| Election Name: | 1988 United Kingdom local elections |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1987 United Kingdom local elections |
| Previous Year: | 1987 |
| Next Election: | 1989 United Kingdom local elections |
| Next Year: | 1989 |
| Seats For Election: | All 36 metropolitan boroughs, 117 out of 296 English districts and all 53 Scottish districts |
| Election Date: | 5 May 1988 |
| 1Blank: | Councils |
| 2Blank: | Councils +/- |
| 3Blank: | Councillors |
| 4Blank: | Councillors +/- |
| Leader1: | Margaret Thatcher |
| Leader Since1: | 11 February 1975 |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Percentage1: | 39% |
| 4Data1: | 9 |
| Leader2: | Neil Kinnock |
| Leader Since2: | 2 October 1983 |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Percentage2: | 38% |
| 4Data2: | 76 |
| Colour3: | FFD700 |
| Party3: | Social and Liberal Democrats |
| Percentage3: | 18% |
| 4Data3: | 122 |
The 1988 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 5 May 1988.[1] [2] [3] The Conservative government held its ground and remained ahead in the projected popular vote.
The election resulted in the Conservative Party winning 39% of the popular vote, the Labour Party winning 38% and the Social and Liberal Democrats (SLD) 18%. The Conservatives gained 9 seats, Labour gained 76 seats and the SLD lost 122 seats.
These were the first national elections contested by the SLD, which had just been formed as a merger of the SDP and Liberals after several years of an alliance existing between the two parties.
All 36 metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.
| Council | Previous control | Result | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | hold | Details | |||
| Birmingham | hold | Details | |||
| Bolton | hold | Details | |||
| Bradford | gain | Details | |||
| Bury | hold | Details | |||
| Calderdale | hold | Details | |||
| Coventry | hold | Details | |||
| Doncaster | hold | Details | |||
| Dudley | hold | Details | |||
| Gateshead | hold | Details | |||
| Kirklees | hold | Details | |||
| Knowsley | hold | Details | |||
| Leeds | hold | Details | |||
| Liverpool | hold | Details | |||
| Manchester | hold | Details | |||
| Newcastle upon Tyne | hold | Details | |||
| North Tyneside | hold | Details | |||
| Oldham | hold | Details | |||
| Rochdale | hold | Details | |||
| Rotherham | hold | Details | |||
| Salford | hold | Details | |||
| Sandwell | hold | Details | |||
| Sefton | hold | Details | |||
| Sheffield | hold | Details | |||
| Solihull | hold | Details | |||
| South Tyneside | hold | Details | |||
| St Helens | hold | Details | |||
| Stockport | hold | Details | |||
| Sunderland | hold | Details | |||
| Tameside | hold | Details | |||
| Trafford | gain | Details | |||
| Wakefield | hold | Details | |||
| Walsall | gain | Details | |||
| Wigan | hold | Details | |||
| Wirral | hold | Details | |||
| Wolverhampton | gain | Details | |||
In 117 districts one third of the council was up for election.
See main article: 1988 Scottish local elections.