In a similar way to how I did 1945, I did another election which I haven't really seen mapped that much, 1966. This time, I made sure to add the NI seats, too.
OTL Election maps resources thread
- Thread starter Thande
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Thande
Donor
There is a map of 1966 circulating out there, but that's a better basemap (and, as you say, most of them miss off NI; I edited some of the existing ones and added NI to make the 1955 and onwards maps here.
I ought to redo those at some point, I don't think all the National Liberal seats are correct.
Starting now with the UK's second city, Greater Manchester:
Wigan, with no change from last year on councillors elected but the Labour majorities have got larger. However UKIP ran a nearly full slate of candidates (except for the ward the Conservatives won) with 21% of the overall vote. The Standish Independents hold off a Conservative challenge but the 3 other indepenedents elected in 2011 can't hold back the red tide.
Salford has seen no real change since 2010, voteshare 48.8% 25.9% 13.9% 6.9% 2.6% 0.9%. The BNP also ran 2 candidates and got 308 votes between them or 0.32% overall.
Trafford had seen the Lib Dems in 2011 loose both of the wards they held in 2010 but bounce back in 2012 and 2014. 2015 sees a repeat of 2011 with the Conservatives holding strong in one of their two Metropolitan Boroughs, the Lib Dems lucky to get 10% where they stand a candidate (except in the two wards they previously won) and the Greens possibly costing Labour the chance of taking 2 wards.
Manchester, as Thande noted above is a Labour lockout. 58.6% 11.5% 11.1% 9.5% 7.3% 1.3%. It's the sort of result that makes you wonder who the hell can challange Labour in these sort of urban heartlands. Maybe the Greens?
Stockport - what does a Lib Dem squeeze and increased turnout give us? Tory Gains. In 2011, the Conservatives won 4 wards, in 2012 they won 2, in 2014 they won 4. This year they win 7 wards and Labour remain stationary. Story of the General Election?
Wigan, with no change from last year on councillors elected but the Labour majorities have got larger. However UKIP ran a nearly full slate of candidates (except for the ward the Conservatives won) with 21% of the overall vote. The Standish Independents hold off a Conservative challenge but the 3 other indepenedents elected in 2011 can't hold back the red tide.
Salford has seen no real change since 2010, voteshare 48.8% 25.9% 13.9% 6.9% 2.6% 0.9%. The BNP also ran 2 candidates and got 308 votes between them or 0.32% overall.
Trafford had seen the Lib Dems in 2011 loose both of the wards they held in 2010 but bounce back in 2012 and 2014. 2015 sees a repeat of 2011 with the Conservatives holding strong in one of their two Metropolitan Boroughs, the Lib Dems lucky to get 10% where they stand a candidate (except in the two wards they previously won) and the Greens possibly costing Labour the chance of taking 2 wards.
Manchester, as Thande noted above is a Labour lockout. 58.6% 11.5% 11.1% 9.5% 7.3% 1.3%. It's the sort of result that makes you wonder who the hell can challange Labour in these sort of urban heartlands. Maybe the Greens?
Stockport - what does a Lib Dem squeeze and increased turnout give us? Tory Gains. In 2011, the Conservatives won 4 wards, in 2012 they won 2, in 2014 they won 4. This year they win 7 wards and Labour remain stationary. Story of the General Election?
Alex Richards
Donor
Hambelton and Manchester form a nice pairing there in our 'opposition consists of differing views in the party' collection.
Also, I think many in Birmingham would dispute that second city designation. And Glasgow as well come to think of it.
Also, I think many in Birmingham would dispute that second city designation. And Glasgow as well come to think of it.
Thande
Donor
Excellent work. I was wondering what was going on in Greater Manchester. I will have to start putting together a North West compilation map for the ones you're doing at some point. In the meantime I have a little time now to do Yorkshire, so watch this space...
Since the two elections have the same boundaries and the percentage majority maps are available, I thought I'd do 1970 too. 
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Thande
Donor
Here it is, the compilation mega-map of Yorkshire and the Humber 2015. Compare to 2011 here.
Immediately noticeable points: Tories sweeping up independents and minor parties, Labour making slight progress in West Yorkshire but generally remaining static, majorities of both main parties flattening and spreading out slightly rather than having sharply big ones in their strongholds (as is typical of the difference between local and general election turnouts), northern Lincolnshire amazingly static, little obvious impact of UKIP (they stand out more on winner-only maps) but they are responsible for the sharp paling of majorities in South Yorkshire, York swinging against the tide stands out.
Alex Richards
Donor
Interesting.
Moving on to Nottinghamshire for a couple more:
-Ashfield: Under new ward boundaries this year, and for a while it was talked about as another potential area where the Lib Dems could gain relative to 2011. In the event they lost one seat to Labour net, but a single percentage point swing would have doubled the number of seats the party got so such an idea was not completely groundless. There's some good targets here and this is one area where the party should be able to mount an immediate fightback rather than continuing with a rear-guard action. Between that and the Conservative's reappearance in Hucknall Ashfield remains the most interesting council in the East Midlands by far.
-Bassetlaw: Interestingly enough the council switched over to full council elections this year, albeit on the same boundaries, making direct comparison a little tricky, but no real change here in any case. The Tories are still struggling to make any real inroads into areas they held prior to 2010, and UKIP have had some decent second places in Worksop in particular.
Moving on to Nottinghamshire for a couple more:
-Ashfield: Under new ward boundaries this year, and for a while it was talked about as another potential area where the Lib Dems could gain relative to 2011. In the event they lost one seat to Labour net, but a single percentage point swing would have doubled the number of seats the party got so such an idea was not completely groundless. There's some good targets here and this is one area where the party should be able to mount an immediate fightback rather than continuing with a rear-guard action. Between that and the Conservative's reappearance in Hucknall Ashfield remains the most interesting council in the East Midlands by far.
-Bassetlaw: Interestingly enough the council switched over to full council elections this year, albeit on the same boundaries, making direct comparison a little tricky, but no real change here in any case. The Tories are still struggling to make any real inroads into areas they held prior to 2010, and UKIP have had some decent second places in Worksop in particular.
Thande
Donor
Quite a contrast to 2010 for the parliamentary majorities for the seats covering Ashfield! Two absolute knife-edge majorities both increase, building in opposite directions.
Here's a redone version of the 1945 election map I did a while back, with the University seats, the NI seats, more specific Independent descriptions (for the most part) and different colours for the parties.
Thande
Donor
Indeed, which was the only one that ever voted Liberal rather than being safe Tory (though in 1945 some of the safe Tory ones went Independent instead).
As I always like to point out, this was an era in which Wales was more hostile to the Tories than Scotland is now. The fact the Tories did so well in Wales last month shows you how much things can change (though not necessarily in that way).
Not sure, but possibly. The one just south of Rugby was on the original thing as an Independent, but from the position I would've guessed it was Warwick and Leamington (the seat of one Sir Anthony Eden, actually). Either way, I wasn't really sure so I left it as is.
Definitely interesting to see those Labour wards becoming that much paler over the four years - I wonder if its this sort of trend that will start to panic the Labour party or is 2015 going to be a UKIP high point.
Some more of Greater Manchester to share as well
Tameside, wards won staying steady from 2011, but what the map doesn't show is that UKIP moved into a solid 3rd place in the overall vote and had some strong second places. Also surprised at the lack of Lib Dem candidates, with only one standing across the council.
Oldham - no change on wards won from 2011 but UKIP, who had won 2 wards and nearly scraped a 3rd in 2014 find themselves unable to win any wards this year.
Rochdale - All the Labour wards in 2011 which had +40% majorities now find themselves with much reduced majorities due to UKIP, who whilst failing to win a ward in Rochdale, got 25% of the overall vote. Also the Lib Dems win a ward that they hadn't won since 2010, and with a larger majority than in 2010.
Thande
Donor
Thanks. Yes, it will be interesting to see if UKIP hold together in Rotherham and Doncaster until the next elections (Rotherham all-up 2016, Doncaster all-up 2017).
Now my exam marking is nearly done I will start putting together a compilation map of the North West for your results and the East Midlands for Alex's...as well as starting on another region myself, probably the North East I think.
I've noticed that before myself!
The constituency breakdown on that map has Denton & Reddish and Ashton-under-Lyne the wrong way round, I think.