1981 United Kingdom local elections

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1981 United Kingdom local elections
← 1980 7 May 1981 (England & Wales)
20 May 1981 (Northern Ireland)		 1982 →
1 Unicameral area, all 6 metropolitan counties,
all 39 non-metropolitan counties, 1 sui generis authority,
all 26 Northern Irish districts and all 8 Welsh counties
  Majority party Minority party Third party
  Margaret Thatcher (1983).jpg Michael Foot (1981).jpg
Leader Margaret Thatcher Michael Foot David Steel
Party Conservative Labour Liberal
Leader since 11 February 1975 10 November 1980 7 July 1976
Percentage 38% 41% 17%
Councillors 10,545 8,999 1,455
Councillors +/- Decrease 1,193 Increase 988 Increase 306
300px
Colours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results.

Local elections were held in the United Kingdom in May 1981.[1][2] The results were a mid-term setback for the Conservative government, which lost 1,193 seats, leaving them with 10,545 councillors. The projected share of the vote was more respectable for the government, however: Labour 41%, Conservatives 38%, Liberals 17%. This was in spite of opinion polls showing a much wider Labour lead over the Conservatives. These were the first elections to be contested by Labour under the leadership of Michael Foot, who had succeeded James Callaghan in late 1980.

Elections took place for the county councils and the Greater London Council, which elected 50 Labour councillors, 41 Conservatives and 1 Liberal.

In terms of the county councils, changes in party control were as follows;

Labour gain from Conservative: Cumbria, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire

Labour gain from no overall control: Northumberland

Conservative lose to no overall control: Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire

Liberal gain from Conservative: Isle of Wight

Labour gained 988 overall seats, bringing their number of councillors to 8,999. This was the first electoral test for Labour leader Michael Foot, who had become Labour leader in November 1980.

The Liberal Party gained 306 seats and finished with 1,455 councillors. The 1981 local elections were to be the last to be held before the Liberals formed an alliance with the new Social Democratic Party (SDP) in June 1981.

Summary of results

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England

Unicameral area

This was the last election to the council before it was abolished by the Local Government Act 1985.

Council Previous control Result Details
Greater London style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details

Metropolitan county councils

These were the last elections to the county councils before they were abolished by the Local Government Act 1985.

Council Previous control Result Details
Greater Manchester style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Merseyside style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
South Yorkshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour hold Details
Tyne and Wear style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour hold Details
West Midlands style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
West Yorkshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details

Non-metropolitan county councils

Council Previous control Result Details
Avon ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Bedfordshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
Berkshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
Buckinghamshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Cambridgeshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Cheshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control hold Details
Cleveland style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Cornwall style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent hold Details
Cumbria ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Derbyshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Devon style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Dorset style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Durham ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour hold Details
East Sussex style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Essex ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Gloucestershire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
Hampshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Hereford and Worcester style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Hertfordshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Humberside ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Isle of Wight ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #ffd700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | Liberal gain Details
Kent ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Lancashire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Leicestershire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
Lincolnshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Norfolk style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
North Yorkshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Northamptonshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
Northumberland ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Nottinghamshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Oxfordshire style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Shropshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control hold Details
Somerset ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Staffordshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #DC241f;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | Labour gain Details
Suffolk style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Surrey ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Warwickshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
West Sussex style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details
Wiltshire ‡ style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | Conservative hold Details

‡ New electoral division boundaries

Sui generis

Council Previous control Result Details
Isles of Scilly Details

Northern Ireland

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Main article: Northern Ireland local elections, 1981
File:Northern Ireland local elections, 1981 (Largest party).svg
Map of the largest party by council area.
Council Previous control Result Details
Antrim style="width: 5px; background-color: #9999FF;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | UUP style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Ards style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Armagh style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Ballymena style="width: 5px; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" | DUP style="width: 5px; background-color: #D46A4C;" data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" | DUP Details
Ballymoney style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Banbridge style="width: 5px; background-color: #9999FF;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | UUP style="width: 5px; background-color: #9999FF;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | UUP Details
Belfast style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Carrickfergus style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Castlereagh style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Coleraine style="width: 5px; background-color: #9999FF;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | UUP style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Cookstown style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Craigavon style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Down style="width: 5px; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" | SDLP style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Dungannon style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Fermanagh style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Larne style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Limavady style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Lisburn style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Londonderry style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" | SDLP Details
Magherafelt style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Moyle style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Newry and Mourne style="width: 5px; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" | SDLP style="width: 5px; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" | SDLP Details
Newtownabbey style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
North Down style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Omagh style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details
Strabane style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control Details

Wales

County councils

Council Previous control Result Details
Clwyd style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control hold Details
Dyfed style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control gain Details
Gwent style="width: 5px; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" | No overall control style="width: 5px; background-color: #dc241f;" data-sort-value="Welsh Labour Party" | Labour gain Details
Gwynedd style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent hold Details
Mid Glamorgan style="width: 5px; background-color: #dc241f;" data-sort-value="Welsh Labour Party" | Labour style="width: 5px; background-color: #dc241f;" data-sort-value="Welsh Labour Party" | Labour hold Details
Powys style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | Independent hold Details
South Glamorgan style="width: 5px; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Welsh Conservative Party" | Conservative style="width: 5px; background-color: #dc241f;" data-sort-value="Welsh Labour Party" | Labour gain Details
West Glamorgan style="width: 5px; background-color: #dc241f;" data-sort-value="Welsh Labour Party" | Labour style="width: 5px; background-color: #dc241f;" data-sort-value="Welsh Labour Party" | Labour hold Details

References

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