1974 United Kingdom local elections

Local elections were held in the United Kingdom in 1974, during the life of the minority Labour government of Harold Wilson. Elections were held in all the boroughs of London.^[1]^[2]

The number of councillors was increased, enabling all of the three largest parties to make net gains in council seats. Labour gained 544 seats and had 10,325 councillors after the elections. The Conservatives gained 393 seats, leaving them with 8,102 councillors. The Liberals gained 47 seats, giving them a total of 1,474 councillors.

In terms of council control in London, Labour won 18 councils, the Conservatives 13. One borough, Havering, was in no overall control, having been a Labour council after the 1971 local elections. The Conservatives gained Bexley and Merton from Labour and Harrow from no overall control.

In Scotland these were the first elections for the new Regional and District councils, with people voting twice. The Scottish National Party did not do particularly well compared with their performance in the two general elections that year. Labour won a majority in Strathclyde and Fife regions.

Summary of results

England

London boroughs

Council	Previous control		Result
Barking style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Barnet style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Bexley style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative gain	Details
Brent style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Bromley style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Camden style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Croydon style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Ealing style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Enfield style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Greenwich style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Hackney style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Hammersmith style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Haringey style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Harrow style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative gain	Details
Havering style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control gain	Details
Hillingdon style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Hounslow style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Islington style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Kensington and Chelsea style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Kingston upon Thames style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Lambeth style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Lewisham style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Merton style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative gain	Details
Newham style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Redbridge style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Richmond upon Thames style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Southwark style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Sutton style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details
Tower Hamlets style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Waltham Forest style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Wandsworth style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \|	Labour hold	Details
Westminster style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" \|	Conservative hold	Details

Scotland

District councils

Council	Previous control		Result
Aberdeen #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Angus #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Annandale and Eskdale #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Argyll† #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Badenoch and Strathspey #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Banff and Buchan #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Bearsden and Milngavie #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Berwickshire #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch† #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Caithness #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Clackmannan #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Clydebank #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Cumbernauld† #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FDF38E;" data-sort-value="Scottish National Party" \|	SNP	Details
Cumnock and Doon Valley #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Cunninghame #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Dumbarton #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Dundee #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Dunfermline #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
East Kilbride #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
East Lothian #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Eastwood #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Edinburgh #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Ettrick and Lauderdale #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Falkirk #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Glasgow #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Gordon #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Hamilton #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Inverclyde #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Inverness #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Kilmarnock and Loudoun #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Kincardine and Deeside #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Kirkcaldy #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Kyle and Carrick #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Lanark #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Lochaber #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Merrick† #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Midlothian #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Monklands #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Moray #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Motherwell #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Nairn #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Nithsdale #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
North East Fife #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Perth and Kinross #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Renfrew #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Ross and Cromarty #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Roxburgh #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Skye and Lochalsh #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Stewartry #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Stirling #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Sutherland #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Tweeddale #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
West Lothian #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details

†Four districts were renamed shortly after the elections. Argyll became Argyll and Bute, Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch became Strathkelvin, Cumbernauld became Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and Merrick became Wigtown.

Regional councils

Council	Previous control		Result
Borders #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Central #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Dumfries and Galloway #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Fife #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Grampian #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservative Party" \|	Conservative	Details
Highland #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Lothian #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Orkney #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Shetland #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details
Strathclyde #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" \|	Labour	Details
Tayside #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: black;" data-sort-value="No overall control" \|	No overall control	Details
Western Isles #DCDCDC	New Council style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" \|	Independent	Details

References

^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Local Elections Handbook 1974. The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
^ "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.

Local elections 2006. House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/26.

[1] Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Local Elections Handbook 1974. The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.

[2] "Council compositions". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 3 May 2016.

[1]

[2]

v t e (1973 ←) 1974 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1975)
London boroughs	Barking Barnet Bexley Brent Bromley Camden Croydon Ealing Enfield Greenwich Hackney Hammersmith Haringey Harrow Havering Hillingdon Hounslow Islington Kensington and Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Lambeth Lewisham Merton Newham Redbridge Richmond upon Thames Southwark Sutton Tower Hamlets Waltham Forest Wandsworth Westminster
District councils (Scotland)	Aberdeen Angus Annandale and Eskdale Argyll Badenoch and Strathspey Banff and Buchan Bearsden and Milngavie Berwickshire Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch Caithness Clackmannan Clydebank Cumbernauld Cumnock and Doon Valley Cunninghame Dumbarton Dundee Dunfermline East Kilbride East Lothian Eastwood Edinburgh Ettrick and Lauderdale Falkirk Glasgow Gordon Hamilton Inverclyde Inverness Kilmarnock and Loudoun Kincardine and Deeside Kirkcaldy Kyle and Carrick Lanark Lochaber Merrick Midlothian Monklands Moray Motherwell Nairn Nithsdale North East Fife Perth and Kinross Renfrew Ross and Cromarty Roxburgh Skye and Lochalsh Stewartry Stirling Sutherland Tweeddale West Lothian
Regional councils (Scotland)	Borders Central Dumfries and Galloway Fife Grampian Highland Lothian Orkney Shetland Strathclyde Tayside Western Isles
See also: UK General election (Feb) UK General election (Oct)

v t e Elections and referendums in the United Kingdom
General elections	1801 1802 1806 1807 1812 1818 1820 1826 1830 1831 1832 1835 1837 1841 1847 1852 1857 1859 1865 1868 1874 1880 1885 1886 1892 1895 1900 1906 1910 (Jan) 1910 (Dec) 1918 1922 1923 1924 1929 1931 1935 1945 1950 1951 1955 1959 1964 1966 1970 1974 (Feb) 1974 (Oct) 1979 1983 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Next
Local elections	1889 1890 1892 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
European elections	1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019
Referendums	1975 2011 2016