Regional elections were held in Scotland on Thursday 8 May 1986, under the terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The previous elections had been held in 1982. The elections took place a year before the Conservative's third general election victory. Elections took place in England and Wales on the same day.

Quick Facts First party, Second party ...

1986 Scottish regional elections

← 1984 8 May 1986 (1986-05-08) 1988 →

First party Second party   Leader Neil Kinnock Margaret Thatcher Party Labour Conservative Leader since 2 October 1983 11 February 1975 Seats won 223 65 Seat change 37 54 Percentage 43.9 16.9 Swing 6.3 8.2   Third party Fourth party   Leader David Steel Gordon Wilson Party Alliance SNP Leader since 1976 15 September 1979 Seats won 40 36 Seat change 15 13 Percentage 15.1 18.2 Swing 3.0 4.8

Colours denote the winning party with outright control

Results by ward

Close

Labour continued to make gains, increasing their number of councillors in most of the areas contested. The Conservatives suffered heavy losses, losing control of Lothian council to Labour and Grampian and Tayside councils to no overall control. They lost all their Councillors in Dumfries and Galloway. The SNP vote failed to recover from its decline since 1980.