The 1985 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 2 May 1985 in England and Wales, and Wednesday 15 May 1985 in Northern Ireland. Labour had the largest share of the vote in local council elections for the first time since 1981.
Both Conservatives and Labour lost some seats to the Liberal-SDP Alliance, who were rebuilding with the SDP under the leadership of David Owen and enjoying strong showings — including a brief lead — in the opinion polls.
Results Alan Clark, writing in his diary for 11 May 1985, shortly after the election, stated: "Some stupid prick has done a 'projection' in one of the heavies showing that the SDP will have a massive overall majority in the House of Commons.."Diaries, Alan Clark Phoenix 1994, pp 112
England
Non-metropolitan county councils
Council Previous control Result DetailsAvon gainDetailsBedfordshire ‡ holdDetailsBerkshire ‡ gainDetailsBuckinghamshire ‡ holdDetailsCambridgeshire ‡ gainDetailsCheshire holdDetailsCleveland ‡ holdDetailsCornwall ‡ gainDetailsCumbria gainDetailsDerbyshire holdDetailsDevon ‡ gainDetailsDorset ‡ holdDetailsDurham holdDetailsEast Sussex ‡ gainDetailsEssex gainDetailsGloucestershire ‡ holdDetailsHampshire gainDetailsHereford and Worcester ‡ holdDetailsHertfordshire gainDetailsHumberside gainDetailsIsle of Wight holdDetailsKent holdDetailsLancashire gainDetailsLeicestershire ‡ holdDetailsLincolnshire holdDetailsNorfolk ‡ holdDetailsNorth Yorkshire ‡ gainDetailsNorthamptonshire holdDetailsNorthumberland gainDetailsNottinghamshire holdDetailsOxfordshire ‡ gainDetailsShropshire holdDetailsSomerset gainDetailsStaffordshire holdDetailsSuffolk ‡ holdDetailsSurrey holdDetailsWarwickshire holdDetailsWest Sussex ‡ holdDetailsWiltshire ‡ gainDetails
‡ New electoral division boundaries
Sui generis
Council Previous control Result DetailsIsles of ScillyDetails
Northern Ireland
Council Previous control Result DetailsAntrim DetailsArds DetailsArmagh DetailsBallymena DetailsBallymoney DetailsBanbridge DetailsBelfast DetailsCarrickfergus DetailsCastlereagh DetailsColeraine DetailsCookstown DetailsCraigavon DetailsDerry DetailsDown DetailsDungannon DetailsFermanagh DetailsLarne DetailsLimavady DetailsLisburn DetailsMagherafelt DetailsMoyle DetailsNewry and Mourne DetailsNewtownabbey DetailsNorth Down DetailsOmagh DetailsStrabane Details
Wales
County councils
Council Previous control Result DetailsClwyd holdDetailsDyfed holdDetailsGwent holdDetailsGwynedd holdDetailsMid Glamorgan holdDetailsPowys holdDetailsSouth Glamorgan holdDetailsWest Glamorgan holdDetails
References
External links Local elections 2006. House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/26. Vote 2001 BBC News