Elections to Manchester City Council were held on Thursday, 13 May 1971. Due to boundary changes, which reduced the number of wards by five, all 99 councillors seats were up for election. In all wards, each first-placed candidate was set to serve a three-year term, expiring in 1974, second-placed candidates were set to serve a two-year term, expiring in 1973, and third-placed candidates were to serve a one-year term, expiring in 1972. However, due to the replacement of the corporation by the Local Government Act 1972, only one set of these scheduled elections ever took place.
The Labour Party gained overall control of the council from the Conservative Party, winning the largest share of seats on the council in its history up to that point.Tories toppled in twin cities landslide, Manchester Evening News, May 14, 1971, p.16Manchester, The Guardian, May 14, 1971, p.9Council graph shows new records, The Guardian, May 24, 1971, p.6
Election result
PartyVotesSeatsFull CouncilLabour Party283,756 (60.2%) 14.0 81 (81.8%) 42 108 (81.8%)Conservative Party167,964 (35.6%) 11.818 (18.2%) 6224 (18.2%)Liberal Party11,821 (2.5%) 2.4 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)Communist6,481 (1.4%) 1.00 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)Independent620 (0.1%) N/A0 (0.0%) N/A0 (0.0%)Independent Labour471 (0.1%) N/A0 (0.0%) N/A0 (0.0%)Residents337 (0.1%) 0.9 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)Union Movement218 (0.0%) 0.10 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
Full council
+ ↓ 108 24
Aldermen
+ ↓ 27 6
Councillors
+ ↓ 81 18
Ward results
Alexandra
Ardwick
Baguley
Barlow Moor
Beswick
Blackley
Bradford
Brooklands
Burnage
Charlestown
Cheetham
Chorlton
Collegiate Church
Crossacres
Crumpsall
Didsbury
Gorton North
Gorton South
Harpurhey
Hulme
Levenshulme
Lightbowne
Lloyd Street
Longsight
Miles Platting
Moss Side
Moston
Newton Heath
Northenden
Old Moat
42.2pc vote vital factor in council swing, The Guardian, May 15, 1971, p.5
Rusholme
Withington
Woodhouse Park
Aldermanic elections
Aldermanic election, 26 May 1971
Aldermanic elections took place during the council's first meeting on 26 May 1971, all aldermanic seats were up for election.I will encourage new industry: Lord Mayor, Manchester Evening News, May 26, 1971, p.9
PartyAldermanWardTerm expires Labour James Birtles Blackley 1977 Labour Ken Collis Gorton North 1977 Labour William Downward Burnage 1977 Conservative Douglas Edwards* Chorlton 1974 Labour Thomas Farrell* Charlestown 1974 Conservative Arnold Fieldhouse* Withington 1974 Labour Rachel Finkel Rusholme 1974 Labour Harry Gatley* Harpurhey 1977 Labour Edward Grant* Northenden 1974 Conservative Sir R. S. Harper* Alexandra 1974 Labour Frank Hatton Collegiate Church 1977 Labour Stanley Jolly* Levenshulme 1974 Labour Clifford Lamb* Moss Side 1974 Labour Bernard Langton* Cheetham 1974 Conservative Dorothy Lee* Crumpsall 1974 Labour Sir Leslie Lever* Woodhouse Park 1977 Labour Alfred Logan* Moston 1977 Labour Robert Malcolm* Miles Platting 1977 Labour George Mann Beswick 1977 Labour Winifred Massey Crossacres 1977 Labourl Norman Morris Newton Heath 1974 Labour William Murray* Old Moat 1977 Labour Joe Ogden Baguley 1974 Conservative Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw* Longsight 19777 Labour Tom Regan* Lloyd Street 1977 Labour Patrick Roddy Brooklands 1974 Conservative Robert Rodgers* Barlow Moor 1977 Labour Wilfred Shaw Hulme 1974 Labour Winifred Smith Gorton South 1974 Labour Joe Taylor Didsbury 1974 Labour Lily Thomas* Lightbowne 1977 Labour Sir Bob Thomas* Bradford 1977 Labour Dame Elizabeth Yarwood* Ardwick 1974
By-elections between 1971 and 1972
By-elections, 8 July 1971
Nine by-elections were held on 8 July 1971 to fill vacancies created by the appointment of aldermen on 26 May 1971.Poll grand slam for city Labour, Manchester Evening News, July 9, 1971, p.7
Beswick
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor James Birtles (Labour, Beswick, elected 22 September 1955)Wards stay same in elections, Manchester Evening News, September 23, 1955, p.20 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Bradford
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Joe Taylor (Labour, Bradford, elected 15 July 1954)Still for Labour, Manchester Evening News, July 16, 1954, p.7 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Crossacres
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Norman Morris (Labour, Crossacres, elected 10 May 1956)SEE HOW THEY POLLED - AT A GLANCE, Manchester Evening News, May 11, 1956, p.4 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Gorton North
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Patrick Roddy (Labour, Gorton North, elected 10 December 1953)Labour's win ends friendly feud, Manchester Evening News, December 11, 1953, p.16 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Harpurhey
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Joe Ogden (Labour, Harpurhey, elected 7 May 1953)LABOUR SECURES CONTROL IN MANCHESTER, Manchester Guardian, May 8, 1953, p.10 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Hulme
Caused by the elections as aldermen of Councillor George Mann (Labour, Hulme, elected 7 May 1953)LABOUR SECURES CONTROL IN MANCHESTER, Manchester Guardian, May 8, 1953, p.10 and Councillor Frank Hatton (Labour, Hulme, elected 13 May 1954)LABOUR TAKES FIVE TORY SEATS, WINS SIX NEW ONES, Manchester Guardian, May 14, 1954, p.4 to fill vacancies that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Lloyd Street
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Winifred Massey (Labour, Lloyd Street, elected 8 May 1969; previously 1952-55 and 1956-68)Six gains - Tories grab record Manchester lead, Manchester Evening News, May 9, 1969, p.7 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Moss Side
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor William Downward (Labour, Moss Side, elected 18 September 1969; previously 1946-50, 1952-55, and 1956-68)Labour hand out city polls shock, Manchester Evening News, September 19, 1969, p.7 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
Woodhouse Park
Caused by the election as an alderman of Councillor Winifred Smith (Labour, Woodhouse Park, elected 13 May 1954)LABOUR TAKES FIVE TORY SEATS, WINS SIX NEW ONES, Manchester Guardian, May 14, 1954, p.4 to fill the vacancy that emerged as a result of ward reorganisation.
References