1968 London local elections explained

Election Name:1968 London local elections
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Turnout:35.8%
Previous Election:1964 London local elections
Previous Year:1964
Next Election:1971 London local elections
Next Year:1971
Seats For Election:All 1,863 on all 32 London boroughs
Election Date:9 May 1968
1Blank:Councils
2Blank:Councils +/–
3Blank:Councillors
4Blank:Councillors +/–
Party1:Conservative Party (UK)
1Data1:28
2Data1:19
3Data1:1,438
4Data1:770
Party2:Labour Party (UK)
1Data2:3
2Data2:17
3Data2:350
4Data2:668
Map Size:400px

Local government elections were held in the thirty-two London boroughs on Thursday 9 May 1968. Polling stations were open between 8am and 9pm.

All seats were up for election. The result was a landslide for the Conservative Party,[1] who won twenty-eight of the boroughs, while Labour lost control of seventeen of the twenty boroughs it had held going into the elections (including Bexley, where it did not win a single seat). Only ten Liberal councillors were elected in London.[2]

The result followed the Conservative gain of the Greater London Council in the elections the previous year.

Aldermanic elections

Until 1978, each council had aldermen, in the ratio of one aldermen to six councillors. Following the elections, each council elected half of its aldermen, who served until 1974. The remaining aldermen had been elected in 1964 and would serve until 1971. This only affected political control in Newham, which remained Labour-held after the election of aldermen.

Results summary

PartyCouncillorsChangeCouncilsChange
1,438+77028+19
350-6683-17
10align="right" -60±0
36-130±0
26+150±0
3±00±0
Others0±00±0
n/an/a1-2

Council results

Summary of council election results:

Previous controlNew controlConservativeLabourLiberalOthersDetails
BarkingLabourLabour1332-4Details
BarnetConservativeConservative5631-Details
Bexley LabourConservative55--1Details
BrentLabourConservative4911--Details
Bromley ConservativeConservative5253-Details
CamdenLabourConservative4218--Details
CroydonNOCConservative471111Details
Ealing LabourConservative535-2Details
Enfield LabourConservative519--Details
GreenwichLabourConservative3822--Details
HackneyLabourConservative31272-Details
HammersmithLabourConservative546--Details
HaringeyLabourConservative537--Details
HarrowConservativeConservative56---Details
HaveringNOCConservative357-13Details
HillingdonLabourConservative60---Details
HounslowLabourConservative537--Details
IslingtonLabourConservative4710-3Details
Kensington and ChelseaConservativeConservative573--Details
Kingston upon ThamesConservativeConservative591--Details
LambethLabourConservative573--Details
LewishamLabourConservative4416--Details
MertonNOCConservative464-4Details
NewhamLabourNOC630321Details
RedbridgeConservativeConservative555--Details
Richmond upon ThamesConservativeConservative54---Details
SouthwarkLabourLabour2733--Details
SuttonConservativeConservative417-3Details
Tower HamletsLabourLabour-57-3Details
Waltham ForestLabourConservative444--Details
WandsworthLabourConservative4812--Details
WestminsterConservativeConservative555--Details

Overall councillor numbers

Councillor statistics, 1968
PartySeats+/-Councils+/-
Conservative1,43828
Labour3503
Residents' association36
Independent26
Liberal10
Communist3±0
No overall control1

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Those little local difficulties . 4 June 2024 . BBC News . 5 May 2006.
  2. Web site: London Borough Council Elections 9 May 1968. London Datastore. Greater London Council.