The 1994 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 5 May 1994.^[1][2] The results showed a continued decline for the governing Conservatives — who were now in their 15th successive year of government at Westminster — with the third-placed party, the Liberal Democrats, as the main beneficiaries.

Quick Facts All 32 London boroughs, all 36 metropolitan boroughs, 114 out of 296 English districts and all 12 Scottish regions, Majority party ...

1994 United Kingdom local elections

← 1993 5 May 1994 1995 →
All 32 London boroughs, all 36 metropolitan boroughs, 114 out of 296 English districts and all 12 Scottish regions
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader John Smith John Major Paddy Ashdown Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader since 18 July 1992 27 November 1990 16 July 1988 Percentage 40% 27% 27% Councillors 9,257 7,286 4,551 Councillors +/- 44 516 428

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The main opposition, the Labour Party, gained 44 seats, bringing their number of councillors to 9,257. Their projected national vote share was 40%, a 1% increase on the 1993 local elections. The Conservative Party lost 516 seats and were left with 7,286 councillors. Their projected national vote share was 27%, a 4% fall since the previous local elections in 1993. The Liberal Democrats gained 428 seats and had 4,551 councillors after the elections. The Liberals received a 27% share of the national vote, a 2% increase on 1993.

A parliamentary by-election also took place in the Rotherham constituency in South Yorkshire; Labour held the seat.

This was the last election to be contested by Labour Leader John Smith; He died suddenly a week later.