1904 London County Council election

1904 London County Council election

← 1901 5 March 1904 1907 →

First party Second party   Leader McKinnon Wood Melvill Beachcroft Party Progressive Conservative Leader since 1898 1901 Leader's seat Alderman Paddington North Seats won 83 34 Seat change 1 3

An election to the County Council of London took place on 5 March 1904. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. The Progressive Party retained control of the council, with a slightly reduced majority.

Campaign

Since the 1901 London County Council election, the electorate for the council had increased by 19,221, the increase being in the outlying boroughs, while most inner city boroughs lost voters. Turnout was also reported as being higher in the outer boroughs. All the seats were contested other than Deptford and Greenwich, which were held uncontested by the Progressive Party.^[1]

The main issue at the election was education policy, as the London School Board was to be abolished and its powers absorbed by the council. The Times argued that the Conservative Party candidates had undoubted loyalty to the Church of England, whereas the Progressive Party candidates might have sympathy towards dissenters.^[2][3] Other issues were the attitude of candidates towards the employment of Chinese immigrants in South Africa, and the purchase of the county council of some rails manufactured in Belgium.^[1]

Results

The Progressive Party lost one seat, while the Municipal Reform Party gained four, and independents fell from four seats to one. Nine members of the School Board won seats on the new council.^[4]

Party		Votes[5]			Seats
		Number	%	Stood[6]	Seats[7]	%
	Progressive	165,536	51.5	114	83	1
	Conservative	143,863	44.7	105	34	3
	Independent			8	1
	Independent Progressive			4	0
	Labour	8,596	2.7	2	0

References