Scottish regional elections, 1982

Scottish regional elections, 1982

6 May 1982

First party Second party   Leader Michael Foot Margaret Thatcher Party Labour Conservative Leader since 10 November 1980 11 February 1975 Seats won 186 119 Percentage 37.6 25.1   Third party Fourth party   Leader David Steel Gordon Wilson Party SDP–Liberal Alliance SNP Leader since 1976 15 September 1979 Seats won 25 23 Percentage 18.1 13.4

Colours denote the winning party with outright control

Results by ward

Regional elections were held in Scotland on Thursday 6 May 1982, as part of the wider 1982 United Kingdom local elections. Whilst the 1982 elections saw the Conservatives hold up relatively well in England, the Tories did comparatively poorly in Scotland, where their already disadvantageous position worsened. The Conservatives did particularly poorly in Strathclyde, where the Conservative group leader lost his seat.^[1]

Despite this poor performance, the Conservatives were actually seen as doing somewhat well in the overall Scottish context; the Conservative vote had, prior to the election, been languishing around 18% in Scotland. This was somewhat credited to a modest "Falkland Effect;" a surge in Conservative support due to their handling of the ongoing Falklands War.^[2]

The SDP-Liberal Alliance managed to displace the SNP into fourth place, although this increase in support ultimately did not translate into major seat gains due to the FPTP nature of the ward electoral system.^[2]

Also notable was the success of candidates in the Shetlands supportive of Home Rule for the islands, who wished for something similar to that enjoyed by the Faroe Islands. Whilst no candidates appeared on the ballot as members of the Shetland Movement (all Shetland candidates were independents), the Shetland Movement did publish a list of candidates supportive of Shetland Home Rule. Ultimately, of the 25 members of the Shetland council, 14 were supporters of the movement.^[3]

National results

Summary of the 1982 Scottish regional council election results^[4]

Parties		Votes	Votes %	Wards
	Labour		37.6	186
	SNP		13.4	23
	Conservative		25.1	119
	SDP–Liberal Alliance		18.1	25
	Independent		5.1	87
	Other
Total

Results by council area

Council	Labour	Conservative	SNP	SDP-Liberal Alliance	Independent	Other	Turnout	Control		Details
Borders‡	0	8	0	3	12	0	41.1%		Independent hold	Details
Central‡	22	4	5	1	2	0	44.7%		Labour hold	Details
Dumfries and Galloway‡	4	4	3	2	22	0	39.0%		Independent hold	Details
Fife‡	27	10	1	4	2	1	43.2%		Labour hold	Details
Grampian‡	15	28	3	6	2	0	34.3%		Conservative Hold	Details
Highland‡	5	1	2	2	42	0	41.0%		Independent Hold	Details
Lothian‡	22	22	1	3	1	0	47.6%		No overall control Gain from Labour	Details
Orkney‡									Independent Hold	Details
Shetland‡	1	0	0	0	10	14			Independent Hold	Details
Strathclyde‡	79	15	3	4	2	0	42.4%		Labour Hold	Details
Tayside‡	12	27	5	0	2	0	45.3%		Conservative Hold	Details
Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)‡									Independent Hold	Details

References

1. "Scots spurn Tories as apathy again hits polls". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1982. p. 12.
2. Towards a Four Party System: The Regional Elections of 1982, p.78-82
3. "Shetland home rulers returned". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1982. p. 12.
4. McConnell, Alan (2004), Scottish Local Government, Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 978-0-7486-2005-0