2005 Bristol City Council election

Following the 2003 election, there was a month of dissuasions as to who would run the council before all three parties agreed to a cabinet of three Lib Dems, three Labour and two Conservative councillors, led by Lib Dem leader Barbara Janke.^[5]

On 13 October 2004 Labour leader Peter Hammond announced that they would be tabling a vote of no confidence in Janke,^[6] in relation to her role in the selection of now former councillor John Astley who had been convicted, in separate trials, of offences involving child pornography and electoral fraud.^[7] Hammond said "She [Janke] has indicated very clearly in public questions that she basically accepts no responsibility on behalf of her party for what happened. That, we think, is unacceptable."

On 28 October following the failure of the no confidence vote, the three Labour cabinet members, Hammond, Robin Moss and Helen Holland resigned. The Conservative group leader Peter Abraham told the BBC "This is a foolish, irresponsible move by the Labour Party. It is politics at its very worst, I'm ashamed of politicians who behave like this."^[8] In a council meeting on 9 November Hammond was voted in as council leader heading up a Labour minority administration.^[9]

The four seat swing from Labour marked the first time since 1983 that they had failed to be largest party on the council.

Election result

More information Party, This election ...

2005 Bristol City Council election
Party		This election				Full council			This election
		Candidates	Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Liberal Democrats	23	11	4	47.8	21	32	45.7	42,063	35.9	2.8
	Labour	23	10	4	43.5	17	27	38.6	36,740	31.3	5.0
	Conservative	23	2		8.7	9	11	15.7	27,430	23.4	1.1
	Green	19	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	9,469	8.1	2.5
	Independent	7	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	1,531	1.3	1.2
	Socialist	1	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	59	0.1	0.2
Total		96	23			47	70		117,292

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Popular vote

Liberal Democrats			35.86%
Labour			31.32%
Conservative			23.39%
Green			8.07%
Other			1.36%

Council seats

Liberal Democrats			47.83%
Labour			43.48%
Conservative			8.70%

Barbara Janke the leader of the Liberal Democrats group was duly elected leader of the council and formed a minority administration.^[11]

Swings are compared to the 2001 election when these seats were last contested.