1980 Scottish local elections
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1980 Scottish local elections
| country = Scotland
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1978 Scottish regional elections
| previous_year = 1978
| next_election = 1982 Scottish regional elections
| next_year = 1982
| seats_for_election =
| election_date = {{Start date|df=yes|1980|05|01}}
| 1blank =
| 2blank =
| 3blank =
| image1 = File:James Callaghan ppmsca.53218 (cropped).tif
| colour1 =
| leader1 = {{nowrap|James Callaghan}}
| leader_since1 = {{nowrap|5 April 1976}}
| leaders_seat1 =
| party1 = Labour Party (UK)
| last_election1 =
| seats1 = 469
| seat_change1 = {{increase}}187
| popular_vote1 = 45.4%
| swing1 = {{increase}}13.8
| image2 = File:Margaret Thatcher (1983).jpg
| colour2 =
| leader2 = {{nowrap|Margaret Thatcher}}
| leader_since2 = {{nowrap|11 February 1975}}
| leaders_seat2 =
| party2 = Conservative Party (UK)
| last_election2 =
| seats2 = 232
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 27
| popular_vote2 = 24.1%
| swing2 = {{decrease}}3.1
| image4 = File:Winnie_Ewing_and_Gordon_Wilson_Brussels_(cropped).jpg
| colour4 =
| leader4 = {{nowrap|Gordon Wilson}}
| leader_since4 = {{nowrap|1979}}
| leaders_seat4 =
| party4 = Scottish National Party
| last_election4 =
| seats4 = 52
| seat_change4 = {{decrease}}118
| popular_vote4 = 15.5%
| swing4 = {{decrease}}8.7
| image5 = File:DavidSteel1987 cropped.jpg
| colour5 =
| leader5 = {{nowrap|David Steel}}
| leader_since5 = {{nowrap|7 July 1976}}
| leaders_seat5 =
| party5 = Liberal Party (UK)
| last_election5 =
| seats5 = 33
| seat_change5 = {{decrease}}29
| popular_vote5 = 6.2%
| swing5 = {{increase}}2.2
| map_image = Scottish District local elections, 1980.svg
| map_size = 350px
| map_caption = 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.{{cite news|title=Poll 'chance to pass judgment' |last=Warman |first=Christopher |newspaper=The Times |page=2 |date=1 May 1980}}
Background
The poll was held on 1 May and all 1,182 district council seats were to be filled.{{cite news|title=Labour makes gains throughout Britain in local government elections|date=2 May 1980|work=The Times|page=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.
{{election table|title=Summary of the 1980 Scottish District local council election results{{cite book |last=Rallings |first=Colin |last2=Thrasher |first2=Michael |title=Local Elections in Britain |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |pages=Table 7.5 }}}}
|-
!colspan=2|Parties
!Votes
!Votes %
!Wards
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}}
|
|45.4
|469
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Conservative Party}}
|
|24.1
|232
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish National Party}}
|
|15.5
|52
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Liberal Party (UK)}}
|
|6.2
|33
|-
| style="width: 10px" bgcolor={{party color|Other}}|
| style="text-align: left;" scope="row" | Independent/Other
|
|8.9
|
|-
!colspan=2|Total!! !! !!
|}
Results by region
=Borders=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" | Other ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Berwickshire
|1 (+1) |11 (−1) |0 |0 |0 | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Ettrick and Lauderdale
|0 |1 |0 (−1) |14 (+1) |0 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Roxburgh
|0 (−1) |5 (+3) |0 |11 (−2) |0 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Tweeddale
|0 |0 |0 |10 |0 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
=Central=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" | Other ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Clackmannan
|7 (+3) |1 |4 (−3) |0 |0 |0 | {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from SNP |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Falkirk
|27 (+19) |2 |4 (−17) |0 |2 (−1) |Independent Labour 1 | {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from SNP |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Stirling
|10 (+3) |9 |0 (−3) |0 |1 (+1) |Independent Conservative 0 (−1) | {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
=Dumfries and Galloway=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Annandale and Eskdale
|0 |0 |0 |16 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Nithsdale
|5 (+1) |5 (+5) |4 |14 (−6) | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Stewartry
|0 |0 |0 |12 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Wigtown
|0 |0 |0 |14 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
=Fife=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" | Other ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Dunfermline
|22 (+3) |5 (−2) |1 (−1) |1 (+1) |1 (−1) |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Kirkcaldy
|23 (+7) |3 (−2) |4 (−4) |0 |3 |Ratepayers 3 (−1) | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | North-East Fife
|5 (+4) |11 (−5) |0 |0 |2 (+1) |0 | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold |
=Grampian=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Banff and Buchan
|1 (+1) |0 |5 (+4) |0 |12 (−5) | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | City of Aberdeen
|27 (+5) |13 (−2) |0 (−2) |8 (−1) |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Gordon
|0 |3 |0 |3 |6 |bgcolor=white| |No overall control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Kincardine and Deeside
|0 |2 (−1) |0 |1 (+1) |9 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Moray
|0 |0 |3 (−1) |0 |15 (+1) | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
=Highland=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Badenoch and Strathspey
|0 |0 |2 (+2) |0 |8 (−2) | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Caithness‡
|1 |0 |0 |1 |13 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Inverness‡
|8 |0 |1 |2 |17 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Lochaber
|4 (+1) |0 |0 (−1) |0 |8 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Nairn
|0 |0 |0 (−2) |0 |10 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Ross and Cromarty
|0 |1 |0 |0 |19 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Skye and Lochalsh 2 vacancies |0 |0 |0 |0 |9 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Sutherland 1 vacancy |0 |0 |0 |0 |13 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
‡ Changes in ward boundaries
=Lothian=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | City of Edinburgh‡
|25 |31 |2 |2 |2 |bgcolor=white| |Conservatives lose to NOC |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | East Lothian
|10 |7 |0 |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Midlothian
|13 (+6) |0 (−1) |0 (−4) |1 (+1) |1 (−1) | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | West Lothian
|15 (+7) |0 |4 (−6) |0 |2 (−1) | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
‡ Changes in ward boundaries
=Strathclyde=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" | Others ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Argyll and Bute
|1 (+1) |2 (−2) |3 |0 |20 (+1) |0 | {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Bearsden and Milngavie
|2 (+1) |6 (−1) |0 |0 |2 |0 | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Clydebank
|8 (+5) |1 |0 (−5) |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
|6 (+1) |0 |4 (−1) |0 |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from SNP |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Cumnock and Doon Valley
|8 (+2) |0 (−1) |0 |0 |2 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Cunninghame‡
|21 |5 |2 |0 |1 |Moderate Conservatives 1 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Dumbarton
|8 (+4) |3 (−1) |2 (−2) |0 |2 (−1) |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | East Kilbride
|12 (+8) |2 |1 (−6) |0 |0 (−2) |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Eastwood
|0 |10 |0 |0 |0 |Ratepayers 2 | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | City of Glasgow
|58 (+26) |11 (−12) |0 (−16) |3 (+2) |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Hamilton
|17 (+7) |1 |0 (−6) |2 |0 (−1) |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Inverclyde
|13 (+5) |1 |0 (−1) |9 (−4) |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from Liberals |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Kilmarnock and Loudoun
|11 (+4) |5 (−2) |0 (−2) |0 |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Kyle and Carrick
|13 (+6) |12 (−5) |0 (−1) |0 |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Lanark
|5 (+1) |0 |2 (−1) |0 |0 |Independent Progressives 7 |bgcolor=white| |NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Motherwell
|21 (+2) |3 (−2) |3 |0 (−1) |01 (=1) |Communist 1 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Monklands
|18 (+5) |3 (−3) |0 (−1) |0 |0 (−1) |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} hold |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Renfrew
|34 (+20) |4 (-7) |1 (-10) |0 |1 (-2) |Independent Labour 0 (-1) | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Strathkelvin
|10 (+6) |4 |0 (−6) |0 |0 |0 | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
=Tayside=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | District ! scope="col" | Labour ! scope="col" | Conservative ! scope="col" | SNP ! scope="col" | Liberal ! scope="col" | Independent ! scope="col" | Others ! scope="col" colspan=2| Control |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Angus
|3 |12 (+1) |0 |0 |7 (−1) |0 | {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | City of Dundee
|25 (+4) |26 (−2) |0 |0 |1 (−1) |Ratepayer-Conservatives 11 (−1) | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour Party}} gain from NOC |
| scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Perth and Kinross
|5 (+2) |19 (−2) |1 |1 (+1) |3 (−1) |0 | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} hold |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Scottish elections}}
{{United Kingdom local elections, 1980}}