
The1988 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 1988 to elect members ofBolton Metropolitan Borough Council inGreater Manchester, England. One third of the council was up for election and theLabour Party kept overall control of the council.
20 seats were contested in the election: 14 were won by theLabour Party, 5 by theConservative Party, and 1 by theLiberal Democrats. After the election, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 14 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 49.7 | 40,411 | +8.6 | ||
| Conservative | 5 | 0 | 0 | +0 | 33.2 | 26,992 | -2.6 | ||
| SLD | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 13.9 | 11,315 | -8.4 | ||
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 2,648 | +2.3 | |||
Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 38 | 16 | 6 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 39 | 16 | 5 |
| Labour | Conservative | L |
LD – Liberal Democrats
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | M Higham | 2,150 | 47.1 | −7.6 | |
| Labour | G Dennis | 2,002 | 43.8 | +14.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | M Langdon | 417 | 9.1 | −6.6 | |
| Majority | 148 | 3.2 | −21.9 | ||
| Turnout | 4,569 | 43.0 | −5.3 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | Con to Labour 10.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | E Johnson | 1,786 | 43.2 | +6.2 | |
| Conservative | J Barrow | 1,427 | 34.6 | +0.2 | |
| Independent Labour | L Watkinson | 603 | 14.6 | +4.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | C Kay | 314 | 7.6 | −10.5 | |
| Majority | 359 | 8.7 | +6.2 | ||
| Turnout | 4,130 | 49.0 | +2.6 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | W Hall | 2,056 | 51.0 | −4.5 | |
| Labour | E Collett | 1,318 | 32.7 | +9.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | A Steele | 657 | 16.3 | −4.8 | |
| Majority | 738 | 18.3 | −13.8 | ||
| Turnout | 4,031 | 36.3 | −5.7 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | LD to Labour -7.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | K MacIvor | 2,582 | 63.7 | +15.4 | |
| Conservative | P Jones | 1,144 | 28.2 | −7.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | S Vickers | 327 | 8.1 | −7.7 | |
| Majority | 1,528 | 35.5 | +23.2 | ||
| Turnout | 4,305 | 38.9 | −2.0 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | Con to Labour -11.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | N Critchley | 2,230 | 47.3 | −7.0 | |
| Independent | S Scotland | 1,249 | 26.5 | +26.5 | |
| Labour | P Entwistle | 940 | 19.9 | −5.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | A Halliwell | 294 | 6.2 | −14.4 | |
| Majority | 981 | 20.8 | −8.3 | ||
| Turnout | 4,713 | 45.2 | −2.5 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | D Eastwood | 2,156 | 62.1 | +9.7 | |
| Conservative | E Holland | 1,022 | 29.4 | −3.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | L Easterman | 296 | 8.5 | −5.8 | |
| Majority | 1,134 | 32.6 | +13.6 | ||
| Turnout | 3,474 | 40.0 | −3.6 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 7.7 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | R Howarth | 2,379 | 76.6 | +8.8 | |
| Conservative | M Kershaw | 517 | 16.7 | −3.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | S Howarth | 209 | 6.7 | −5.1 | |
| Majority | 1,862 | 60.0 | +12.7 | ||
| Turnout | 3,105 | 39.1 | −2.2 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 6.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | T Anderton | 2,509 | 69.2 | +12.3 | |
| Conservative | F Hunter | 954 | 26.3 | −4.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | R Ronson | 163 | 4.5 | −6.1 | |
| Majority | 1,555 | 42.9 | +16.4 | ||
| Turnout | 3,626 | 41.1 | −3.1 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 9.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | F Rushton | 2,882 | 58.0 | −0.4 | |
| Labour | P Spencer | 1,552 | 31.2 | +9.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | A Kay | 534 | 10.7 | −9.3 | |
| Majority | 1,330 | 26.8 | −10.0 | ||
| Turnout | 4,968 | 38.1 | −7.4 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | LD to Labour 9.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J Foster | 2,882 | 78.7 | +5.9 | |
| Conservative | W Ingham | 445 | 12.2 | −4.8 | |
| Independent Labour | S Graeme | 174 | 4.8 | +4.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | K Barnes | 159 | 4.3 | −5.9 | |
| Majority | 2,437 | 66.6 | +10.9 | ||
| Turnout | 3,660 | 39.4 | −4.6 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 5.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J Wild | 2,320 | 76.1 | +11.0 | |
| Conservative | C Adams | 493 | 16.2 | −4.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | L Sanderson | 236 | 7.7 | −6.7 | |
| Majority | 1,826 | 59.9 | +15.2 | ||
| Turnout | 3,050 | 32.7 | −3.3 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 8.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | E Hamer | 2,740 | 66.8 | +16.7 | |
| Conservative | R Pryce | 835 | 20.4 | −2.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | D Eccles | 524 | 12.8 | −14.1 | |
| Majority | 1,905 | 46.5 | +23.3 | ||
| Turnout | 4,099 | 43.0 | −3.3 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 15.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J Boardman | 2,346 | 69.8 | +10.5 | |
| Conservative | C Churchman | 736 | 21.9 | +0.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | G Willis | 279 | 8.3 | −11.2 | |
| Majority | 1,610 | 47.9 | +9.8 | ||
| Turnout | 3,361 | 32.5 | −8.1 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | E Walker | 2,551 | 46.1 | +7.3 | |
| Conservative | C Rigg | 1,916 | 29.6 | +0.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | P Houghton | 1,005 | 18.2 | −14.0 | |
| Independent Labour | M Perks | 340 | 6.1 | +6.1 | |
| Majority | 913 | 16.5 | +9.9 | ||
| Turnout | 5,534 | 48.5 | −4.5 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 10.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | C Higson | 2,070 | 46.8 | +3.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | P Mather | 1,181 | 26.7 | −10.4 | |
| Labour | P Perry | 1,173 | 26.5 | +6.6 | |
| Majority | 889 | 20.1 | +14.3 | ||
| Turnout | 4,424 | 37.3 | −11.0 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | LD to Labour -8.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | J Alker | 2,489 | 62.3 | +13.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | J Rothwell | 852 | 21.3 | −14.2 | |
| Conservative | N Houlcroft | 569 | 14.3 | −1.0 | |
| SDP | A Howcroft | 82 | 2.1 | +2.1 | |
| Majority | 1,555 | 38.9 | +25.1 | ||
| Turnout | 3,992 | 40.3 | −5.9 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 13.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | K Cunliffe | 1,994 | 46.9 | +9.3 | |
| Conservative | J Cosgrove | 1,840 | 43.2 | −7.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | W Crook | 330 | 7.8 | −6.4 | |
| SDP | M Taylor | 91 | 2.1 | +2.1 | |
| Majority | 154 | 3.7 | |||
| Turnout | 4,255 | 45.2 | −2.4 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour +7.8 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | R Hayes | 2,237 | 47.6 | −0.8 | |
| Conservative | C Shaw | 1,623 | 34.5 | −4.2 | |
| Labour | E Boardman | 731 | 15.6 | +2.7 | |
| SDP | I Greenhalgh | 109 | 2.3 | +2.3 | |
| Majority | 614 | 13.1 | +3.4 | ||
| Turnout | 4,700 | 53.8 | −1.1 | ||
| Liberal Democratshold | Swing | Con to Labour -2.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | A Brigg | 2,446 | 59.5 | +5.9 | |
| Conservative | K Howarth | 1,460 | 35.5 | +2.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | B Dunning | 206 | 5.0 | −8.2 | |
| Majority | 986 | 24.0 | +3.7 | ||
| Turnout | 4,112 | 46.4 | −0.9 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | LD to Labour 7.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | L Thomas | 1,355 | 43.9 | +8.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | D Wilkinson | 901 | 29.2 | −4.9 | |
| Conservative | M Kramer | 830 | 26.9 | +4.5 | |
| Majority | 454 | 14.7 | +13.0 | ||
| Turnout | 3,086 | 39.6 | −10.6 | ||
| Labourgain fromLiberal Democrats | Swing | LD to Labour 6.5 | |||