1993 United Kingdom local elections

The 1993 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 6 May 1993 in England and Wales, and Wednesday 19 May 1993 in Northern Ireland.^[1][2] The results showed a decline for the governing Conservative Party, who were still reeling from the fallout of Black Wednesday; with the third-placed party, the Liberal Democrats, gaining most seats.

1993 United Kingdom local elections

← 1992 6 May 1993 (England & Wales) 19 May 1993 (Northern Ireland) 1994 →
All 39 non-metropolitan counties, 1 sui generis authority, all 26 Northern Irish districts and all 8 Welsh counties
Majority party Minority party Third party   Lab Leader John Smith John Major Paddy Ashdown Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader since 18 July 1992 27 November 1990 16 July 1988 Percentage 39% 31% 25% Councillors 9,213 7,802 4,123 Councillors +/- 111 486 395
Colours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results.

The main opposition Labour Party, now led by John Smith following Neil Kinnock's resignation as party leader, gained 111 seats, bringing their number of councillors to 9,213. Their share of the vote was projected to be 39%, their highest since 1990.

The governing Conservative Party lost 486 seats and was left with 7,802 councillors. Their projected share of the vote was 31%, a 15% decline since the previous local elections in 1992.

The Liberal Democrats gained 395 seats and had 4,123 councillors after the elections. Their projected share of the vote was 25%, an increase in 5% from the 1992 local elections.

On the same day as local elections in England and Wales, a parliamentary by-election was held in the Newbury constituency in Berkshire. The Conservatives lost this seat to the Liberal Democrats.