| Election Name: | 1985 United Kingdom local elections |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Type: | legislative |
| Previous Election: | 1984 United Kingdom local elections |
| Previous Year: | 1984 |
| Next Election: | 1986 United Kingdom local elections |
| Next Year: | 1986 |
| Seats For Election: | All 39 non-metropolitan counties, 1 sui generis authority, all 26 Northern Irish districts and all 8 Welsh counties |
| Election Date: | 2 May 1985 (England & Wales) 15 May 1985 (Northern Ireland) |
| 1Blank: | Councils |
| 2Blank: | Councils +/- |
| 3Blank: | Councillors |
| 4Blank: | Councillors +/- |
| Leader1: | Margaret Thatcher |
| Leader Since1: | 11 February 1975 |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Percentage1: | 32% |
| 3Data1: | 10,191 |
| 4Data1: | 202 |
| Leader2: | Neil Kinnock |
| Leader Since2: | 2 October 1983 |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Percentage2: | 39% |
| 3Data2: | 8,746 |
| 4Data2: | 124 |
| Party3: | SDP–Liberal Alliance |
| Percentage3: | 26% |
| 3Data3: | 2,633 |
| 4Data3: | 302 |
| Map Size: | 300px |
The 1985 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 2 May 1985 in England and Wales, and Wednesday 15 May 1985 in Northern Ireland.[1] [2] [3] [4] Labour had the largest share of the vote in local council elections for the first time since 1981.
Both Conservatives and Labour lost some seats to the Liberal-SDP Alliance, who were rebuilding under the leadership of David Owen and enjoying strong showings — including a brief lead — in the opinion polls.
Alan Clark, writing in his diary for 11 May 1985, shortly after the election, stated:"Some stupid prick has done a 'projection' in one of the heavies showing that the SDP will have a massive overall majority in the House of Commons.."[5]
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avon | gain | Details | |||
| Bedfordshire ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Berkshire ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Buckinghamshire ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Cambridgeshire ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Cheshire | hold | Details | |||
| Cleveland ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Cornwall ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Cumbria | gain | Details | |||
| Derbyshire | hold | Details | |||
| Devon ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Dorset ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Durham | hold | Details | |||
| East Sussex ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Essex | gain | Details | |||
| Gloucestershire ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Hampshire | gain | Details | |||
| Hereford and Worcester ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Hertfordshire | gain | Details | |||
| Humberside | gain | Details | |||
| Isle of Wight | hold | Details | |||
| Kent | hold | Details | |||
| Lancashire | gain | Details | |||
| Leicestershire ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Lincolnshire | hold | Details | |||
| Norfolk ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| North Yorkshire ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Northamptonshire | hold | Details | |||
| Northumberland | gain | Details | |||
| Nottinghamshire | hold | Details | |||
| Oxfordshire ‡ | gain | Details | |||
| Shropshire | hold | Details | |||
| Somerset | gain | Details | |||
| Staffordshire | hold | Details | |||
| Suffolk ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Surrey | hold | Details | |||
| Warwickshire | hold | Details | |||
| West Sussex ‡ | hold | Details | |||
| Wiltshire ‡ | gain | Details | |||
‡ New electoral division boundaries
See main article: 1985 Northern Ireland local elections.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clwyd | hold | Details | |||
| Dyfed | hold | Details | |||
| Gwent | hold | Details | |||
| Gwynedd | hold | Details | |||
| Mid Glamorgan | hold | Details | |||
| Powys | hold | Details | |||
| South Glamorgan | hold | Details | |||
| West Glamorgan | hold | Details | |||