1986 Merton London Borough Council election

Elections for the London Borough of Merton were held on 8 May 1986 to elect members of Merton London Borough Council in London, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England and Scotland.[1]

1986 Merton London Borough Council election
8 May 1986

All 57 council seats on
Merton London Borough Council
Turnout49.8% (2.3%)[1][2]
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Conservative Labour Longthornton and Tamworth Residents
Last election 44 seats, 51.2% 13 seats, 25.4% 0 seats, 1.5%
Seats won 29 25 3
Seat change 15 12 3
Popular vote 69,161 59,974 3,919
Percentage 41.1% 35.7% 2.3%
Swing 10.1% 10.3% 0.8%

Council leader before election

Harry Cowd
Conservative

Council leader after election

Harry Cowd
Conservative

The whole council was up for election and the incumbent majority Conservative administration remained in overall control of the council, its majority reduced to one seat.[3]

Background

At the last election, the Conservatives had remained in overall majority control of the council, winning 44 seats. The Labour Party was returned as the only opposition party, with 13 seats.[3] In the same election, Longthornton and Tamworth Residents Association lost all their three seats to the Conservatives.[2]

Following the death of Cllr. Michael Page, at a by-election in Longthornton on 15 March 1984, the Longthornton and Tamworth Residents Association regained one of their seats from the Conservatives.[2]

Results

Merton Local Election Result 1986[1][n 1][n 2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 29 0 15 15 50.9% 41.1% 69,161 10.1%
  Labour 25 12 0 12 43.9% 35.7% 59,974 10.3%
  Longthornton and Tamworth Residents 3 3 0 3 5.3% 2.3% 3,919 0.8%
  Alliance 0 0 0 0 0% 20.4% 34,325 1.1%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0% 0.4% 630 n/a
  National Front 0 0 0 0 0 0.1% 154

In Durnsford, future Prime Minister Theresa May was first elected to public office, holding the seat for the Conservative Party and beating Tony Colman, the future Labour MP for Putney, who also later led Merton Council between 1991 and 1997.

Durnsford (2)[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Gill 857 36.7%
Conservative Theresa May 818
Labour Arthur Kennedy 734 32.1%
Liberal Susan Knibbs 731 31.2%
Labour Anthony J. Colman 730
Liberal Richard Barraclough 692
Turnout 4,562
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Notes and references

Notes

  1. The Liberal Democrat vote count includes two candidates who stood under the description of "Liberal Alliance Focus Team" in Durnsford.
  2. The Independent vote count includes one candidate who stood under the description of "Independent Labour" in Longthornton, winning 146 votes.

References

  1. London Borough Council Elections 8 May 1986 (PDF). London Residuary Body - Research and Intelligence Unit. 1986.
  2. "London Borough Council Elections 6 May 1982" (PDF). Greater London Council. 1982. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  3. "Merton Council Election Results 1964-2012" (PDF). Merton Council. Retrieved 9 June 2018.


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