Leeds Constituencies - South East
The Leeds South East constituency was established in 1918 and abolished for the 1983 election.
This is a very wide spread constituency in that it includes the inner city areas of Blenheim, Woodhouse and Burmantofts yet reaches eastwards to the more affluent middle-class areas of Cross Gates and Temple Newsam. The inner city areas still retain a large number of back-to-backs but council housing and multi-storey flats have replaced many. Burmantofts, Osmondthorpe, Woodhouse and parts Cross Gates have been designated Urban Priority Areas with the attendant social problems. At one time Burmantofts housed both the famous Burmantofts Pottery and Burton’s tailoring factory. In the 1922 election the Liberal Mary Pollock Grant stood unsuccessfully. She was the first woman to stand in a Parliamentary election in Leeds.
South East in 1929
BOUNDARIES
1918–1950: East Ward, East Hunslet Ward, and part of North East Ward.
1950–1955: Crossgates and Temple Newsam Ward, East Hunslet Ward, and Osmondthorpe Ward.
1955–1974: Blenheim Ward, City Ward, East Hunslet Ward, Richmond Hill Ward, and Westfield Ward.
1974–1983: Burley Ward, Burmantofts Ward, City Ward, Richmond Hill Ward, and Woodhouse Ward.
TURNOUT
For elections after 1929 when universal suffrage had been granted
| Electorate | Total votes cast | Turnout | ||
| 1929 | 47,584 | 29,788 | 62.6% | |
| 1929 | 47,736 | 12,316 | 25.0% | by-election |
| 1931 | 48,715 | 33,954 | 69.70% | |
| 1935 | 47,555 | 29,744 | 62.55% | |
| 1945 | 39,574 | 28,347 | 71.63% | |
| 1950 | 48,621 | 41,490 | 85.33% | |
| 1951 | 41,490 | 41,206 | 84.39% | |
| 1952 | 48,725 | 27,189 | 55.8% | by-election |
| 1955 | 57,211 | 38,856 | 67.92% | |
| 1959 | 48,457 | 33,941 | 70.04% | |
| 1964 | 33,326 | 24,636 | 73.92% | |
| 1966 | 33,199 | 20,406 | 61.47% | |
| 1970 | 29,876 | 17,445 | 58.39% | |
| 1974 | 49,501 | 33,586 | 67.85% | February |
| 1974 | 49,787 | 28,050 | 56.34% | October |
| 1979 | 43,472 | 28,258 | 65.00% |
HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1955 A. M. Bacon (Labour) 25,714
LOWEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1929 Maj, J. Milner (Labour) 11,804
HIGHEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1945 J. Milner (Labour) 15,845
LOWEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1929 Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 1,736
RESULTS
Representation of the People Act 1918 – All men over21 and women over 30 enfranchised Redistribution of the Seats Act 1918
1918 - 14th December
South East
J. O’Grady (Labour) *
[ * Returned unopposed. ]
1922 - 15th November
South East
J. O’Grady (Labour) 13,676
M. P. Grant (Liberal) 9,554 *
[* First woman to stand as a candidate in a Parliamentary election in Leeds.]
1923 - 6th December
South East
J. O’Grady (Labour) 12,210
Hon. W. T. Whiteley (Liberal) 7,110
1924 - 29th October
South East
Sir H. H. Slesser (Labour) 15,133
Hon. W. T. Whiteley (Liberal) 10,704
Representation of the People Act 1928 – All women over 21 enfranchised
1929 - 30th May
South East
Sir H. Slesser (Labour) 22,403 *
J. C. Spurr (Liberal) 7,385
[ * Resigned in June to become a judge in the Appeals Court. ]
1929 1 August by-election
South East
Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 11,804
W. T. E. Brain (Communist) 512
1931 - 27th October
South East
Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 17, 845
P. R. Le Mesurier (Conservative) 16,109 *
[ * National Government candidates. ]
1935 - 14th November
South East
Maj. J. Milner (Labour) 19,552
P. R. Le Mesurier (Conservative) 10,192 *
[ * National Government candidates]
1940 [No general election from 1939–1945. Coalition in power during the war.]
1945 - 5th July (main polling day), plus 12th, 19th July. Main result declared 26th July
South East
J. Milner (Labour) 20,363
S. Beevers (Conservative) 4,518
C. H. Tyers (Liberal) 3,466
Representation of the People Act 1948 – Abolished plural voting and university seats
Boundary Reorganisation
1950 - 23th February
South East
J. Milner (Labour) 23,994
C. E. Kirwin (Conservative) 15,262
A. Hope (Liberal) 2,234
1951 - 25th October
South East
J. Milner (Labour) 24,929 *
C. E. Kirwin (Conservative) 16,277
[ Ennobled December 1951. ]
1952 - 7th February by-election
South East
D. W. Healey (Labour) 17,194
C. E. Kirwin (Conservative) 9,995
Boundary Commission 1955
1955 - 26th May
South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 25,714
W. W. W. Dunn (Conservative) 13,142
1959 - 8th October
South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 21,795
J. B. Womersely (Conservative) 12,146
1964 - 15th October
South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 16,672
J. E. Macdonald (Conservative) 7,964
1966 - 31st March
South East
A. M. Bacon (Labour) 14,663
J. G. Todd (Conservative) 5,743
Representation of the People Act 1969 – Franchise extended to those over 18 years of age
1970 - 18th June
South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 10,930
M. Sexton (Conservative) 5,182
A. Britten (Liberal) 1,135
B. Scott (Communist) 198
1974 - 28th February
South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 17,827
M. Sexton (Conservative) 8,373
M. Clay (Liberal) 6,981
W. Innes (Communist) 405
1974 - 10th October
South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 17,160
M. Sexton (Conservative) 6,144
M. Clay (Liberal) 4,429
W. Innes (Communist) 317
1979 - 3rd May
South East
S. Cohen (Labour) 15,921
M. Sexton (Conservative) 6,549
M. Clay (Liberal) 5,430
J. M. Rodgers (Communist) 190
P. Flint (National Front) 168