1973 Greater Manchester County Council election explained

Election Name:	1973 Greater Manchester County Council election
Country:	Greater Manchester
Type:	parliamentary
Ongoing:	no
Election Date:	12 April 1973
Next Election:	1977 Greater Manchester County Council election
Next Year:	1977
Seats For Election:	All 106 seats to Greater Manchester County Council
Majority Seats:	54
Leader1:	Robert Thomas
Party1:	Labour Party (UK)
Seats1:	69
Popular Vote1:	318,580
Percentage1:	45.0%
Leader2:	Arnold Fieldhouse
Party2:	Conservative Party (UK)
Seats2:	24
Popular Vote2:	273,024
Percentage2:	38.5%
Leader3:	Gordon Bayley
Party3:	Liberal Party (UK)
Seats3:	13
Popular Vote3:	108,309
Percentage3:	15.3%
Leader
Posttitle:	Leader after election
After Party:	Labour Party (UK)
After Election:	Robert Thomas

Local elections to Greater Manchester County Council, a Metropolitan County Council encompassing Greater Manchester, were held on 12 April 1973. This was the first election held for the authority, having been established by operation of the Local Government Act 1972. Following the election the Labour Party assumed control of the Council.

Election result

Overall result

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		318,580 (45.0%)		69 (65.1%)
Conservative Party		273,024 (38.5%)		24 (22.6%)
Liberal Party		108,309 (15.3%)		13 (12.3%)
Communist Party		4,286 (0.6%)		0 (0.0%)
Anti-Immigration		2,327 (0.3%)		0 (0.0%)
Independent		1,424 (0.2%)		0 (0.0%)
Independent Socialist		468 (0.1%)		0 (0.0%)
Democratic Socialist		177 (0.0%)		0 (0.0%)

↓
69	13	24

Results by borough

Bolton

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		33,693 (46.7%)		7 (70.0%)
Conservative Party		31,125 (43.1%)		3 (30.0%)
Liberal Party		7,151 (9.9%)		0 (0.0%)
Democratic Socialist		177 (0.2%)		0 (0.0%)

Bury

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		23,464 (48.4%)		4 (66.7%)
Conservative Party		20,383 (42.0%)		1 (16.7%)
Liberal Party		4,630 (9.6%)		1 (16.7%)

Manchester

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		58,572 (48.0%)		10 (50.0%)
Conservative Party		54,654 (44.8%)		10 (50.0%)
Liberal Party		7,300 (6.0%)		0 (0.0%)
Communist Party		811 (0.7%)		0 (0.0%)
Anti-Immigration		587 (0.5%)		0 (0.0%)
Independent		155 (0.1%)		0 (0.0%)

Oldham

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		27,508 (43.9%)		7 (77.8%)
Liberal Party		16,441 (26.2%)		2 (22.2%)
Conservative Party		18,318 (29.2%)		0 (0.0%)
Communist Party		392 (0.6%)		0 (0.0%)

Rochdale

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		25,832 (47.7%)		4 (57.1%)
Conservative Party		19,527 (36.0%)		2 (28.6%)
Liberal Party		6,652 (12.3%)		1 (14.3%)
Anti-Immigration		1,740 (3.2%)		0 (0.0%)
Communist Party		448 (0.8%)		0 (0.0%)

Salford

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		37,164 (55.3%)		10 (83.3%)
Conservative Party		24,501 (36.4%)		2 (16.7%)
Liberal Party		3,887 (5.8%)		0 (0.0%)
Communist Party		1,694 (2.5%)		0 (0.0%)

Stockport

Party		Votes		Seats
Liberal Party		38,954 (39.6%)		6 (54.5%)
Labour Party		23,109 (23.5%)		3 (27.3%)
Conservative Party		36,389 (37.0%)		2 (18.2%)

Tameside

Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		29,483 (53.4%)		8 (88.9%)
Conservative Party		20,533 (37.2%)		1 (11.1%)
Liberal Party		5,161 (9.4%)		0 (0.0%)

Trafford

Party		Votes		Seats
Conservative Party		30,904 (42.8%)		3 (33.3%)
Labour Party		22,251 (30.8%)		3 (33.3%)
Liberal Party		18,133 (25.1%)		3 (33.3%)
Communist Party		941 (1.3%)		0 (0.0%)

Wigan

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Party		Votes		Seats
Labour Party		37,504 (67.1%)		13 (100.0%)
Conservative Party		16,690 (29.8%)		0 (0.0%)
Independent		1,269 (2.3%)		0 (0.0%)
Independent Socialist		468 (0.8%)		0 (0.0%)