The Thoresby Society

 

1983 - 9 June

Central
D. Fatchett (Labour) 18,706
P. Wrigley (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 10,484
M. Ashley-Brown (Conservative) 9,192
G. Cummins (British National) 331
J. M. Rodgers (Communist) 314

East
D. W. Healey (Labour) 18,450
A. Bell (Conservative) 12,355
M. G. Clay (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 10,884
A. H. Brons (National Front) 475

North East
Sir K. Joseph (Conservative) 21,940
P. M. Crystal (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 12,945
R. Sedler (Labour) 10,951
E. Tibbitts (Anti-Corruption) 128
P. Holton (Against Cuts in Education) 123

North West
K. Hampson (Conservative) 22,579
N. Jones (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 14,042
J. D. Battle (Labour) 10,757
A. Laurence (Ecology) 673
C. Haygreen (Independent Conservative) 437

Pudsey
J. G. D. Shaw (Conservative) 24,455
J. Cummins (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 19,141
S. M. Price (Labour) 9,542
R. Smith (Independent) 387

South & Morley
M. Rees (Labour) 18,995
W. Hyde (Conservative) 13,141
P. Burley (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 9,216

West
M. Meadowcroft (Liberal) 17, 908
J. Dean (Labour) 15,860
J. Keeble (Conservative) 12,515
A. Braithwaite (British National ) 334

Elmet
S. Batiste (Conservative) 23,909
R. Wilson (Labour) 16,053
G. Paterson (Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance) 10,589

Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party registered the biggest landslide since the general election of 1945 with 397 seats to Labour with 209. Reasons for such a swing was the economy had shown signs of recovery, Britain had just successfully fought the Falklands War whilst the Labour Party manifesto cancelling Trident and abandoning the nuclear deterrent led to it being called ‘the longest suicide note in history’. Several MPs left the party to form the Social Democratic Party and during the election some Liberals formed an alliance with the new party.

Several such candidates stood in Leeds where boundary reorganisation after the Boundary Commission of 1983 saw new constituencies created and the electorate increasing to 526,133. Of these constituencies Leeds Central became Labour whereas Pudsey and Elmet became Conservative with substantial majorities. They also registered the highest turnouts with 75.83% and 75.44% respectively. The overall turnout for the city was 69.77%. The shock result came in Leeds West. Here Michael Meadowcroft, who had refused to join the Social Democratic/Liberal Alliance, pulled off a significant win for the Liberals with a majority of 2,048 registering 38.42% of the vote. Healey in Leeds East warned that many were frightened that a Conservative win would produce a ‘one-woman dictatorship’.