Leeds Constituencies - South East


The Leeds South East constituency was established in 1918 and abolished for the 1983 election.

This is a very wide spread constituency in that it includes the inner city areas of Blenheim, Woodhouse and Burmantofts yet reaches eastwards to the more affluent middle-class areas of Cross Gates and Temple Newsam. The inner city areas still retain a large number of back-to-backs but council housing and multi-storey flats have replaced many. Burmantofts, Osmondthorpe, Woodhouse and parts Cross Gates have been designated Urban Priority Areas with the attendant social problems. At one time Burmantofts housed both the famous Burmantofts Pottery and Burton’s tailoring factory. In the 1922 election the Liberal Mary Pollock Grant stood unsuccessfully. She was the first woman to stand in a Parliamentary election in Leeds.

 

South East in 1929
South East in 1929

 

BOUNDARIES

1918–1950: East Ward, East Hunslet Ward, and part of North East Ward.

1950–1955: Crossgates and Temple Newsam Ward, East Hunslet Ward, and Osmondthorpe Ward.

1955–1974: Blenheim Ward, City Ward, East Hunslet Ward, Richmond Hill Ward, and Westfield Ward.

1974–1983: Burley Ward, Burmantofts Ward, City Ward, Richmond Hill Ward, and Woodhouse Ward.


TURNOUT

For elections after 1929 when universal suffrage had been granted

Electorate Total votes cast Turnout  
1929 47,584 29,788 62.6%  
1929 47,736 12,316 25.0% by-election
1931 48,715 33,954 69.70%
1935 47,555 29,744 62.55%
1945 39,574 28,347 71.63%
1950 48,621 41,490 85.33%
1951 41,490 41,206 84.39%
1952 48,725 27,189 55.8% by-election
1955 57,211 38,856 67.92%
1959 48,457 33,941 70.04%
1964 33,326 24,636 73.92%
1966 33,199 20,406 61.47%
1970 29,876 17,445 58.39%
1974 49,501 33,586 67.85% February
1974 49,787 28,050 56.34% October
1979 43,472 28,258 65.00%

 

 

HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1955 A. M. Bacon (Labour) 25,714

LOWEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1929  Maj, J. Milner (Labour) 11,804

HIGHEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1945 J. Milner (Labour) 15,845

LOWEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1929 Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 1,736

 

 

RESULTS

Representation of the People Act 1918 – All men over21 and women over 30 enfranchised Redistribution of the Seats Act 1918

1918 - 14th December

South East
J. O’Grady (Labour) *
[ * Returned unopposed. ]

 

1922 - 15th November

South East
J. O’Grady (Labour) 13,676
M. P. Grant (Liberal) 9,554 *
[* First woman to stand as a candidate in a Parliamentary election in Leeds.]


1923 - 6th December

South East
J. O’Grady (Labour) 12,210
Hon. W. T. Whiteley (Liberal) 7,110

 

1924 - 29th October

South East
Sir H. H. Slesser (Labour) 15,133
Hon. W. T. Whiteley (Liberal) 10,704

 

Representation of the People Act 1928 – All women over 21 enfranchised

1929 - 30th May

South East
Sir H. Slesser (Labour) 22,403 *
J. C. Spurr (Liberal) 7,385
[ * Resigned in June to become a judge in the Appeals Court. ]

 

1929 1 August by-election

South East
Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 11,804
W. T. E. Brain (Communist) 512

 

1931 - 27th October

South East
Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 17, 845
P. R. Le Mesurier (Conservative) 16,109 *


[ * National Government candidates. ]


1935 - 14th November

South East
Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 19,552
P. R. Le Mesurier (Conservative) 10,192 *


[ * National Government candidates]

1940 [No general election from 1939–1945. Coalition in power during the war.]


1945 - 5th July (main polling day), plus 12th, 19th July. Main result declared 26th July

South East
J. Milner (Labour) 20,363
S. Beevers (Conservative) 4,518
C. H. Tyers (Liberal) 3,466

 


Representation of the People Act 1948 – Abolished plural voting and university seats


Boundary Reorganisation

 

1950 - 23th February

South East
J. Milner (Labour) 23,994
C. E. Kirwin (Conservative) 15,262
A. Hope (Liberal) 2,234

 

1951 - 25th October

South East
J. Milner (Labour) 24,929 *
C. E. Kirwin (Conservative) 16,277
[ Ennobled December 1951. ]



1952 - 7th February by-election

South East
D. W. Healey (Labour) 17,194
C. E. Kirwin (Conservative) 9,995

 

Boundary Commission 1955



1955 - 26th May

South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 25,714
W. W. W. Dunn (Conservative) 13,142


1959 - 8th October

South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 21,795
J. B. Womersely (Conservative) 12,146

1964 - 15th October

South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 16,672
J. E. Macdonald (Conservative) 7,964

1966 - 31st March

South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 14,663
J. G. Todd (Conservative) 5,743

Representation of the People Act 1969 – Franchise extended to those over 18 years of age


1970 - 18th June

South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 10,930
M. Sexton (Conservative) 5,182
A. Britten (Liberal) 1,135
B. Scott (Communist) 198

 

1974 - 28th February

South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 17,827
M. Sexton (Conservative) 8,373
M. Clay (Liberal) 6,981
W. Innes (Communist) 405



1974 - 10th October

South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 17,160
M. Sexton (Conservative) 6,144
M. Clay (Liberal) 4,429
W. Innes (Communist) 317

 

1979 - 3rd May

South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 15,921
M. Sexton (Conservative) 6,549
M. Clay (Liberal) 5,430
J. M. Rodgers (Communist) 190
P. Flint (National Front) 168