Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council came into existence in 1974, with initial local council elections being held in 1973 and then normally every 3-in-4 years
We are working to bring you a complete and detailed history of local council elections for Kirkby since the initial elections in 1973:
2020 (postponed) – 2021 – 2022 – 2023 – Whitefield By-election 2024 – 2024 – 2026
2010 – 2010 By-election – 2011 – 2012 – 2014 – 2015 – 2016 – 2018 – 2019
2000 – 2002 – 2003 – 2004 – 2006 – 2007 – 2008
1990 – 1991 – 1992 – 1994 – 1995 – 1996 – 1998 – 1999
1980 – 1982 – 1983 – 1984 – 1986 – 1987 – 1988
1973 – 1975 – 1976 – 1978 – 1979
The following plot shows the total number of votes cast every year a local election has been held. All seats have been up for election: in 1973 for the formation of Knowsley MBC; in 2004 and 2016 for a change in the boundaries of the wards and a reduction in the number of councillors. General Elections were held at the same time as local elections in 1979, 2010 and 2015.
From 1990 to 2015 there were many instances were Labour candidates stood unopposed:
- In 1990 five out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 1991 four out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 1995 one out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 1996 three out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 2003 one out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 2004 two out of six wards were uncontested, and during this year all councillor seats were up for election;
- In 2006 two out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 2007 four out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 2011 one out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 2012 one out of six wards were uncontested;
- In 2015 one out of six wards were uncontested.
The Labour Party dominated local elections in Kirkby since the formation of Knowsley MBC until the mid-2020s, with their lowest share being 28% of the vote in 2026 and the highest share being 87% in 2018. Independents, the Liberal Democrats/Social Democrat and various local parties have posed the main opposition over the years, with Reform UK also emerging with 30% of the vote in 2026.
The results of these elections has meant that – with the exception of some Liberal/SDP councillors up to 1984 – every councillor has belonged to the Knowsley Labour Party up until 2021. Click on the following images to open in a new window:
