1951 Leeds City Council election

The 1951 Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 10 May 1951, with boundary changes prompting the whole council's re-election. With the new wards the council grew by a further two (two additional wards also represented an increase of six councillors and two aldermen), as thirteen newly created wards replaced the eleven that were abolished:

Abolished:

Armley & Wortley
Central
Cross Gates & Temple Newsam
Farnley & Wortley
Holbeck North
Holbeck South
Hunslet Carr & Middleton
Mill Hill & South
North
Upper Armley
West Hunslet

Created:

Allerton
Armley
City
Cross Gates
Halton
Holbeck
Hunslet Carr
Meanwood
Middleton
Moortown
Stanningley
Wellington
Wortley

There was a three percent swing from Labour to the Conservatives (as compared to 1949 – swings from 1950's distorted results show much larger swings as seen below) on the night, delivering the Conservatives control of the council with a 30-seat majority. Turnout naturally rose from the previous year's scarcely contested election, to an above average figure of 45.9%.^[1]^[2]

Election result

Leeds Local Election Result 1951
	Seats	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
Conservative	53	63.1	55.8	93,031	+16.8
Labour	31	36.9	39.8	66,370	-11.4
Liberal	0	0.0	4.0	6,692	-0.7
Communist	0	0.0	0.4	703	-4.7

The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:

Party		Previous council		New council
Party		Cllr	Ald	Cllr	Ald
	Conservatives	36	12	53	18
	Labour	42	14	31	10
Total		78	26	84	28
Total		104		112
Working majority		-6	-2	22	8
Working majority		-8		30

Ward results

Allerton^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Wooler	7,130	78.6	N/A
	Conservative	D. Murphy	6,915
	Conservative	H. Drake	6,879
	Labour	Ms. Mattison	1,057	11.6	N/A
	Labour	A. Hammond	1,057
	Labour	Ms. Hammond	1,006
	Liberal	S. Lee	888	9.8	N/A
Majority			5,822	66.9	N/A
Turnout			9,075		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Armley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	E. Glover	3,278	46.2	N/A
	Labour	J. Hodgson	3,159	44.5	N/A
	Conservative	G. Atkinson	3,103
	Labour	E. Cohen	3,075
	Labour	P. Holmes	3,001
	Conservative	J. North	2,910
	Liberal	F. Johnson	658	9.3	N/A
Majority			28	1.7	N/A
Turnout			7,095		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Beeston^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M. Collins	4,639	54.8	N/A
	Conservative	P. Woodward	4,450
	Conservative	F. Gummersall	4,400
	Labour	S. Binns	3,131	37.0	N/A
	Labour	T. Jessup	3,044
	Labour	F. Burnley	3,031
	Liberal	J. T. Ward	694	8.2	N/A
	Liberal	F. Fearnley	489
	Liberal	Victor Louis Raymond Delepine	446
Majority			1,269	17.8	N/A
Turnout			8,464		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Blenheim^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	B. Lyons	3,032	55.0	N/A
	Conservative	K. Davison	3,024
	Conservative	J. Butterfield	3,009
	Labour	J. Walsh	2,478	45.0	N/A
	Labour	J. Wallbanks	2,472
	Labour	J. Wilkinson	2,450
Majority			531	10.1	N/A
Turnout			5,510		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Bramley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	T. Bennett	3,276	46.3	N/A
	Conservative	B. Pearce	3,227
	Conservative	H. Womersley	3,197
	Labour	E. Atkinson	2,870	40.5	N/A
	Labour	A. Crossland	2,773
	Labour	A. Malcolm	2,559
	Liberal	A. Thompson	935	13.2	N/A
Majority			327	5.7	N/A
Turnout			7,081		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Burmantofts^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Shutt	2,456	56.4	N/A
	Labour	G. Murray	2,415
	Labour	W. Jackson	2,321
	Conservative	J. Sizer	1,895	43.6	N/A
	Conservative	A. Clark	1,874
	Conservative	J. Crotty	1,865
Majority			426	12.9	N/A
Turnout			4,351		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

City^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	F. Hirst	2,144	55.4	N/A
	Labour	E. Stubbs	2,095
	Labour	E. Whitehead	2,066
	Conservative	R. Neill	1,723	44.6	N/A
	Conservative	D. Crockett	1,689
	Conservative	T. Nipe	1,659
Majority			343	10.9	N/A
Turnout			3,867		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Cross Gates^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	L. Demaine	2,246	51.4	N/A
	Conservative	W. Tull	2,185
	Conservative	A. Ingram	2,169
	Labour	E. Booth	2,120	48.6	N/A
	Labour	H. Wiseman	2,063
	Labour	W. Spence	2,059
Majority			49	2.9	N/A
Turnout			4,366		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

East Hunslet^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	F. Naylor	2,834	60.9	N/A
	Labour	E. Kavanagh	2,736
	Labour	M. Fish	2,730
	Conservative	Ms. Kirwin	1,820	39.1	N/A
	Conservative	K. Stead	1,716
	Conservative	G. Fagan	1,709
Majority			910	21.8	N/A
Turnout			4,654		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Far Headingley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	W. Hargrave	5,060	84.4	N/A
	Conservative	G. Dovenor	5,041
	Conservative	W. Hey	4,932
	Labour	D. Beevers	932	15.6	N/A
Majority			4,000	68.9	N/A
Turnout			5,992		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Halton^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Brocksbank	4,834	75.8	N/A
	Conservative	P. Dodson	4,788
	Conservative	C. Watson	4,592
	Labour	A. Harrison	1,546	24.2	N/A
	Labour	Ms. Naylor	1,290
Majority			3,288	51.5	N/A
Turnout			6,380		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Harehills^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	P. Crotty	3,861	66.0	N/A
	Conservative	W. Power	3,787
	Conservative	L. Turnbull	3,766
	Labour	W. Cain	1,986	34.0	N/A
	Labour	E. Simpson	1,939
	Labour	F. Symonds	1,887
Majority			1,780	32.1	N/A
Turnout			5,847		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Holbeck^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. Smith	3,221	51.6	N/A
	Labour	G. Bray	3,183
	Labour	W. Jones	3,105
	Conservative	J. Farrell	2,439	39.1	N/A
	Conservative	I. Clayton	2,388
	Conservative	P. Glew	2,219
	Liberal	C. T. Howes	577	9.3	n/a
	Liberal	J. T. Hill	522
	Liberal	Walter Holdsworth	497
Majority			666	12.5	n/a
Turnout			6,237		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Hunslet Carr^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. Ellison	3,297	57.6	N/A
	Labour	A. Adamson	3,285
	Labour	J. Hodkinson	3,266
	Conservative	R. Horley	1,746	30.5	N/A
	Conservative	J. Loades	1,659
	Conservative	C. Murgatroyd	1,657
	Liberal	A. Burrell	683	11.9	N/A
Majority			1,520	27.1	N/A
Turnout			5,726		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Hyde Park^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. McKay	4,396	64.3	N/A
	Conservative	P. Hutchinson	4,351
	Conservative	F. Walker	4,240
	Labour	R. Whittaker	1,580	23.1	N/A
	Liberal	Stanley Edward Graham	857	12.5	N/A
Majority			2,660	41.2	N/A
Turnout			6,833		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Kirkstall^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Happold	3,318	46.3	N/A
	Labour	D. Matthews	3,180
	Labour	A. Smith	3,110
	Conservative	C. Turnbull	3,090	43.1	N/A
	Conservative	F. Cowell	3,076
	Conservative	J. Coles	2,976
	Liberal	L. Cooper	756	10.6	N/A
	Liberal	G. Foster	432
Majority			20	3.2	N/A
Turnout			7,164		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Meanwood^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. Pedley	5,451	77.8	N/A
	Conservative	F. Carter	5,435
	Conservative	V. Cardno	5,414
	Labour	J. Huddleston	1,558	22.2	N/A
	Labour	N. Davy	1,523
	Labour	A. Tong	1,506
Majority			3,856	55.5	N/A
Turnout			7,009		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Middleton^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Brown	3,113	69.4	N/A
	Labour	S. Hand	3,098
	Labour	H. Watson	3,002
	Conservative	E. McQuire	1,370	30.6	N/A
	Conservative	J. Wise	1,197
	Conservative	D. Redmond	1,173
Majority			1,632	38.9	N/A
Turnout			4,483		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Moortown^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. Cummings	5,045	78.5	N/A
	Conservative	H. Sellors	5,036
	Conservative	J. Watson	4,942
	Labour	M. Pearce	1,381	21.5	N/A
Majority			3,561	57.0	N/A
Turnout			6,426		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Osmondthorpe^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Rafferty	3,695	66.2	N/A
	Labour	L. Walsh	3,560
	Labour	F. Potter	3,520
	Conservative	N. Webster	1,887	33.8	N/A
	Conservative	W. Brownridge	1,810
	Conservative	H. Howe	1,807
Majority			1,633	32.4	N/A
Turnout			5,582		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Potternewton^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J. Bidgood	3,113	64.0	N/A
	Conservative	E. Coleman	3,041
	Conservative	C. Driver	2,952
	Labour	A. Sharp	1,397	28.7	N/A
	Labour	H. Dawson	1,348
	Labour	J. Warwick	1,339
	Communist	B. Ramelson	357	7.3	N/A
Majority			1,555	35.3	N/A
Turnout			4,867		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Richmond Hill^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Z. Fernandez	2,461	67.8	N/A
	Labour	W. Fowler	2,414
	Labour	A. King	2,327
	Conservative	W. Clayton	1,169	32.2	N/A
	Conservative	D. Hopkins	1,155
	Conservative	S. Tomlinson	1,086
Majority			1,158	35.6	N/A
Turnout			3,630		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Roundhay^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	G. Monkman	5,902	73.8	N/A
	Conservative	H. Jowitt	5,744
	Conservative	A. Bretherick	5,699
	Labour	S. Spencer	2,096	26.2	N/A
Majority			3,603	47.6	N/A
Turnout			7,998		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Stanningley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	A. Baker	3,427	56.2	N/A
	Conservative	F. Ayres	3,409
	Conservative	T. Kirby	3,336
	Labour	W. Haswell	2,676	43.8	N/A
	Labour	J. Barriff	2,618
	Labour	H. Waterman	2,617
Majority			660	12.3	N/A
Turnout			6,103		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Wellington^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Farrington	2,832	59.2	N/A
	Labour	J. Underwood	2,735
	Labour	E. Youngman	2,667
	Conservative	J. Palmer	1,604	33.5	N/A
	Conservative	G. Denman	1,558
	Conservative	D. Willis	1,463
	Communist	F. Warburton	346	7.2	N/A
Majority			1,063	25.7	N/A
Turnout			4,782		N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

Westfield^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ms. Lister	2,635	61.4	N/A
	Conservative	G. Appleby	2,617
	Conservative	S. Webster	2,540
	Labour	G. Horsley	1,660	38.6	N/A
	Labour	W. Parker	1,541
	Labour	H. Wright	1,520
Majority			880	22.7	N/A
Turnout			4,295		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Woodhouse^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	F. Winterburn	3,053	55.9	N/A
	Conservative	H. Stott	3,051
	Conservative	B. Garden	2,952
	Labour	H. Vick	2,404	44.1	N/A
	Labour	Ms. Clayden	2,363
	Labour	H. Bretherick	2,320
Majority			548	11.8	N/A
Turnout			5,457		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

Wortley^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bertrand Mather	3,910	52.0	N/A
	Conservative	Charles Horner	3,686
	Conservative	Mary Dowling	3,675
	Labour	Leonard Wilkinson	2,968	39.5	N/A
	Labour	Edgar Robinson	2,965
	Labour	Harry Kinder	2,863
	Liberal	Robert Baldridge	644	8.6	N/A
Majority			707	12.5	N/A
Turnout			7,522		N/A
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)
	Conservative win (new seat)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 11 May 1951.
^ Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.

[results-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 11 May 1951.

[2] Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.

[1]

[2]

v t e Council elections in West Yorkshire
Mayor	2021 2024
Bradford	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
Calderdale	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
Kirklees	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
Leeds	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
Wakefield	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
West Yorkshire CC	1973 1977 1981 Abolished
West Riding CC	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes