentwood-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-broxbourne-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-burnley-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-cambridge-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-cannock-chase-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-carlisle-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-castle-point-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-cherwell-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-chorley-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-colchester-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-craven-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-crawley-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-daventry-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-eastleigh-borough-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-elmbridge-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-epping-forest-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-exeter-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-gloucester-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-great-yarmouth-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-harlow-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-harrogate-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-hart-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-havant-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-hertsmere-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-huntingdonshire-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-hyndburn-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-ipswich-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-city-of-lincoln-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-maidstone-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-mole-valley-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-newcastle-under-lyme-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-north-hertfordshire-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-norwich-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-pendle-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-preston-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-purbeck-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-redditch-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-reigate-and-banstead-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-rochford-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-rossendale-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-rugby-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-runnymede-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-rushmoor-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-south-cambridgeshire-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-st-albans-city-and-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-stevenage-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-stratford-on-avon-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-stroud-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-swale-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-tamworth-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-tandridge-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-three-rivers-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-tunbridge-wells-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-watford-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-waveney-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-west-lancashire-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-west-lindsey-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-west-oxfordshire-district-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-weymouth-and-portland-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-winchester-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-woking-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-worcester-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-worthing-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-wyre-forest-council-election)

Mayoral elections

Local AuthorityPrevious MayorMayor-electDetailsLondon
Ken Livingstone (Labour)Boris Johnson (Conservative) gain[Details](2008-london-mayoral-election)

Wales

Main article: 2008 Welsh local elections

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

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

CouncilPrevious controlResultDetailsBlaenau GwentBridgendCaerphillyCardiffCarmarthenshireCeredigionConwyDenbighshireFlintshireGwyneddIsle of AngleseyMerthyr TydfilMonmouthshireNeath Port TalbotNewportPembrokeshirePowysRhondda Cynon TaffSwanseaTorfaenVale of GlamorganWrexham
gain[Details](2008-blaenau-gwent-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-bridgend-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-caerphilly-county-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-cardiff-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-carmarthenshire-county-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-ceredigion-county-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-conwy-county-borough-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-denbighshire-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-flintshire-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-gwynedd-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-isle-of-anglesey-county-council-election)I
gain[Details](2008-merthyr-tydfil-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-monmouthshire-county-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-neath-port-talbot-county-borough-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-newport-city-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-pembrokeshire-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-powys-county-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-rhondda-cynon-taff-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-city-and-county-of-swansea-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-torfaen-council-election)
gain[Details](2008-vale-of-glamorgan-council-election)
hold[Details](2008-wrexham-council-election)

References

References

  1. "Trailer – Local Elections May 2008".
  2. "Green light for five flagship Unitary Councils".
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