Hull Council election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Hull Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Hull City Council
in England
. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from no overall control
. Overall turnout
was 27%.
After the election, the composition of the council was
. However by the time of the 2007 election they only had 24 seats on the council as compared to 25 for the Labour party
; with 2 Conservatives
, 6 in the independent group and 2 other independent
councillor
s making up the council. The Liberal Democrats generally received support from the Conservatives and one of the independent councillors, while Labour usually got support from the independent group. As a result the election was expected to be close with both main parties hopeful of forming the administration after the election.
All three of the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservatives parties contested the 19 seats which were up for election. There were also 11 independent, 6 Green
, 3 British National Party
and 3 United Kingdom Independence Party
candidates. An important issue in the election was poor housing in Hull, with the council planning to spend £200 million on refurbishing council properties. An important division between Labour and the Liberal Democrats was over free school meal
s, with Labour wanting to extend the 3 year long pilot scheme which saw all primary school pupils get free meals. However the Liberal Democrats planned to reintroduce charges for lunches while keeping breakfasts free.
As the Liberal Democrats were only defending 7 seats and had won the most votes in the 2006 election they were optimistic of making gains. They pointed to the fact that the council had recently received a second star in the council performance ratings, and were also seen as likely to benefit due to the unpopularity of the national Labour Prime Minister
Tony Blair
, with even the Labour leader on the council saying that "the sooner he goes, the better". The Liberal Democrats targeted the Labour held wards
of Drypool
, Ings, Newington, Pickering and Sutton, as well as Derringham where the independent councillor Clare Page stood down at the election.
The Liberal Democrat gains included all 6 wards which they had been targeting, with the results seen as a reflection on the Labour party nationally. The result was welcomed by the national Liberal Democrat leader, Menzies Campbell
, who described the result in Hull as "tremendous".
This was the first time any party had a majority on the council since 2002 and also the first time that the Liberal Democrats had ever won a majority in Hull. Meanwhile Labour, on 20 seats after the election, were in their worst position on the council for nearly 40 years. Following the election defeat the leader of the Labour group on the council, Ken Branson, stood down as leader and was succeeded by Steve Brady.
No elections were held in Bricknell, Southcoates East, Southcoates West and St Andrews wards.
Hull City Council
Hull City Council is the governing body for the unitary authority and city of Kingston upon Hull. It was created in 1972 as the successor to the Corporation of Hull, which was also known as Hull Corporation....
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...
. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats gained overall control of the council from 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...
. Overall turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 27%.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- Liberal Democrat 30
- 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...
20 - IndependentIndependent (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...
7 - 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...
2
Campaign
Before the election the Liberal Democrats had run the council as a minority administration since the 2006 electionHull Council election, 2006
The 2006 Hull Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Hull City Council in England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control...
. However by the time of the 2007 election they only had 24 seats on the council as compared to 25 for the Labour party
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...
; with 2 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...
, 6 in the independent group and 2 other 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...
councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s making up the council. The Liberal Democrats generally received support from the Conservatives and one of the independent councillors, while Labour usually got support from the independent group. As a result the election was expected to be close with both main parties hopeful of forming the administration after the election.
All three of the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservatives parties contested the 19 seats which were up for election. There were also 11 independent, 6 Green
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...
, 3 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 3 United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
candidates. An important issue in the election was poor housing in Hull, with the council planning to spend £200 million on refurbishing council properties. An important division between Labour and the Liberal Democrats was over free school meal
Free school meal
A Free School Meal, provided to a child or young person during a school break, is paid for by Government. For a child to qualify for a Free School Meal, their parent or carer must be receiving particular qualifying benefits as stated by Government...
s, with Labour wanting to extend the 3 year long pilot scheme which saw all primary school pupils get free meals. However the Liberal Democrats planned to reintroduce charges for lunches while keeping breakfasts free.
As the Liberal Democrats were only defending 7 seats and had won the most votes in the 2006 election they were optimistic of making gains. They pointed to the fact that the council had recently received a second star in the council performance ratings, and were also seen as likely to benefit due to the unpopularity of the national Labour Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, with even the Labour leader on the council saying that "the sooner he goes, the better". The Liberal Democrats targeted the Labour held wards
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:...
of Drypool
Drypool
Drypool is an area within the city of Kingston upon Hull, EnglandHistorically Drypool was a village, manor and later parish on the east bank River Hull at the confluence of the Humber Estuary and River Hull, it is now part of the greater urban area of Kingston upon Hull, and gives its name to a...
, Ings, Newington, Pickering and Sutton, as well as Derringham where the independent councillor Clare Page stood down at the election.
Election result
The results saw the Liberal Democrats gain 6 seats, including 5 from Labour, to hold 30 seats and thus win a majority on the council.The Liberal Democrat gains included all 6 wards which they had been targeting, with the results seen as a reflection on the Labour party nationally. The result was welcomed by the national Liberal Democrat leader, Menzies Campbell
Menzies Campbell
Sir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record...
, who described the result in Hull as "tremendous".
This was the first time any party had a majority on the council since 2002 and also the first time that the Liberal Democrats had ever won a majority in Hull. Meanwhile Labour, on 20 seats after the election, were in their worst position on the council for nearly 40 years. Following the election defeat the leader of the Labour group on the council, Ken Branson, stood down as leader and was succeeded by Steve Brady.
Ward results
No elections were held in Bricknell, Southcoates East, Southcoates West and St Andrews wards.