1979 Manchester City Council election

Elections to Manchester Council were held on Thursday, 3 May 1979, on the same day as the 1979 UK general election. One third of the council was up for election, with each successful candidate to serve a three-year term of office, expiring in 1982, due to the boundary changes and "all-out" elections due to take place that year. The Labour Party retained overall control of the council.^[1]

Election result

Manchester Council Election Result 1979
	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
Labour	25	10	0	+10	75.7	50.7	118,345	+2.9%
Conservative	6	0	12	-12	18.2	37.6	87,695	-7.7%
Liberal	2	2	0	+2	6.0	11.2	26,208	+5.3%
Ecology	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.3	641	+0.3%
Communist	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.1	278	-0.1%
Independent	0	0	0	0	0.0	0.1	164	+0.1%

After the election, the composition of the council was as follows:

	Seats	+/-
Labour	63	+10
Conservative	33	-12
Liberal	3	+2
Labour hold

Ward results

Alexandra

Alexandra
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R. C. Rodgers*	4,864	58.8	−1.1
	Labour	J. Cocker	3,403	41.2	+15.4
Majority			1,461	17.7	−16.4
Turnout			8,267	72.3	+34.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	-8.2

Ardwick

Ardwick
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	N. I. Finley*	2,289	58.5	−12.0
	Conservative	W. R. Swan	1,310	33.5	+7.2
	Liberal	J. Spittle	315	8.0	+4.8
Majority			979	25.0	−19.2
Turnout			3,914	62.3	+34.6
	Labour hold		Swing	-9.6

Baguley

Baguley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K. Robinson	5,412	54.5	−1.9
	Conservative	M. Malbon*	3,693	37.2	−6.4
	Liberal	P. G. Willams	821	8.3	+8.3
Majority			1,719	17.3	+4.6
Turnout			9,926	72.8	+26.7
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.2

Barlow Moor

Barlow Moor
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. D. Moore*	3,095	45.9	−18.0
	Labour	J. H. Parish	2,834	42.0	+5.9
	Liberal	J. R. Marsden	815	12.1	+12.1
Majority			261	3.9	−23.9
Turnout			6,744	68.0	+35.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	-11.9

Beswick

Beswick
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K. Eastham*	3,505	81.5	+4.2
	Conservative	C. Hare	796	18.5	+2.1
Majority			2,709	63.0	+2.1
Turnout			4,301	61.2	+33.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.0

Blackley

Blackley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eddie Newman	3,936	48.3	+3.7
	Conservative	H. P. Cummins*	3,571	43.8	−8.4
	Liberal	J. Ashley	643	7.9	+4.7
Majority			365	4.5	−3.1
Turnout			8,150	74.8	+31.6
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.0

Bradford

Bradford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	E. Grant*	5,127	63.9	+5.1
	Conservative	L. Hockey	2,459	30.6	−6.0
	Liberal	P. Hanmer	440	5.5	+5.5
Majority			2,668	33.2	+10.9
Turnout			8,026	69.7	+36.4
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.5

Brooklands

Brooklands
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D. Healey	4,554	48.1	+4.9
	Conservative	D. Sumberg	4,136	43.7	−13.1
	Liberal	A. L. Algar	777	8.2	+8.2
Majority			418	4.4	−9.3
Turnout			9,467	74.9	+34.1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+9.0

Burnage

Burnage
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	H. Platt*	3,872	46.3	−14.3
	Labour	A. Lister	3,604	43.1	+3.7
	Liberal	G. Shaw	885	10.6	+10.6
Majority			268	3.2	−18.5
Turnout			8,361	74.6	+37.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	-9.0

Charlestown

Charlestown
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G. Stringer	3,802	51.2	+2.8
	Conservative	J. Hood*	2,974	40.1	−5.1
	Liberal	E. V. Roberts	648	8.7	+5.2
Majority			828	11.2	+8.0
Turnout			7,424	76.7	+32.2
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+3.9

Cheetham

Cheetham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	S. Shaw*	3,014	66.1	−0.5
	Conservative	F. Meaden	1,294	28.4	−5.0
	Liberal	S. O. Mousah	250	5.5	+5.5
Majority			1,720	37.7	+4.5
Turnout			4,558	65.5	+37.0
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.2

Chorlton

Chorlton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	C. Franks*	4,244	51.0	−11.0
	Labour	H. Brown	2,979	35.8	+4.7
	Liberal	J. Commons	1,096	13.2	+6.3
Majority			1,265	15.2	−15.8
Turnout			8,319	75.9	+37.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.8

Collegiate Church

Collegiate Church
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Patrick Karney*	1,531	63.6	+0.5
	Conservative	S. R. Newth	666	27.7	−3.4
	Liberal	I. Wilde	211	8.8	+3.0
Majority			865	35.9	+4.0
Turnout			2,408	53.8	+25.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.9

Crossacres

Crossacres
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ken Collis*	5,577	60.1	+0.6
	Conservative	A. Spencer	2,348	25.3	−4.0
	Liberal	H. Griffiths	1,358	14.6	+3.5
Majority			3,229	34.8	+4.6
Turnout			9,283	70.5	+35.2
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.3

Crumpsall

Crumpsall
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	F. W. Lever*	3,615	47.0	−6.9
	Labour	M. Harrison	3,287	42.7	+5.2
	Liberal	J. Cookson	797	10.4	+3.3
Majority			328	4.3	−12.2
Turnout			7,699	71.5	+36.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	-6.0

Didsbury

Didsbury
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M. R. Crawford*	5,415	56.4	−11.6
	Labour	R. P. Ashby	2,444	25.5	+2.8
	Liberal	A. T. Parkinson	1,738	18.1	+8.8
Majority			2,971	31.0	−14.3
Turnout			9,597	76.8	+32.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.2

Gorton North

Gorton North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P. Hildrew	3,871	63.2	+6.5
	Conservative	E. Leadbetter	1,845	30.1	−6.1
	Liberal	D. Nicholson	411	6.7	−0.4
Majority			2,026	33.1	+12.6
Turnout			6,127	73.2	+35.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+6.3

Gorton South

Gorton South
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	K. Franklin*	3,662	61.1	+5.7
	Conservative	D. Heywood	1,905	31.8	−8.4
	Liberal	J. Rhodes	429	7.2	+7.2
Majority			1,757	29.3	+14.1
Turnout			5,996	70.9	+37.1
	Labour hold		Swing	+7.0

Harpurhey

Harpurhey
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R. F. Delahunty*	2,802	64.6	+2.1
	Conservative	J. Harding	1,270	29.3	−8.2
	Liberal	N. Towers	266	6.1	+6.1
Majority			1,532	35.3	+10.3
Turnout			4,338	65.4	+34.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.1

Hulme

Hulme
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Smith*	3,562	68.6	+11.1
	Conservative	N. P. Shand	957	18.4	+3.5
	Liberal	S. K. McClure	499	10.6	−3.7
	Communist	R. W. Gwilt	174	3.4	+1.3
Majority			2,605	50.2	+12.8
Turnout			5,192	61.6	+32.2
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.8

Levenshulme

Levenshulme
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Keith Whitmore	3,180	36.6	+14.5
	Labour	R. A. Reddington	2,959	34.1	−3.1
	Conservative	S. Alexander*	2,544	29.3	−11.4
Majority			221	2.5	−1.0
Turnout			8,683	72.2	+33.8
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+8.8

Lightbowne

Lightbowne
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P. A. Murphy	4,358	55.2	−0.3
	Conservative	V. E. Clare	2,787	35.3	−9.2
	Liberal	K. Osbourne	743	9.4	+9.4
Majority			1,571	19.9	+8.9
Turnout			7,888	74.8	+31.8
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+4.4

Lloyd Street

Lloyd Street
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. S. Wood*	4,449	56.0	+2.8
	Conservative	M. L. Davies	2,788	35.1	−6.9
	Liberal	M. A. Plesch	540	6.8	+2.0
	Independent	A. H. Bradley	164	2.1	+2.1
Majority			1,661	20.9	+9.7
Turnout			7,941	69.3	+33.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.8

Longsight

Longsight
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. M. Wilson	3,837	60.3	+6.2
	Conservative	G. Taylor*	1,989	31.3	−9.6
	Liberal	M. Amin	534	8.4	+3.4
Majority			1,848	29.1	+9.7
Turnout			6,360	66.8	+32.4
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+7.9

Miles Platting

Miles Platting
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	P. Conquest	3,193	76.8	+0.5
	Conservative	J. Cartland	737	17.7	−0.4
	Liberal	J. A. Turrell	228	5.5	+5.5
Majority			2,456	59.1	+0.9
Turnout			4,158	62.0	+38.0
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.4

Moss Side

Moss Side
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Wilner	2,630	67.5	−2.5
	Conservative	J. M. Goldsby	888	22.8	+4.1
	Liberal	D. Redford	380	9.7	−1.6
Majority			1,742	44.7	−6.5
Turnout			3,898	63.5	+36.3
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.3

Moston

Moston
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	C. McClaren	4,179	46.3	+1.5
	Conservative	G. I. Jones*	3,958	43.9	−11.3
	Liberal	M. Gradwell	881	9.8	+9.8
Majority			221	2.5	−7.9
Turnout			9,018	77.2	+32.7
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.4

Newton Heath

Newton Heath
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Smith*	4,209	60.4	+3.4
	Conservative	D. Booth	2,499	35.9	−7.1
	Liberal	V. Towers	258	3.7	+3.7
Majority			1,710	24.5	+10.6
Turnout			6,966	70.4	+31.2
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.2

Northenden

Northenden
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. J. Courtney	4,106	45.6	+1.8
	Conservative	D. Mountford*	3,895	43.3	−3.0
	Liberal	P. J. Hughes	893	9.9	+0.0
	Communist	J. Gandy	104	1.2	+1.2
Majority			211	2.3	−0.3
Turnout			8,998	75.1	+28.2
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.4

Old Moat

Old Moat
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Home	2,850	41.4	+1.9
	Conservative	T. E. Murphy*	2,735	39.7	−19.0
	Liberal	G. J. Corps	1,299	18.9	+18.9
Majority			115	1.7	−17.5
Turnout			6,884	72.5	+33.8
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+10.4

Rusholme

Rusholme
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	A. Bateman	3,804	42.3	+4.2
	Conservative	S. Tucker*	3,685	40.9	−14.1
	Liberal	D. Senior	870	9.7	+2.8
	Ecology	S. L. Howarth	641	7.1	+7.1
Majority			119	1.3	−15.6
Turnout			9,000	65.8	+36.0
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+9.1

Withington

Withington
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	D. Sandiford	3,116	38.9	+6.7
	Conservative	J. M. Jacobs	2,889	36.0	−6.6
	Labour	J. Finnegan	2,009	25.1	−0.1
Majority			227	2.8	−7.5
Turnout			8,014	73.3	+34.5
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.6

Woodhouse Park

Woodhouse Park
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G. Berry*	4,567	61.5	−6.0
	Conservative	J. C. Ridgard	1,972	26.6	−2.9
	Liberal	L. Griffiths	887	11.9	+11.9
Majority			2,595	34.9	−3.1
Turnout			7,426	71.6	+34.3
	Labour hold		Swing	-1.5

References

^ Manchester City Council Election Results, 2nd Edition, Swarbrick (1993).

[1] Manchester City Council Election Results, 2nd Edition, Swarbrick (1993).

[1]

v t e (1978 ←) 1979 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1980)
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Referendums	Scottish devolution Welsh devolution
See also: UK General election European Parliament election

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