1952 Leeds City Council election

The Leeds municipal elections were held on Thursday 8 May 1952, with one third of the council to be elected.

Along with the rest of the country,[1] Leeds saw a sharp swing from the Conservatives to Labour with a swing of over 15%,[2] resulting in Labour receiving their highest post-war vote and making nine gains (alongside a gain in the interim) to whittle the Tory majority down to just two. Labour's nine gains were in the wards of Armley, Beeston, Blenheim, Bramley, Cross Gates, Stanningley, Westfield, Woodhouse, and Wortley. They also narrowly missed out on gaining Harehills. With the exception of a close-run victory in Beeston, the remarkably large swing made the Labour gains fairly comfortable. Turnout fell by two percent from the previous year, to 43.9%.[2][3]

Election result
Leeds Local Election Result 1952
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 19 9 0 +9 67.8 56.5 87,821 +16.7%
  Conservative 9 0 9 -9 32.1 42.5 66,018 -13.3%
  Liberal 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.8 1,213 -3.2%
  Communist 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.1 236 -0.3%

The result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections:[2]

Party Previous council New council
Cllr Ald Cllr Ald
Conservatives 52 18 43 14
Labour 32 10 41 14
Total 84 28 84 28
112 112
Working majority  20    8    2    0 
 28    2 

Ward results
Allerton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H. Drake 5,101 83.8 +5.3
Labour J. Shakleton 984 16.2 +4.5
Majority 4,117 67.7 +0.8
Turnout 6,085
Conservative hold Swing +0.4
Armley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour K. Cohen 4,136 61.4 +16.9
Conservative J. North 2,600 38.6 -7.6
Majority 1,536 22.8 +21.1
Turnout 6,736
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.2
Beeston[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour H. Wright 3,884 51.1 +14.1
Conservative B. Bolton 3,722 48.9 -5.9
Majority 162 2.1 -15.7
Turnout 7,606
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +10.0
Blenheim[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Wallbanks 3,204 57.5 +12.5
Conservative J. Butterfield 2,373 42.5 -12.5
Majority 831 14.9 +4.8
Turnout 5,577
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.5
Bramley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eric Atkinson 3,904 60.0 +19.5
Conservative H. Womersley 2,600 40.0 -6.3
Majority 1,304 20.0 +14.3
Turnout 6,504
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.9
Burmantofts[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Jackson 3,327 74.8 +18.4
Conservative J. Sizer 1,119 25.2 -18.4
Majority 2,208 49.7 +36.8
Turnout 4,446
Labour hold Swing +18.4
City[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Whitehead 2,694 68.9 +13.5
Conservative N. Kay 1,216 31.1 -13.5
Majority 1,478 37.8 +26.9
Turnout 3,910
Labour hold Swing +13.5
Cross Gates[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Booth 3,342 70.1 +21.5
Conservative A. Ingram 1,427 29.9 -21.5
Majority 1,915 40.2 +37.3
Turnout 4,769
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +21.5
East Hunslet[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. Fish 3,884 82.7 +21.8
Conservative G. Hewdy 814 17.3 -21.8
Majority 3,070 65.3 +43.5
Turnout 4,698
Labour hold Swing +21.8
Far Headingley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative W. Hey 3,725 79.0 -5.4
Labour W. Lord 989 21.0 +5.4
Majority 2,736 58.0 -10.9
Turnout 4,714
Conservative hold Swing -5.4
Halton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. Watson 3,405 66.4 -9.3
Labour A. Harrison 1,522 29.7 +5.5
Liberal Victor Louis Raymond Delepine 198 3.9 +3.9
Majority 1,883 36.7 -14.8
Turnout 5,125
Conservative hold Swing -7.4
Harehills[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lawrence Turnbull 3,011 51.2 -14.8
Labour G. Lloyd 2,869 48.8 +14.8
Majority 142 2.4 -29.7
Turnout 5,880
Conservative hold Swing -14.8
Holbeck[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Jones 4,072 69.4 +17.7
Conservative J. Farrell 1,379 23.5 -15.6
Liberal K. Heald 420 7.2 -2.1
Majority 2,693 45.9 +33.4
Turnout 5,871
Labour hold Swing +16.6
Hunslet Carr[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Hodkinson 4,195 80.2 +22.6
Conservative T. Snape 885 16.9 -13.6
Communist J. Roche 153 2.9 +2.9
Majority 3,310 63.3 +36.2
Turnout 5,233
Labour hold Swing +18.1
Hyde Park[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative F. Walker 3,398 60.0 -4.3
Labour B. Cohen 2,263 40.0 +16.9
Majority 1,135 20.0 -21.2
Turnout 5,661
Conservative hold Swing -10.6
Kirkstall[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Albert Smith 4,734 63.2 +16.9
Conservative F. Cowell 2,398 32.0 -11.1
Liberal A. Powell 362 4.8 -5.7
Majority 2,336 31.2 +28.0
Turnout 7,494
Labour hold Swing +14.0
Meanwood[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative V. Cardno 3,804 68.2 -9.6
Labour K. Davy 1,777 31.8 +9.6
Majority 2,027 36.3 -19.2
Turnout 5,581
Conservative hold Swing -9.6
Middleton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Watson 4,190 89.7 +20.3
Conservative P. Clew 479 10.3 -20.3
Majority 3,711 79.5 +40.6
Turnout 4,669
Labour hold Swing +20.3
Moortown[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Watson 3,703 72.7 -5.8
Labour S. Lee 1,390 27.3 +5.8
Majority 2,313 45.4 -11.6
Turnout 5,093
Conservative hold Swing -11.6
Osmondthorpe[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour F. Potter 4,151 83.0 +16.8
Conservative W. Brownridge 851 17.0 -16.8
Majority 3,300 66.0 +33.6
Turnout 5,002
Labour hold Swing +16.8
Pottemewton[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative T. Driver 2,199 55.8 -8.2
Labour A. Sharp 1,743 44.2 +15.5
Majority 456 11.6 -23.7
Turnout 3,942
Conservative hold Swing -11.8
Richmond Hill[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. King 3,478 85.0 +17.2
Conservative W. Clayton 613 15.0 -17.2
Majority 2,865 70.0 +34.4
Turnout 4,091
Labour hold Swing +17.2
Roundhay[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Allan Bretherick 4,185 59.3 -14.5
Labour E. Morris 2,869 40.7 +14.5
Majority 1,316 18.7 -28.9
Turnout 7,054
Conservative hold Swing -14.5
Stanningley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Waterman 3,893 59.3 +15.5
Conservative T. Kirkby 2,670 40.7 -15.5
Majority 1,223 18.6 +6.3
Turnout 6,563
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +15.5
Wellington[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E. Youngman 3,938 75.8 +16.6
Conservative J. Palmer 938 18.1 -15.5
Liberal Harry Burbridge 233 4.5 +4.5
Communist B. Kline 83 1.6 -5.6
Majority 3,000 57.8 +32.1
Turnout 5,192
Labour hold Swing +16.0
Westfield[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Malcolm 2,834 55.0 +16.3
Conservative R. Neill 2,319 45.0 -16.3
Majority 515 10.0 -12.7
Turnout 5,153
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +16.3
Woodhouse[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Henry Vick 3,850 64.9 +20.8
Conservative B. Gardner 2,082 35.1 -20.8
Majority 1,768 29.8 +17.9
Turnout 5,932
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +20.8
Wortley[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Aimee Tong 3,705 55.2 +15.8
Conservative Mary Dowling 3,002 44.8 -7.2
Majority 703 10.5 -2.0
Turnout 6,707
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.5

References
  1. "Swing Towards British Labour". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 May 1952. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  2. Sharpe, L.J. (1967). Voting in cities: the 1964 borough elections.
  3. "Municipal results: Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. 9 May 1952.
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