United Kingdom local elections, 2006

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Local government elections took place in England (only) on Thursday May 4, 2006. Polling stations were open between 7:00 and 22:00.

Campaign leaflets in Oxford.

All London borough council seats were up for election, as well as a third of the seats on each of the metropolitan borough councils, and a third of some unitary authorities and shire districts. Several councils elected half of their seats: these were Adur, Cheltenham, Fareham, Gosport, Hastings, Nuneaton and Bedworth, and Oxford City. Local elections follow a four-year cycle, and the 2006 election was the follow-on from the 2002 elections.

Mayoral contests were held in the London boroughs of Hackney, Lewisham and Newham, and in Watford. Crewe and Nantwich held a referendum on the issue of whether or not to have a directly elected mayor.

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Contents

Results 2006

For the full list of results, including a summary for each Council, please see United Kingdom local elections, 2006 full results.

11
PARTY		Councils				Councillors
PARTY		Gain	Loss	Change	Total	Gain	Loss	Change	Total
14	3	align="right"
68			align="right"
1830
1	18	–17	30			–319	1439
3	2	align="right"
13			align="right"
909
	Residents Associations	0	0	0	0			–13	35
0	0	0	0			align="right"
32
0	0	0	0			align="right"
29
0	0	0	0			align="right"
16
0	0	0	0			align="right"
8
0	0	0	0			align="right"
5
0	0	0	0	3	1	align="right"
3
0	0	0	0	1	1	0	3
0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1
	Other	0	0	0	0			–50	108
	No overall control	18	13	align="right"
65	—	—	—	—

Turnout was 36%, compared to 40% in 2004 and 33% in 2002
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/vote2006/locals/html/region_99999.stm - BBC Election 2006 results

Pre-election predictions

On April 7, a report produced by the University of Plymouth for Newsnight, based on results of council by-elections in the past three months, suggested that, compared to the 2002 local elections:

Labour would increase their national vote share by 2% to 28% but that they would lose around 130 seats.
The Conservatives would suffer a decrease in the national vote share of 4% leaving them with 33% and a loss of around 95 seats.
The Liberal Democrats would increase their vote share by 2% to 29% and would gain around 190 seats. [link]

This prediction may be seen to be almost entirely inaccurate.

Projected national share

In an analysis for the Sunday Times, psephologists Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, of the University of Plymouth, produced an estimate of the national share of the vote. According to their calculations, the parties would have the following share of the vote:

Conservative: 39%
Labour: 26%
Liberal Democrats: 25%
Others: 10%

They note that this is estimate not intended to predict the vote share in an actual general election, because voters often vote differently in general elections due to local issues, or to a wish to "fire a shot across the government's bows" without actually removing it.Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, "Tories approach the point of take-off", Sunday Times, May 7, 2006, p. 13

The BBC had a similar national share prediction, based on the results of 950 key wards:

Conservative: 40%
LibDem: 27%
Labour: 26%
Others: 7% [link]

Notable battles

In Birmingham, the Acting Returning Officer announced that the votes in the Kingstanding ward had been incorrectly tallied, incorrectly giving a BNP win, whereas they should have been in third place. The only way in which this result can be corrected is for one of the candidates to raise a petition to the courts; the council has said it will support in any way it can any candidates who wish to raise such a petition [link].
In Crawley, after three recounts, one result showed 500 votes for the Labour candidate and 500 for the Conservative. As per electoral law, the candidates subsequently drew lots. The Conservative candidate won, giving his party a majority and switching the council from Labour to Conservative control for the first time since 1971.
Another count was tied in St Albans, this time between Conservative and Lib Dem candidates on 1131 votes each. The candidates drew lots with the Lib Dems winning, giving them a majority on the local council.
In Chester the Conservatives were in third place in one ward, with around only 20% of the votes (in 2004), however they managed to win the seat with a majority of around 20%, and a 45% vote share. Their vote increased by over 110%, and was believed to be one of the largest increases in vote share (as a percentage) in the country.

Campaign launches

United Kingdom Independence Party

United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) launched their local election campaign on March 28 2006 [link], where they put forward their policies for the local elections which included:
the reduction of council tax by 50%; local binding referenda on major issues; and giving councils control of business rates and letting them receive the proceeds from stamp duty.

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats' campaign launch was held on April 3 2006 [link] and was led by Sir Menzies Campbell MP.[link] The full campaign launch can be found at: [link].

Labour

Labour's campaign for the local elections was launched on April 5 2006 [link] and was led by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair MP (Lab, Sedgefield) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Blair's expected successor, Gordon Brown MP (Lab, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) in the wake of rumours of a split between the two over when Blair should stand down as PM.

The campaign launch can be viewed here: [link]

Respect - The Unity Coalition

Respect launched their election manifesto on April 10 2006 calling the local elections a referendum on New Labour [link]

The Green Party

The Greens launched their campaign on April 11 2006, having already announced that 1,300 candidates will be standing across the country.[link][link]

British National Party

The BNP launched their election manifesto on April 14 2006. Soon after, Margaret Hodge, the Labour Employment Minister, told the press that 8 out of 10 white voters in her east London constituency of Barking admitted being tempted to vote for the BNP, hinting that the party's share of council seats was set to increase.[link]

The Conservatives

The Conservatives launched their campaign on April 18. David Cameron, Eric Pickles, Caroline Spelman and Peter Ainsworth fronted a press conference that focused on environmental issues.[link]

Timeline

March 28th 2006

UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) launch local election campaign: [link]

March 29th 2006

The London Communications Agency issue a study suggesting that the Conservatives would gain a minimum of six London Borough councils: [link]

April 3rd 2006

The Liberal Democrats launch local election campaign: [link]

April 4th 2006

Independent anti-war strategic voting web site launched in London: [link]

April 5th 2006

Labour launch their local election campaign: [link].
Conservatives offer a chance for "ordinary people" to appear in the local election broadcast: [link]

April 10th 2006

Respect launch their local election campaign: [link]

April 14th 2006

The British National Party launch their election campaign.

April 18th 2006

The first party election broadcast by the Labour Party depicts David Cameron MP (Con, Witney) as a chamleon and even launch a website to promote the idea which can be found at : [link]. See also: Dave the Chameleon

April 19th 2006

The Conservative Election Broadcast (using the tagline "Vote Blue Go Green") was presented by people responding to the Conservatives request for "ordinary people" as reported on April 5 2006

April 20th 2006

The Liberal Democrat Election Broadcast recounted the election of Menzies Campbell MP as leader

April 24th 2006

The Green Party Election Broadcast asks voters to use their multi member vote to elect Greens onto their local council.

April 26th 2006

In a day described by the tabloid press as "New Labour's Black Wednesday", three cabinet ministers have three different 'crises' on the same day.

April 27th 2006

Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell MP challenges the Tories over their 'Vote Blue Go Green' campaign.

April 28th 2006

Local Government Minister David Miliband MP urges voters to "think local" rather than on national issues.

May 2nd 2006

The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats criticise the Labour Party for taking credit for London's successful Olympic bid in their Party Election Broadcast.
The West Midlands Police confirm their presence at Birmingham polling stations on election day amid fears of widespread ballot fraud.

May 3rd 2006

The final PMQs before the election sees party leaders debating national scandals and Labour Party insiders predicting the worst results since 1968:[link]

May 4th 2006

The Labour Party acknowledges it could face the loss of former strongholds and even slip into third place nationally in local government numbers.[link]

References

[House of Commons Library Research Paper]
[BBC Local Election Website]
[Schedule of elections] (Electoral Commission)
[Guide to England's 2006 elections] (BBC)
[Overview] (gwydir.demon.co.uk)
[Online hustings, manifestos and candidates for Lambeth] (electionmemory.com)

External links

[The great local vote swindle] - Electoral Reform Society briefing on the 2006 local elections

Preceded by:
United Kingdom local elections, 2005

UK local elections

Followed by:
United Kingdom local elections, 2007

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