The Thoresby Society

 

2001 - 7 June

Central
H. Benn (Labour) 18,277
V. Richmond (Conservative) 3,896
S. Arnold (Liberal Democrat) 3,607
B. Burgess (United Kingdom Independence) 775
S. Johnson (Socialist Alliance) 751

East
G. Mudie (Labour) 18,290
B. Anderson (Conservative) 5,647
B. Jennings (Liberal Democrat) 3,923
R. Northgreaves (United Kingdom Independence) 634
M. King (Socialist Labour) 419
P. L. B. Socrates (Independent) 142

Morley & Rothwell
C. Challen (Labour) 21,919
D. Schofield (Conservative) 9,829
S. Golten (Liberal Democrat) 5,446
J. Bardsley (United Kingdom Independence) 1,248

North East
F. Hamilton (Labour) 19,540
O. Rhys (Conservative) 12,451
J. M. Brown (Liberal Democrat) 6,325
C. E. Foote (Left Alliance) 770
J. Miles (United Kingdom Independence) 382
C. Muir (Socialist Labour) 173
M. Zaman (Independent) 132

North West
H. Best (Labour) 17,794
A. Pritchard (Conservative) 12,558
D. Hall-Matthews (Liberal Democrat) 11,431
S. Jones (United Kingdom Independence) 668

Pudsey
P. A. Truswell (Labour) 21,717
J. Procter Conservative) 16,091
S. Boddy (Liberal Democrat) 6,423
D. Sewards (United Kingdom Independence) 944

West
J. D. Battle (Labour) 19,943
K. Hopkins (Conservative) 5,008
D. Finlay (Liberal Democrat) 3,350
D. Blackburn (Green) 2,573
B. Finley (United Kingdom Independence) 758
N. Nowosielski (Liberal) 462

Elmet
C. Burgon (Labour) 22,038
A. Millard (Conservative) 17,867
M. Kirk (Liberal Democrat) 5,001
A. Spence (United Kingdom Independence) 1,031


Tony Blair’s Labour won a resounding second election registering 412 seats to the Conservatives 166 and the Liberal Democrats 52. In Leeds Labour retained every seat. There were, however, swings to the Conservatives in every constituency but the party was still bitterly divided over Europe. The press referred to the Labour victory as ‘the quiet landslide’.

Labour in the city was divided when Brian Mulvey of Leeds Unison and some others decided to vote for rival candidates in protest at what they termed ‘Conservative New Labour’. The United Kingdom Independence Party, on its anti-European stance, entered candidates in every constituency but came either fourth or fifth. In Leeds there was a turnout of 59.1% as opposed to 65.1% nationally. One factor that may possibly have had some influence in the decline was the fact that serious race rioting had taken place in Harehills the night before the election. Harold Best, whilst campaigning in Leeds North West, had his house burgled whilst he was out canvassing on polling day.