2009 United Kingdom local elections

The 2009 United Kingdom local elections were elections held to all 27 County Councils, three existing Unitary Authorities and five new Unitary Authorities, all in England, on 4 June 2009.^[2][3] The elections were due to be held on 7 May 2009, but were delayed in order to coincide with elections to the European Parliament.^[4][5]

Quick facts All 27 county councils, 7 out of 55 unitary authorities, 1 sui generis authority, and 3 directly elected mayors, First party ...

2009 United Kingdom local elections

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All 27 county councils, 7 out of 55 unitary authorities, 1 sui generis authority, and 3 directly elected mayors
First party Second party Third party   Leader David Cameron Nick Clegg Gordon Brown Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Labour Leader since 6 December 2005 18 December 2007 24 June 2007 Percentage 38%[1] 28% 23% Swing 6% 3% 1% Councils 30 1 0 Councils +/– 7 1 4 Councillors 1,531 484 178 Councillors +/– 244 2 291
County council election results
Unitary authority and mayoral elections

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The elections resulted in significant gains for the Conservatives. The party won Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire from Labour, as well as Devon and Somerset from the Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats did however win a majority in Bristol. Despite the optimism for the Conservatives in seat and council gains, their share of the vote at 38% was 6% down on 2008. That said, they had a clear 10% lead over the Liberal Democrats who achieved a respectable second place on 28%. This was the last local elections until 2024 where the Liberal Democrats polled in second place.

Labour, taking the blame in government from a worsening economic climate, soaring unemployment and the expenses scandal, lost all of its councils, with some authorities being swept clear of any Labour councillors at all. The party also performed poorly in the European elections on the same day.