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 Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63.1 | 55.8 | 93,031 | +16.8 |
| Labour | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36.9 | 39.8 | 66,370 | -11.4 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 6,692 | -0.7 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 |
Cllr | Ald | Cllr | Ald |
| Conservatives | 36 | 12 | 53 | 18 |
| Labour | 42 | 14 | 31 | 10 |
Total | 78 | 26 | 84 | 28 |
104 | 112 |
Working majority | -6 | -2 | 22 | 8 |
-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) |
Pottemewton[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.