1980 Scottish local elections

none March 2020 1980 Scottish local elections Scotland parliamentary no 1978 Scottish regional elections 1978 1982 Scottish regional elections 1982 yes 1980 05 01 Prime Minister James Callaghan (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 James Callaghan 5 April 1976 Labour Party (UK) 469 187 45.4% 13.8% Margaret Thatcher at White House (cropped).jpg 128 120 160 0 5 Margaret Thatcher 11 February 1975 Conservative Party (UK) 232 27 24.1% 3.1% Winnie_Ewing_and_Gordon_Wilson_Brussels_(cropped).jpg 160 120 160 0 20 Gordon Wilson 15 September 1979 Scottish National Party 52 118 15.5% 8.7% David Steel 1985 (cropped).jpg 123 120 160 0 0 David Steel 7 July 1976 Liberal Party (UK) 33 29 6.2% 2.2% Scottish District local elections, 1980.svg 350px Colours denote the winning party with outright control Elections for the Scottish district councils were held in 1980. These were the third elections held to the 53 district councils established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The previous elections had been held in 1977. The elections took place a year after the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher had come to power. The local elections, which also took place in England and Wales, were seen as the first electoral test of the Thatcher ministry.Poll 'chance to pass judgment' Warman Christopher The Times 2 1 May 1980 Background The poll was held on 1 May and all 1,182 district council seats were to be filled.Labour makes gains throughout Britain in local government elections 2 May 1980 The Times 4 Districts formed the second tier in local government in Scotland under the 1975 reorganisation, with regional councils forming the upper tier. It was intended that elections would normally take place on a four-year cycle. Regional elections were also to be on a four-year cycle, held midway between district elections. Party performance Labour had a very good electoral performance, more than regaining the ground they had lost at the 1977 elections. They gained 18 councils: 3 from the Scottish National Party, one from Liberals and 14 from no overall control. Notable gains were the cities of Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. The Conservatives suffered the loss of Edinburgh but held another six councils. The SNP vote collapsed and they lost control of the three councils they controlled. In a number of councils all of the party's sitting councillors were defeated, most notably in Glasgow where they lost all 16 seats they held. The Liberal Party lost the only council they controlled. Summary of the 1980 Scottish District local council election resultsRallings Colin Thrasher Michael Local Elections in Britain Routledge 2013 Table 7.5 |- !colspan=2|Parties !Votes !Votes % !Wards |- | Scottish Labour Party | |45.4 |469 |- | Scottish Conservative Party | |24.1 |232 |- | Scottish National Party | |15.5 |52 |- | Liberal Party (UK) | |6.2 |33 |- | style="width: 10px" bgcolor=Other| | style="text-align: left;" scope="row" | Independent/Other | |8.9 | |- !colspan=2|Total!! !! !! |} Results by region The seats on each council before and after the election were as follows:Labour wins stronger voice to fight against cuts in local services Warman Christopher The Times 3 5 May 1980 Borders District Labour Conservative Liberal Independent Other Control Berwickshire1 (+1)11 (−1)000 Conservative Party (UK) hold Ettrick and Lauderdale010 (−1)14 (+1)0 Independent (politician) hold Roxburgh0 (−1)5 (+3)011 (−2)0 Independent (politician) hold Tweeddale000100 Independent (politician) hold Central District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Other Control Clackmannan7 (+3)14 (−3)000 Scottish Labour Party gain from SNP Falkirk27 (+19)24 (−17)02 (−1)Independent Labour 1Independent Scottish Nationalist 0 (−1) Scottish Labour Party gain from SNP Stirling10 (+3)9 0 (−3)01 (+1)Independent Conservative 0 (−1) Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Dumfries and Galloway District Labour Conservative SNP Independent Control Annandale and Eskdale00016 Independent (politician) hold Nithsdale5 (+1)5 (+5)4 14 (−6) Independent (politician) hold Stewartry00012 Independent (politician) hold Wigtown00014 Independent (politician) hold Fife District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Other Control Dunfermline22 (+3)5 (−2)1 (−1)1 (+1)1 (−1)0 Scottish Labour Party hold Kirkcaldy23 (+7)3 (−2)4 (−4)03Ratepayers 3 (−1) Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC North-East Fife5 (+4)11 (−5)002 (+1)0 Conservative Party (UK) hold Grampian District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Control Banff and Buchan1 (+1)05 (+4)012 (−5) Independent (politician) hold City of Aberdeen27 (+5)13 (−2)0 (−2)8 (−1)0 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Gordon03036No overall control Kincardine and Deeside02 (−1)01 (+1)9 Independent (politician) hold Moray003 (−1)015 (+1) Independent (politician) hold Highland District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Control Badenoch and Strathspey002 (+2)08 (−2) Independent (politician) hold Caithness‡100113 Independent (politician) hold Inverness‡801217 Independent (politician) hold Lochaber4 (+1)00 (−1)08 Independent (politician) hold Nairn000 (−2)010 Independent (politician) hold Ross and Cromarty010019 Independent (politician) hold Skye and Lochalsh2 vacancies00009 Independent (politician) hold Sutherland1 vacancy000013 Independent (politician) hold ‡ Changes in ward boundaries Lothian District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Control City of Edinburgh‡2531222Conservatives lose to NOC East Lothian107000 Scottish Labour Party hold Midlothian13 (+6)0 (−1)0 (−4)1 (+1)1 (−1) Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC West Lothian15 (+7)04 (−6)02 (−1) Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC ‡ Changes in ward boundaries Strathclyde District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Others Control Argyll and Bute1 (+1)2 (−2)3020 (+1)0 Independent (politician) hold Bearsden and Milngavie2 (+1)6 (−1)0020 Conservative Party (UK) hold Clydebank8 (+5)10 (−5)00Scottish Labour 1 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Cumbernauld and Kilsyth6 (+1)04 (−1)000 Scottish Labour Party gain from SNP Cumnock and Doon Valley8 (+2)0 (−1)0020 Scottish Labour Party hold Cunninghame‡21 5 2 01 Moderate Conservatives 1 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Dumbarton8 (+4)3 (−1)2 (−2)02 (−1)0 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC East Kilbride12 (+8)21 (−6)00 (−2)0 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Eastwood010000Ratepayers 2 Conservative Party (UK) hold City of Glasgow58 (+26)11 (−12)0 (−16)3 (+2)00 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Hamilton17 (+7)1 0 (−6)20 (−1)0 Scottish Labour Party hold Inverclyde13 (+5)1 0 (−1)9 (−4)0 0 Scottish Labour Party gain from Liberals Kilmarnock and Loudoun11 (+4)5 (−2)0 (−2)000 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Kyle and Carrick13 (+6)12 (−5)0 (−1)000 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Lanark5 (+1)02 (−1)00Independent Progressives 7NOC Motherwell21 (+2)3 (−2)3 0 (−1)01 (=1)Communist 1 Scottish Labour Party hold Monklands18 (+5)3 (−3)0 (−1)00 (−1)0 Scottish Labour Party hold Renfrew34 (+20)4 (-7)1 (-10)01 (-2)Independent Labour 0 (-1) Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Strathkelvin10 (+6)40 (−6)000 Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Tayside District Labour Conservative SNP Liberal Independent Others Control Angus312 (+1)007 (−1)0 Conservative Party (UK) hold City of Dundee25 (+4)26 (−2)001 (−1)Ratepayer-Conservatives 11 (−1)Independent Ratepayers-Conservatives 1 (+1)Progressive Conservatives 0 (−1) Scottish Labour Party gain from NOC Perth and Kinross5 (+2)19 (−2)11 (+1)3 (−1)0 Conservative Party (UK) hold References 1980 Scottish local elections