1984 United Kingdom local elections

Local elections were held in the United Kingdom in 1984. There was a slight reversal in the Conservative government's fortunes, but the party remained ahead. The projected share of the vote was Conservatives 38%, Labour 37%, Liberal-SDP Alliance 21%.

Labour gained 88 seats, bringing their number of councillors to 8,870 in the first elections under the leadership of Neil Kinnock who had succeeded Michael Foot the previous autumn.

The Conservatives lost 164 seats, leaving them with 10,393 councillors.

The SDP-Liberal Alliance, now led by David Owen, gained 160 seats and finished with 2,331 councillors.

Three parliamentary by-elections were also held on the same day in the Cynon Valley, Stafford and South West Surrey constituencies. Labour held Cynon Valley, and the Conservatives held Stafford and South West Surrey.

Metropolitan boroughs
All 36 metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.

District councils
In 123 districts one third of the council was up for election.

A further 20 councils had passed a resolution under section 7 (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972, requesting a system of elections by thirds. They could do so because they had had their new ward boundaries introduced at the 1983 elections.