Birmingham Council election, 2008
Encyclopedia
Elections to Birmingham City Council
in England
were held on 1 May 2008. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control
as it had been since 2003.
230 candidates stood in the election for the 40 seats that were contested. Five parties contested every ward
in Birmingham, the Conservatives
, Labour
, Liberal Democrats, British National Party
and the Greens
. Overall turnout across the city was 31.2%
The results saw the Conservative party gain significantly, winning 6 seats from the Labour party and Respect gain an independent
seat. The Liberal Democrats were pleased to hold all their seats. As a result the Conservative and Liberal Democrat ruling coalition increased their majority to hold 75% of the seats on the council. Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats attributed their success to below inflation council tax
rises and the national unpopularity of the Labour government.
After the election, the composition of the council was
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
were held on 1 May 2008. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control
No overall control
Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...
as it had been since 2003.
230 candidates stood in the election for the 40 seats that were contested. Five parties contested every ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
in Birmingham, the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, Liberal Democrats, British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
and the Greens
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. Overall turnout across the city was 31.2%
The results saw the Conservative party gain significantly, winning 6 seats from the Labour party and Respect gain an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
seat. The Liberal Democrats were pleased to hold all their seats. As a result the Conservative and Liberal Democrat ruling coalition increased their majority to hold 75% of the seats on the council. Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats attributed their success to below inflation council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
rises and the national unpopularity of the Labour government.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
49 - LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
36 - Liberal Democrat 32
- Respect – The Unity Coalition 3