Byelections June-December 1985

[Davıd Boothroyd]

The latest instalment of a look back on mid-1980s local government byelections.

Date	Authority	Division/Ward	Result	Maj %	Runner-up	T'out %	Notes
6 June 1985	Grampian	Peterhead East	SNP hold	29.0	C	23.0
6 June 1985	Hackney	Wenlock	L hold	28.0	Lab	35.0
6 June 1985	Manchester	Ardwick	Lab hold	46.0	L	20.0
6 June 1985	Northumberland	Seaton	Lab hold	25.0	L	43.0
6 June 1985	Sefton	Dukes	C hold	10.0	L	36.0
13 June 1985	Greater Manchester	Ashton-under-Lyne No 2	Lab hold	40.0	L	26.0	No C candidate
13 June 1985	Motherwell	Newarthill/Carfin No 29	Lab hold	51.0	SNP	49.0
13 June 1985	Reigate and Banstead	Reigate South Central	L gain from C	2.5	C	34.0
13 June 1985	Strathclyde	Clydesdale	Lab hold	28.0	SNP	37.0
13 June 1985	Torbay	St Michael's with Goodrington	L gain from C	22.0	C	35.0
13 June 1985	Vale of White Horse	Sunningwell and Wootton	L gain from C	11.5	C	39.0
14 June 1985	Lancashire	St Annes South	L hold	12.5	C	45.0
20 June 1985	Arfon	Bangor North No 1	L hold	56.0	Lab	17.0	Student ward; byelection after term ended
20 June 1985	Arfon	Bangor South No 3	SDP gain from Lab	45.0	Lab	27.0	Student ward; byelection after term ended
20 June 1985	Aylesbury Vale	Grendon Underwood	C hold	18.0	L	45.0
20 June 1985	Bedfordshire	Caddington and Slip End	C hold	22.0	L	44.0
20 June 1985	East Staffordshire	Uttoxeter Town	Lab gain from L	5.0	C	36.0
20 June 1985	King's Lynn and West Norfolk	Dersingham	C hold	1.5	SDP	53.0
20 June 1985	North Dorset	Gillingham Wyke	Ind hold	7.0	SDP	34.0
20 June 1985	Rochdale	Central and Fallinge	Lab gain from L	2.5	L	43.0
20 June 1985	Rother	Etchingham and Hurst Green	L gain from C	8.0	C	43.0
20 June 1985	Rother	Gustling and Pett	C gain from Ind	3.5	L	37.0
20 June 1985	South Staffordshire	Wombourne South East	L gain from C	7.0	C	34.0
20 June 1985	Wimborne	Vale of Allen	L hold	32.0	Ind	34.0
27 June 1985	Allerdale	Salterbeck	Lab hold	Unop
27 June 1985	Arun	Felpham West	C hold	30.0	L	25.0
27 June 1985	Arun	Walberton	C hold	30.0	L	30.0
27 June 1985	Braintree	Castle Hedingham	L gain from C	2.0	Ind	36.0
27 June 1985	Brent	Willesden Green	Lab hold	62.0	C	41.0
27 June 1985	Chiltern	Amersham Common	SDP gain from C	11.0	C	36.0
27 June 1985	Greater London Council	Battersea North	Lab hold	57.0	SDP	24.0	No C candidate
27 June 1985	King's Lynn and West Norfolk	Wissey	C gain from SDP	36.0	Lab	34.0	SDP candidate missed nomination deadline
27 June 1985	Kirklees	Dalton	L gain from Lab	6.0	Lab	44.0
27 June 1985	Penwith	Penzance West	C gain from Ind	2.0	Lab	55.0
27 June 1985	Perth and Kinross	Ochil	C gain from Ind	3.5	SNP	34.0
27 June 1985	Shepway	Dymchurch	L gain from C	42.0	C	34.0
27 June 1985	Shepway	Folkestone East	L gain from Lab	25.0	Lab	36.0
27 June 1985	Shepway	New Romney	L gain from C	9.0	C	31.0
27 June 1985	Taunton Deane	Holway	SDP gain from C	16.0	C	40.0
27 June 1985	Teignbridge	Kingsteinton West	L hold	15.0	Lab	28.0
27 June 1985	Wandsworth	St John	Lab hold	34.0	C	32.0
4 July 1985	Broxbourne	Cheshunt Central	C hold	5.5	L	34.0
4 July 1985	Broxbourne	Rosedale	SDP gain from C	8.0	C	39.0
4 July 1985	Chesterfield	Old Wittington	Lab hold	32.0	L	44.0
4 July 1985	Derwentside	Elmfield and Dipton	Lab hold	Unop
4 July 1985	Derwentside	Medomsley and Ebchester	Lab hold	2.0	Ind	41.0
4 July 1985	Kingswood	Hanham Abbotts	L gain from C	13.0	C	50.0
4 July 1985	Rossendale	Greenfield	Lab gain from C	23.0	C	48.0
4 July 1985	Rossendale	Helmshore	C hold	4.5	Lab	44.0
4 July 1985	Sandwell	Newton	L hold	28.0	Lab	30.0
4 July 1985	Sheffield	Broomhill (2)	Lab gain 2 from C	2.5	C	34.0
4 July 1985	Sheffield	Park	Lab hold	76.0	C	19.0
4 July 1985	Sunderland	Washington East	Lab hold	36.0	L	26.0
4 July 1985	Thanet	Beacon Road	L gain from C	7.0	C	45.0
11 July 1985	Angus	No 13	SNP hold	6.0	L	46.0
11 July 1985	Bexley	Bostall	C hold	7.0	L	43.0
11 July 1985	Broxtowe	Strelly and Trowell	SDP gain from C	12.0	C	58.0
11 July 1985	Erewash	Ilkeston North	Lab hold	48.0	C	28.0	Caused by resignation after criminal conviction
11 July 1985	Greater London Council	Putney	Lab hold	27.0	L	22.0	No C candidate
11 July 1985	Greater London Council	Romford	C hold	14.0	Lab	30.0
11 July 1985	Greater London Council	Vauxhall	L gain from Lab	4.0	Lab	24.0	No C candidate
11 July 1985	Harborough	Kibworth	C gain from Ind	6.5	L	37.0
11 July 1985	Maidstone	East	L hold	43.0	C	24.0
11 July 1985	Nottingham	Basford	Lab gain from C	7.0	C	45.0	Lab improved tiny majority on council
11 July 1985	Redditch	Abbey	Lab hold	1.0	L	44.0
11 July 1985	Rochford	Hullbridge Riverside	Lab gain from C	7.0	L	38.0
11 July 1985	Rochford	St Andrews	Lab gain from C	5.0	C	46.0
11 July 1985	South Derbyshire	Stanton and Newhall	Lab hold	15.0	L	23.0
11 July 1985	West Midlands	Sparkbrook	Lab hold	38.0	Ind	31.0
18 July 1985	Kirklees	Spen	Lab gain from SDP	20.0	SDP	33.0
18 July 1985	Lewisham	St Andrews	C hold	7.0	L	45.0
18 July 1985	Malvern Hills	Link	L gain from C	25.0	C	35.0
18 July 1985	Malvern Hills	Trinity	SDP gain from C	37.0	C	33.0
18 July 1985	Nottinghamshire	Pleasby Hill and Broomhill	SDP gain from Lab	25.0	Lab	46.0	Mining area; Lab candidate criticised
18 July 1985	Ogwr	Porthcawl	Lab gain from C	3.0	C	42.0
18 July 1985	Oldham	Failsworth West	Lab hold	18.5	SDP	38.0
18 July 1985	South Herefordshire	Hollington	L gain from Ind	16.0	Ind	49.0
18 July 1985	Tower Hamlets	Spitalfields	Lab hold	1.0	Ind	35.0
18 July 1985	Wokingham	Little Hungerford	L gain from C	24.0	C	29.0
25 July 1985	Ashfield	Sutton-in-Ashfield East	L gain from Lab	1.0	Lab	31.0
25 July 1985	Hampshire	Downland	L hold	20.0	C	60.0
25 July 1985	Reading	Battle	Lab hold	9.0	SDP	30.0
25 July 1985	North Wiltshire	Laycock	L gain from C	22.0	C	52.0
25 July 1985	Test Valley	Kings Sombourne and Michelmersh	SDP gain from C	1.5	C	53.0
1 August 1985	Brent	Sudbury	C hold	16.0	L	41.0
1 August 1985	East Devon	Clystbeare	C hold	7.0	L	45.0
1 August 1985	Fareham	Sarisbury	L hold	28.0	C	40.0
1 August 1985	Harrogate	Starbeck	L gain from Ind	19.0	C	31.0
1 August 1985	Larnbeth	Larkhall	Lab hold	27.0	SDP	33.0
1 August 1985	Wealden	Crowborough East	L gain from C	26.0	C	28.0
8 August 1985	Charnwood	Sileby	C hold	15.0	Lab	33.0
8 August 1985	East Yorkshire	Hildethorpe	SDP gain from C	20.0	C	49.0	Local controversy over redevelopment; Ind C candidate stood
15 August 1985	Ashford	Stanhope	SDP gain from Lab	7.0	Lab	23.0	BNP candidate obtained 1 vote
15 August 1985	Glasgow	Cowlairs	Lab hold	6.0	SNP	19.0
15 August 1985	Southwark	Riverside	L gain from Ind Lab	34.0	Lab	41.0
22 August 1985	Great Grimsby	West	SDP gain from Lab	3.0	Lab	51.0	Sitting Lab councillor disqualified over illegal election expenses
22 August 1985	Harrogate	Harlow	L gain from Whig	13.0	C	39.0
22 August 1985	Mendip	Keyford	L gain from Lab	48.0	Lab	17.0
22 August 1985	Ryedale	Rillington	Ind hold	90.0	Lab	39.0
29 August 1985	Bolton	Hulton Park	L gain from C	8.0	C	44.0
5 September 1985	Brecknock	Ystradgynlais	Lab hold	62.5	L	74.0
5 September 1985	Fylde	Ashton	C gain from RA	6.0	L	36.0
5 September 1985	Greater Manchester	Prestwich	Lab hold	25.0	SDP	19.0
5 September 1985	Lliw Valley	Rhyndwyclydach	Lab hold	9.0	SDP	40.0
5 September 1985	Salisbury	Harnham	L hold	9.0	C	37.0
5 September 1985	Thanet	Margate West	L gain from C	7.0	C	40.0
5 September 1985	Wellingborough	Woolaston	C hold	30.0	Lab	39.0
12 September 1985	Dartford	Wilmington East	C hold	9.0	Lab	49.0
12 September 1985	Kent	Dartford South West	Lab hold	5.0	C	49.0
12 September 1985	Stockton-on-Tees	Mandale	SDP gain from Lab	10.5	Lab	41.0	Lab lost overall majority
12 September 1985	Tower Hamlets	Blackwall	Lab hold	8.0	SDP	38.0
19 September 1985	Beverley	Springfield	L gain from C	32.0	C	38.0
19 September 1985	Canterbury	St Stephens	L gain from C	11.0	C	41.0
19 September 1985	Chesterfield	Rother	Lab hold	43.0	L	32.0
19 September 1985	Gedling	Woodthorpe	C hold	16.0	SDP	37.0
19 September 1985	Lancaster	Castle	Lab hold	8.5	L	43.0
19 September 1985	Lancaster	Skerton East	Lab hold	53.0	C	25.0
19 September 1985	Nottinghamshire	Bramcote and Stapleford East	SDP gain from C	3.0	C	44.0
19 September 1985	Tynedale	Haydon	Lab gain from Ind	17.0	L	42.0
19 September 1985	Woodspring	Clevedon West	SDP gain from C	3.5	C	40.0
26 September 1985	Arfon	No 11	PC gain from Ind	9.0	Ind	40.0
26 September 1985	Basingstoke and Deane	Norden	Lab hold	32.0	C	30.0
26 September 1985	Basingstoke and Deane	Overton	L gain from Lab	11.5	Lab	57.0
26 September 1985	Carrick	Boscawen	L gain from Ind	18.0	C	33.0
26 September 1985	Havering	Rainham	L hold	52.0	Lab	36.0
26 September 1985	High Peak	All Saints	Lab hold	22.0	SDP	38.0
26 September 1985	Horsham	Forest	SDP gain from C	4.5	C	28.0	SDP candidate called 'Dr Owen'
26 September 1985	Horsham	Southwater	L gain from C	20.0	C	35.0
26 September 1985	Hounslow	East Bedfont	SDP gain from Lab	6.0	Lab	39.0	Sitting Lab councillor resigned after deselection
26 September 1985	Lewes	Seaford Central	SDP gain from C	2.0	C	42.0
26 September 1985	Mid Sussex	East Grinstead North	SDP gain from C	21.0	C	38.0
26 September 1985	Newcastle upon Tyne	Castle	L hold	22.0	C	49.0
26 September 1985	Newcastle upon Tyne	Heaton	Lab hold	3.0	C	43.0
26 September 1985	Newcastle upon Tyne	Moorside	Lab hold	34.0	C	17.0
26 September 1985	Northampton	St Alban	Lab hold	15.0	C	27.0
26 September 1985	Northampton	Weston	C hold	32.0	SDP	31.0
26 September 1985	Solihull	St Alphege	C hold	13.0	SDP	32.0
26 September 1985	South Staffordshire	Codsall South	L gain from C	1.0	C	37.0
26 September 1985	Staffordshire	Codsall	SDP gain from C	7.0	C	31.0
26 September 1985	Stockport	Bredbury	L hold	43.0	C	45.0
26 September 1985	Three Rivers	Ashridge	SDP gain from Lab	31.0	Lab	46.0
26 September 1985	Waveney	Carlton	C hold	3.0	L	29.0
26 September 1985	Waveney	Wainford	C hold	8.0	SDP	32.0
26 September 1985	West Dorset	Yetminster and Chetnole	L gain from C	7.0	Ind	61.0
26 September 1985	Westminster	Church Street	Lab hold	32.0	SDP	41.0
26 September 1985	Wolverhampton	Wednesfield South	Lab hold	12.0	SDP	47.0
3 October 1985	Arun	Hotham	L gain from C	18.0	C	28.0
3 October 1985	Copeland	Mirehouse East	Lab hold	55.6	L	32.0
3 October 1985	Gillingham	North	L gain from Lab	7.0	C	39.0
3 October 1985	Grampian	Aberdeen Machair	Lab gain from L	4.8	L	29.0
3 October 1985	Hinckley and Bosworth	Barlestone	SDP gain from C	31.7	C	48.0
3 October 1985	Lancaster	Silverdale	C hold	9.6	Lab	46.0
3 October 1985	Lancaster	Alexandra	Lab hold	3.4	C	33.0
3 October 1985	Langbaurgh	Grange Town	Lab hold	49.4	SDP	27.0
3 October 1985	Llanelli	Ward 10	Lab hold	6.4	SDP	32.0
3 October 1985	Lothian	Murrayfield and Dean	C hold	24.5	L	38.0
3 October 1985	North Dorset	Shaftesbury Grosvenor	L hold	Unop
3 October 1985	Nottinghamshire	Mapperley	C hold	12.7	SDP	34.0
3 October 1985	Wansdyke	Westfield	Lab gain from C	26.9	C	36.0
3 October 1985	Wiltshire	Swindon Freshbrook	SDP gain from Lab	7.1	Lab	38.0
10 October 1985	Neath	Coedffranc North	SDP gain from Lab	20.7	Lab	53.0
10 October 1985	Neath	Coedffranc Central	Lab hold	10.1	Com	39.2
10 October 1985	North East Derbyshire	Brampton and Walton	C hold	7.5	L	36.4
10 October 1985	Stafford	Haywood	L hold	15.4	Lab	36.0
17 October 1985	Brent	Preston	C hold	32.0	Lab	35.0
17 October 1985	Derby	Spondon	Lab gain from C	1.7	C	30.0
17 October 1985	Erewash	Ilkeston North	Lab hold	16.8	SDP	36.6
17 October 1985	Glyndwr	Denbigh West	SDP gain from Ind	48.6	Ind	20.0
17 October 1985	Preseli	Neyland	Ind hold	21.2	Lab	43.0
17 October 1985	Purbeck	Castle	L hold	11.7	C	43.8
17 October 1985	Sedgemoor	Burnham North	C hold	21.4	L	51.0
17 October 1985	West Lindsey	Ancholme Valley	C hold	1.6	L	34.0
17 October 1985	West Wiltshire	Mid Wylye Valley	C hold	5.4	L	37.8
17 October 1985	Wigan	Orrell	Lab hold	2.0	L	33.0
24 October 1985	Allerdale	Workington St Michaels	Lab hold	31.2	C	43.0
24 October 1985	Cumbria	St Bees and Gosforth	C hold	25.5	L	37.0
24 October 1985	Elmbridge	Hersham South	C hold	10.1	Ind	45.5
24 October 1985	Guildford	Ash	L gain from C	17.4	C	34.7
24 October 1985	Hyndburn	Rishton and Norden	SDP gain from C	2.5	C	55.0
24 October 1985	Luton	Saints	Lab gain from C	2.2	C	45.8
24 October 1985	Melton	Craven	L hold	26.2	C	31.0
24 October 1985	Melton	Mowbray	SDP gain from C	19.2	C	26.2
24 October 1985	Newark and Sherwood	Blidworth	Lab hold	20.7	Ind	46.1
24 October 1985	North Hertfordshire	Royston	SDP gain from C	3.5	C	32.0
24 October 1985	Northavon	Doddington North	L hold	15.4	C	31.0
24 October 1985	Portsmouth	Highland	SDP gain from C	4.7	C	36.0
24 October 1985	Southend on Sea	Belfairs	L hold	15.4	C	38.0
24 October 1985	St Albans	Batchwood	SDP hold	7.6	Lab	45.0
24 October 1985	Surrey	Hersham	L gain from C	0.1	C	42.5
24 October 1985	Test Valley	Harroway	L gain from C	3.0	C	32.0
24 October 1985	Test Valley	Alamein	SDP gain from Lab	24.9	C	30.0
24 October 1985	Thanet	St Lawrence	C hold	2.9	SDP	41.7
24 October 1985	West Oxfordshire	Standlake and Aston	C gain from Ind	20.4	L	43.6
24 October 1985	Wimborne	Wimborne Minster	Ind gain from C	3.7	SDP	33.0
31 October 1985	Dover	Buckland	Lab hold	37.9	SDP	27.8
31 October 1985	Dover	River	C hold	1.1	L	31.7
31 October 1985	Dover	Maxton and Elms Vale	L gain from C	2.9	C	47.4
31 October 1985	Kent	Dover Central	Lab hold	9.9	C	25.1
31 October 1985	Lambeth	Tulse Hill	Lab hold	39.2	C	29.5
31 October 1985	Malvern Hills	West	SDP gain from C	14.4	C	15.7
31 October 1985	Shrewsbury and Atcham	Rea Valley	C hold	16.7	L	38.8
31 October 1985	Worcester	Barnabas	Lab hold	46.7	C	36.0
31 October 1985	Wycombe	Lacey Green and The Hampden	L gain from C	2.8	C	42.8
7 November 1985	Amber Valley	Belper North	C hold	22.7	L	28.0
7 November 1985	Chichester	Petworth	L gain from C	4.6	C	33.0
7 November 1985	Dundee	Ancrum	SDP gain from C	1.6	Lab	49.3
7 November 1985	Easington	Peterlee Acre Rigg	L gain from Ind	21.8	Lab	24.3
7 November 1985	Kennet	Shalburne	Ind hold	14.1	SDP	40.6
7 November 1985	Preston	Cadley	C hold	9.5	L	47.7
7 November 1985	Sheffield	Mosborough (2)	Lab hold 2	38.0	SDP	16.3
7 November 1985	Sheffield	Birley	Lab hold	45.0	SDP	19.7
7 November 1985	South Norfolk	Long Row	C gain from Ind	16.9	L	52.0
7 November 1985	Suffolk Coastal	Hasketon	C hold	12.0	SDP	29.5
7 November 1985	Suffolk Coastal	Felixstowe East	C hold	6.6	SDP	49.5
7 November 1985	Tonbridge and Malling	Wrotham	C gain from Ind	13.6	Ind	43.6
14 November 1985	Cumbria	Warnell	L hold	2.5	C	38.0
14 November 1985	East Yorkshire	Bridlington Old Town West	SDP gain from Lab	22.8	Lab	23.0
14 November 1985	Lliw Valley	Mawr	PC gain from Lab	1.9	SDP	58.7
14 November 1985	Lliw Valley	Gowerton	Lab hold	27.2	C	26.0
14 November 1985	Oldham	St Marys	Lab hold	20.4	SDP	16.6
14 November 1985	Staffordshire	Churnet Valley	C hold	64.0	Lab	26.7
14 November 1985	Teignbridge	Abbotskerswell	L gain from Ind	52.6	Ind	28.0
14 November 1985	Teignbridge	Bovey	C hold	27.3	L	24.6
14 November 1985	Surrey Heath	St Pauls	C hold	25.9	L	37.9
19 November 1985	Wirral	Clatterbridge	C hold	25.9	L	31.0
21 November 1985	Coventry	Woodlands	L gain from Lab	18.4	Lab	26.0	First L win in Coventry since 1926 (Rob Wheway)
21 November 1985	Harrow	Roxbourne	L gain from C	2.6	C	39.7
21 November 1985	South Staffordshire	Codsall South	C hold	4.4	L	37.0
21 November 1985	Suffolk Coastal	Kesgrave	C hold	28.1	SDP	21.7
21 November 1985	Warrington	Fairfield	Lab hold	18.0	C	32.0
28 November 1985	Aberconwy	Llandudno West	Lab gain from Ind	19.3	C	35.0
28 November 1985	Blackburn	Bank Top	Lab hold	39.3	SDP	27.0
28 November 1985	Calderdale	Ryeburn	C hold	10.7	Lab	27.6
28 November 1985	Hambleton	Stokesley	L gain from C	8.8	C	40.0
28 November 1985	South Kesteven	Harrowby	Lab hold	41.6	C	25.0
28 November 1985	West Dorset	Owermoigne	SDP hold	0.6	C	24.9
5 December 1985	Blyth Valley	Isabella	L gain from Lab	3.0	Lab	29.0
5 December 1985	Blyth Valley	Seaton Delaval	SDP hold	18.4	Lab	35.0
5 December 1985	Boston	Fenside	Lab hold	8.4	L	26.8
5 December 1985	Chelmsford	Boreham and Springfield	L hold	34.6	C	21.5
5 December 1985	Christchurch	Twynham	L gain from C	13.1	C	33.3
5 December 1985	Corby	Kingswood	Lab hold	18.6	L	20.5
5 December 1985	East Cambridgeshire	Soham	SDP gain from Ind	9.6	Ind	12.5
5 December 1985	East Staffordshire	Outwoods	C hold	32.4	Lab	43.0
5 December 1985	Gwynedd	Bala	PC gain from Ind	40.8	L	59.0
5 December 1985	Lichfield	Fazeley	Lab gain from C	13.3	Ind	15.0
5 December 1985	Manchester	Levenshulme	L hold	19.6	Lab	38.0
5 December 1985	New Forest	Milton	L gain from C	4.7	C	33.6
5 December 1985	New Forest	Totton North	SDP gain from C	15.1	Ind	22.2
5 December 1985	Sefton	St. Oswalds	Lab hold	31.6	Ind	15.0
5 December 1985	Vale Royal	Wharton	L gain from Lab	34.2	Lab	19.0
5 December 1985	Windsor and Maidenhead	Hurley	SDP gain from C	4.0	C	26.3
5 December 1985	Wycombe	Little Marlow	C hold	43.7	SDP	30.0
12 December 1985	Cumbria	Appleby	C gain from Ind	5.1	L	38.0
12 December 1985	Dacorum	Tring Central	L gain from C	5.9	C	30.0
12 December 1985	East Devon	Littleham Rural	C hold	0.6	L	37.0
12 December 1985	Harrogate	Wedderburn	L gain from C	19.9	C	27.0
12 December 1985	Hinckley and Bosworth	De Montfort	L gain from C	1.9	C	25.0
12 December 1985	South Tyneside	Harton	Lab hold	29.1	SDP	17.9
12 December 1985	Vale of White Horse	Shrivenham	SDP gain from C	6.5	C	33.0
19 December 1985	Bristol	Brislington East	Lab hold	5.6	L	37.0
19 December 1985	Dover	Barton	C hold	1.8	SDP	32.0
19 December 1985	Oswestry	Sweeney	Lab gain from Ind	16.0	Ind	30.0
19 December 1985	Southwark	Liddle	Lab hold	68.7	SDP	15.5
19 December 1985	West Lothian	Deans	Lab hold	29.8	SNP	17.7
19 December 1985	West Lothian	Ladywell	SNP gain from Lab	7.0	Lab	25.6

[finsobruce]

22 August 1985 Harrogate Harlow L gain from Whig 13.0 C 39.0

The rare sighting of a Liberal gain from a Whig - Boogie take note.

I'm presuming this was the legendary Cecil Margolis, who was also a Whig county councillor at some point, and interestingly, the brother of Arthur Seldon.

[middleenglander]

There were 267 seats contested in by-elections during the 7 month period June to December 1985 with 121 (45%) changing hands.

Party	Seats defended	Seats retained	Seats gained	Seats lost	Seats won	Retention rate
Conservatives	120	49	9	71	58	41%
Labour	90	67	20	23	87	74%
Liberals	25	22	52	3	74	88%
SDP	5	3	35	2	38	60%
Nationalists	1	1	4	-	5	100%
Independents	23	4	1	19	5	17%
Others	3	-	-	3	-	0%
Total	267	146	121	121	267	55%

Conservatives gained 7 seats from Independents together with 1 each from SDP and Ratepayers
- losing 13 to Labour, 35 to Liberals, 22 to SDP ans 1 to an Independent
Labour gained 13 seats from Conservatives, 3 Liberals, 1 SDP and 3 from Independents 
- losing 10 to Liberals, 11 to SDP and 1 each to Plaid Cymru and SNP
Liberals gained 35 seats from Conservatives, 10 from Labour, 5 from Independents and 1 each to Independent Labour and a Whig
- losing 3 to Labour
SDP gained 22 seats from Conservatives, 11 from Labour and 2 from Independents
- losing 1 each to Conservatives and Labour
Independents gained 1 seat from Conservatives
- losing 7 to Conservatives, 3 to Labour, 5 to Liberals and 2 to both Independents and Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru gained 2 seats from Independents and 1 from Labour whilst SNP gained a seat from Labour
Ratepayers, Independent Labour and a Whig lost the seats they were defending

This period covers the 17 months to 2 years ahead of the 1987 General Election, broadly the same time before a 2015 election.

[ColinJ]

Nov 3, 2013 19:58:05 GMT @trident said:

It is striking how well the Alliance were doing at that time - they were picking up a couple of seats pretty much every week. Wasn't there a period during the 83-87 Parliament when the Tories were in third place in the polls?

According to Figure 1.1 in Butler and Kavanagh's The British General Election of 1987, the Conservatives were briefly in third place in the polls in March-April 1985. The period coincided with the Brixton, Handsworth and Tottenham riots and the end of the miners' strike.

[The Bishop]

The 1985 riots were in the summer/autumn of that year. And the "Alliance" led in the polls after the SDP/Liberal conferences.

Also, a Gallup poll in the summer had Labour on 40 per cent and the Tories in third on 24 - IIRC the biggest Labour-Tory lead in any survey of that parliament.

[Khunanup]

24/10/85 by election was the first time any part of my ward was represented by a Liberal/Alliance/Lib Dem councillor since before WWII. If you know anything about the geography of Portsea Island, the fact than any ward was called 'Highland' (which incidentally is entirely a descriptive name, or at least the road name it's taken from is descriptive) is hilarious!

[BossMan]

Analysing council by-elections, 1980s style:



(sorry if we've seen this)