2012 United Kingdom local elections

2012 United Kingdom local elections

← 2011 3 May 2012 2013 →
All 36 metropolitan boroughs, 18 out of 55 unitary authorities, 74 out of 201 district councils, all 32 Scottish council areas, 21 out of 22 Welsh principal councils, and 3 directly elected mayors
First party Second party Third party   Leader Ed Miliband David Cameron Nick Clegg Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader since 25 September 2010 6 December 2005 18 December 2007 Swing 1% 4% 1% Projected vote-share 38% 31% 16% Councils 75 42 6 Councils +/– 32 12 1 Councillors 2,158 1,005 431 Councillors +/– 823 405 336   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Alex Salmond Leanne Wood Party SNP Plaid Cymru Leader since 3 September 2004 16 March 2012 Projected vote-share 2 0 Councils 2 1 Councils +/– 424 158 Councillors 57 41
Colours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results.

The 2012 United Kingdom local elections were held across England, Scotland and Wales on 3 May 2012.^[1] Elections were held in 128 English local authorities,^[2] all 32 Scottish local authorities and 21 of the 22 Welsh unitary authorities, alongside three mayoral elections including the London mayoralty and the London Assembly. Referendums were also held in 11 English cities to determine whether or not to introduce directly elected mayors.^[3]

The BBC's projected national vote share put Labour on 38%, the Conservatives on 31%, the Liberal Democrats on 16% and others on 15%.^[4] Rallings and Thrasher of Plymouth University estimated 39% for Labour, 33% for the Conservatives, 15% for the Liberal Democrats, and 13% for others.^[5]

The inaugural election of police and crime commissioners for 41 of the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales took place separately, in November 2012.