Birkenhead and Tranmere (ward)

Birkenhead and Tranmere Birkenhead (1980–2004) Argyle-Clifton-Holt (1973–1983)
Metropolitan Borough ward for Wirral Council
Birkenhead and Tranmere within Wirral
County	Merseyside
Population	16,542 (2016)[1]
Registered electors	10,281 (2018)
Settlements	Central Birkenhead, Tranmere
Current ward
Created	1973
First Round Councillor	Pat Cleary (Green)
Second Round Councillor	Phil Davies (Labour)
Third Round Councillor	Jean Stapleton (Labour)
Number of Councillors	Three
Overlaps
UK Parliament constituency	Birkenhead
European Parliament constituency	North West England

Birkenhead and Tranmere (previously Argyle-Clifton-Holt, 1973 to 1983, and Birkenhead, 1980 to 2004) is a Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council ward in the Birkenhead Parliamentary constituency.

History

The ward had its boundaries changed and was renamed Birkenhead and Tranmere for the 2004 local election in which it was won by the three incumbent Labour party candidates.^[2]

Since 2012, the ward has been a Labour-Green marginal with no winning candidate achieving a majority of over 8.7% except for in 2015 where a coinciding General Election and higher turnout gave Labour a majority of 24.5%, despite an increase in number of votes for the Greens.^[3]

Pat Cleary was elected in 2014, beating the incumbent, Labour's Brian Kenny, by a margin of 237 votes to become the first Green representative on Wirral Council.^[4] Brian Kenny later became a councillor for the neighbouring Bidston and St James ward in the 2015 election.^[5]

In 2016, Birkenhead and Tranmere was the most marginal seat in Wirral with the incumbent, Labour's Jean Stapleton, having a 172 vote (or 5.3%) lead over the Green Party's Steve Hayes.

Pat Cleary was successfully re-elected in 2018 with 1,881 votes (49.7%) to Labour's Paul Jobson's 1,810 votes (47.8%) in what was, initially, Wirral Labour's only target seat for the election. This decision was criticized by Wirral Labour's own Local Campaign Forum (or LCF) and more target seats were later added.^[6]

Both parties number of votes increased from 2016 with a higher turnout and a larger electorate with Labour's vote share decreasing very slightly. The seat became even more marginal with just 71 votes separating first and second place (though this was to be only the second most marginal of the night). The result was the Green Party's best in the borough, both in terms of vote share and number of votes cast.

Councillors

Election results (2004 to present)

Elections of the 2010s

May 2019

Candidates so far declared:

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 2 May 2019: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Green	Steve Hayes

^[12]

May 2018

A Green stake board in Holt Hill Terrace, Tranmere, put up in the run-up to the 2018 election.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 2018: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Green	Pat Cleary	1,881	49.7	7.1
	Labour	Paul Jobson	1,810	47.8	0.1
	Conservative	June Cowin	96	2.5	0.7
Majority			71	1.9	N/A
Registered electors			10,281
Turnout			3,793	36.9	3.3
Rejected ballots			6	0.2	0.4
	Green hold		Swing	3.6

^[13]

May 2016

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 5 May 2016: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Jean Stapleton	1,555	47.9	8.2
	Green	Steve Hayes	1,383	42.6	11.0
	UKIP	Graeme Foster	203	6.3	1.7
	Conservative	June Cowin	59	1.8	1.5
	Liberal Democrat	Mary Price	35	1.1
	TUSC	Jack Yarlett	11	0.3	New
Majority			172	5.3	19.2
Registered electors			9,703
Turnout			3,264	33.6	23.3
Rejected ballots			18	0.6
	Labour hold		Swing	9.6

^[14]

May 2015

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 7 May 2015: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	3,130	56.0	15.2
	Green	Jayne Clough	1,763	31.6	16.1
	UKIP	Laurence Sharpe-Stevens	447	8.0	1.6
	Conservative	June Cowin	183	3.3	1.3
	Liberal Democrat	Mary Price	61	1.1	New
Majority			1,367	24.5	N/A
Registered electors			9,854
Turnout				56.9	21.5
	Labour hold		Swing	15.6

^[15]

May 2014

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 22 May 2014: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Green	Pat Cleary	1,658	47.6	6.6
	Labour	Brian Kenny	1,421	40.8	8.9
	UKIP	Laurence Sharpe-Stevens	334	9.6	6.3
	Conservative	June Cowin	69	2.0	0.2
Majority			237	6.8	N/A
Registered electors			9,882
Turnout				35.4	4.2
	Green gain from Labour		Swing	7.8

^[16]

May 2012

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 2012: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Jean Stapleton	1,474	49.7	4.1
	Green	Pat Cleary	1,215	41.0	6.1
	UKIP	David Martin	99	3.3	0.3
	Liberal Democrat	Allan Brame [n 1]	61	2.1	0.9
	BNP	Joe Killen	61	2.1	New
	Conservative	June Cowin	54	1.8	2.7
Majority			259	8.7	10.3
Registered electors			9,527
Turnout				31.2	2.0
	Labour hold		Swing	5.1

^[18]

May 2011

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 5 May 2011: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	1,750	53.9	2.1
	Green	Pat Cleary	1,133	34.9	11.3
	Conservative	June Cowin	148	4.6	3.6
	UKIP	David Martin	120	3.7	0.6
	Liberal Democrat	Allan Brame [n 1]	95	3.0	9.3
Majority			617	19.0	9.3
Registered electors			9,807
Turnout				33.2	14.1
	Labour hold		Swing	4.6

^[19]

May 2010

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 6 May 2010: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Brian Kenny	2,409	51.8	8.1
	Green	Pat Cleary	1,095	23.6	12.1
	Liberal Democrat	Peter Heppinstall	566	12.2	2.6
	Conservative	June Cowin	380	8.2	5.7
	UKIP	David Martin	198	4.3	New
Majority			1,314	28.2	16.9
Registered electors			9,956
Turnout				47.3	26.5
	Labour hold		Swing	8.5

^[20]

Elections of the 2000s

May 2008

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1 May 2008: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Jean Stapleton	1,278	59.9	2.5
	Liberal Democrat	Alan Brighthouse [n 2]	315	14.8	0.1
	Conservative	June Cowin	297	13.9	2.5
	Green	Catherine Page	244	11.4	0.1
Majority			963	45.1	2.4
Registered electors			10,278
Turnout				20.8	0.9
	Labour hold		Swing	1.2

^[22]

May 2007

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 2007: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	1,399	62.4	9.2
	Liberal Democrat	Alan Brighthouse [n 2]	333	14.9	0.5
	Conservative	June Cowin	255	11.4	2.2
	Green	Catherine Page	254	11.3	3.2
Majority			1,066	47.5	9.4
Registered electors			10,374
Turnout				21.7	0.8
	Labour hold		Swing	4.7

^{[3] [23]}

May 2006

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 4 May 2006: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Brian Kenny	1,119	53.2	5.5
	Wirral Independent Network	Andrew Dow	318	15.1	1.2
	Liberal Democrat	Alan Brighthouse [n 2]	303	14.4	0.7
	Conservative	June Cowin	193	9.2	1.3
	Green	Catherine Page	170	8.1	0.4
Majority			801	38.1	4.3
Registered electors			10,137
Turnout				20.9	6.1
	Labour hold		Swing	2.2

^{[3] [24]}

June 2004

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 10 June 2004: Birkenhead and Tranmere

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Jean Stapleton [n 3]	1,400	47.7	N/A
	Labour	Phillip Davies [n 4]	1,292	–	–
	Labour	David Christian [n 5]	1,275	–	–
	Wirral Independent Network	Andrew Dow	408	13.9	N/A
	Liberal Democrat	Phillip Lloyd	401	13.7	N/A
	Wirral Independent Network	Deirdre Baker	382	–	–
	Liberal Democrat	Alan Brighthouse [n 2]	376	–	–
	Liberal Democrat	Margaret Teggin	349	–	–
	Wirral Independent Network	John Maher	311	–	–
	Green	Catherine Page	249	8.5	N/A
	BNP	John Edwards	246	8.4	N/A
	Conservative	Tom Parker	233	7.9	N/A
	Conservative	Kenneth Jackson	217	–	–
	Conservative	Elizabeth Johnson	186	–	–
Majority			992	33.8	N/A
Registered electors			10,364
Turnout				27.0	N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

^{[3] [25]}

Election results (1980 to 2003)

Birkenhead within Wirral, 1980 to 2004

Elections of the 2000s

May 2003

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1 May 2003: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	1,157	70.3	10.1
	Liberal Democrat	Philip Lloyd	188	11.4	1.3
	Conservative	David Noble	118	7.2	0.4
	Wirral Independent Network	John Maher	98	6.0	New
	Socialist Alliance Against The War	Morag Reid	45	2.7	New
	Green	Christopher Childe	40	2.4	New
Majority			969	58.9	8.8
Registered electors			9,867
Turnout				16.7	1.8
	Labour hold		Swing	4.4

^[26]

May 2002

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 2 May 2002: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	David Christian	1,481	80.4	9.1
	Liberal Democrat	Ronald Williams	234	12.7	1.7
	Conservative	Barbara Poole	126	6.8	5.0
Majority			1,247	67.7	8.2
Registered electors			9,975
Turnout				18.5	3.1
	Labour hold		Swing	4.1

^[27]

May 2000

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 4 May 2000: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Jean Stapleton	1,107	71.3	2.8
	Conservative	Barbara Poole	184	11.8	4.3
	Liberal Democrat	M. Williams	171	11.0	1.5
	Green	Stuart Harvey	91	5.9	2.4
Majority			923	59.5	5.1
Registered electors			10,099
Turnout				15.4	2.3
	Labour hold		Swing	2.6

^[28]

Elections of the 1990s

May 1999

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 6 May 1999: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	1,298	74.1	5.0
	Liberal Democrat	M. Williams	166	9.5	11.4
	Conservative	S. Bebell	132	7.5	New
	Socialist Labour	Alec McFadden	94	5.4	New
	Green	Stuart Harvey	62	3.5	New
Majority			1,132	64.6	6.4
Registered electors			9,887
Turnout				17.7	0.4
	Labour hold		Swing	3.2

^[28]

May 1998

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 7 May 1998: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	David Christian	1,351	79.1	8.9
	Liberal Democrat	M. Williams	357	20.9	8.9
Majority			994	58.2	17.8
Registered electors			9,892
Turnout				17.3	7.5
	Labour hold		Swing	8.9

^[28]

May 1996

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 2 May 1996: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	D. Gower	2,228	88.0	0.3
	Liberal Democrat	Michael Redfern	303	12.0	5.9
Majority			1,925	76.0	6.2
Registered electors			10,211
Turnout				24.8	5.9
	Labour hold		Swing	3.1

^[28]

May 1995

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 4 May 1995: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	2,850	88.3	3.9
	Liberal Democrat	P. Cooke	196	6.1	2.1
	Conservative	B. Brassey	183	5.7	1.6
Majority			2,654	82.2	6.0
Registered electors			10,508
Turnout				30.7	4.2
	Labour hold		Swing	3.0

^[28]

May 1994

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 5 May 1994: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	David Christian	3,107	84.4	11.4
	Liberal Democrat	P. Cooke	303	8.2	0.4
	Conservative	B. Brassey	270	7.3	9.0
Majority			2,804	76.2	19.5
Registered electors			10,532
Turnout				34.9	9.4
	Labour hold		Swing	9.8

^[28]

May 1992

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 7 May 1992: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	D. Gower	1,998	73.0	2.0
	Conservative	J. Oliver	447	16.3	3.0
	Liberal Democrat	P. Cooke	213	7.8	3.2
	Green	Catherine Page	80	2.9	1.8
Majority			1,551	56.7	1.0
Registered electors			10,754
Turnout				25.5	0.5
	Labour hold		Swing	8.1

^[28]

May 1991

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 2 May 1991: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Phillip Davies	2,610	71.0	10.8
	Conservative	J. Oliver	490	13.3	5.3
	Liberal Democrat	Stephen Niblock	404	11.0	4.5
	Green	P. Mitchell	174	4.7	1.0
Majority			2,120	57.7	16.1
Registered electors			10,912
Turnout				33.7	9.7
	Labour hold		Swing	8.1

^[28]

May 1990

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 1990: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	M. Gaskell	3,821	81.8	5.3
	Conservative	J. Oliver	372	8.0	4.6
	Social and Liberal Democrats	Stephen Niblock	306	6.5	1.9
	Green	T. Keen	174	3.7	1.2
Majority			3,449	73.8	9.9
Registered electors			10,766
Turnout				43.4	7.4
	Labour hold		Swing	5.0

^[28]

Elections of the 1980s

May 1988

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 5 May 1988: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	W. Lungley	3,035	76.5	7.0
	Conservative	D. Smith	501	12.6	1.0
	Social and Liberal Democrats	Stuart Kelly	333	8.4	10.5
	Green	A. Harrison	98	2.5	New
Majority			2,534	63.9	13.3
Registered electors			11,005
Turnout				36.0	3.2
	Labour hold		Swing	6.7

^[28]

May 1987

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 7 May 1987: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Arthur Smith	3,085	69.5	0.5
	SDP–Liberal Alliance	C. Townsend	840	18.9	3.1
	Conservative	C. Harris	514	11.6	3.6
Majority			2,245	50.6	2.6
Registered electors			11,314
Turnout				39.2	0.5
	Labour hold		Swing	1.3

^[28]

May 1986

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 8 May 1986: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	W. Craig	3,139	70.0	3.5
	SDP–Liberal Alliance	R. Francis	987	22.0	7.7
	Conservative	L. Jones	357	8.0	4.2
Majority			2,152	48.0	11.2
Registered electors			11,300
Turnout				39.7	4.1
	Labour hold		Swing	5.6

^[28]

May 1984

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 1984: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	W. Lungley	3,027	73.5	6.9
	SDP–Liberal Alliance	Stephen Niblock	589	14.3	6.6
	Conservative	Hilary Jones	503	12.2	0.4
Majority			2,438	59.2	13.5
Registered electors			11,563
Turnout				35.6	1.5
	Labour hold		Swing	6.8

^[28]

May 1983

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 5 May 1983: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Arthur Smith	2,878	66.6	7.2
	SDP–Liberal Alliance	C. Lloyd	903	20.9	6.7
	Conservative	A. Clement	543	12.6	0.3
Majority			1,975	45.7	13.9
Registered electors			11,663
Turnout				37.1	3.9
	Labour gain from (new seat)		Swing	7.0

^[28]

May 1982

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 6 May 1982: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	W. Craig	2,328	59.4	7.0
	SDP–Liberal Alliance	C. Lloyd	1,081	27.6	7.0
	Conservative	F. Dawson	507	12.9	0.1
Majority			1,247	31.8	14.0
Registered electors			11,780
Turnout				33.2	3.7
	Labour gain from (new seat)		Swing	7.0

^[28]

May 1980

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1 May 1980: Birkenhead

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	W. Lungley	2,343	66.4	N/A
	Liberal	R. Curtis	728	20.6	N/A
	Conservative	V. Garceau	460	13.0	N/A
Majority			1,615	45.8	N/A
Registered electors			11,976
Turnout				29.5	N/A
	Labour win (new seat)

^[28]

Election results (1973 to 1979)

Elections of the 1970s

May 1979

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 1979: Argyle-Clifton-Holt

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Arthur Smith	2,867	59.2	6.5
	Conservative	A. Adams	1,092	22.5	1.0
	Liberal	J. Smith	887	18.3	4.1
Majority			1,775	36.7	6.4
Registered electors			7,259
Turnout				66.8	34.4
	Labour hold		Swing	3.2

^[28]

May 1978

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 4 May 1978: Argyle-Clifton-Holt

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Richard Kimberly	1,240	52.7	5.8
	Liberal	Anna Blumenthal	527	22.4	16.9
	Conservative	B. Jones	506	21.5	7.7
	National Front	Howard Hawksley	78	3.3	New
Majority			713	30.3	22.7
Registered electors			7,259
Turnout				32.4	1.6
	Labour hold		Swing	11.4

^[28]

May 1976

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 6 May 1976: Argyle-Clifton-Holt

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	W. Lungley	1,354	46.9	2.3
	Liberal	R. Perkins	1,135	39.3	0.5
	Conservative	F. Morton	397	13.8	2.9
Majority			219	7.6	1.8
Registered electors			8,498
Turnout				34.0	5.4
	Labour hold		Swing	0.9

^[28]

May 1975

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1 May 1975: Argyle-Clifton-Holt

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Arthur Smith	1,096	44.6	28.2
	Liberal	D. Boxer	954	38.8	New
	Conservative	L. Peers	410	16.7	10.5
Majority			142	5.8	39.8
Registered electors			8,590
Turnout				28.6	4.5
	Labour hold		Swing	19.9

^[28]

April 1973

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 12 April 1973: Argyle-Clifton-Holt

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Richard Kimberly [n 3]	1,580	72.8	N/A
	Labour	Parnall [n 4]	1,577	–	–
	Labour	Tomlinson [n 5]	1,515	–	–
	Conservative	L. Peers	589	27.2	N/A
	Conservative	Wilson	546	–	–
	Conservative	Gates	530	–	–
Majority				45.7	N/A
Registered electors			8,985
Turnout				24.1	N/A
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour win (new seat)

^[28]

Notes

• italics denotes the sitting councillor • bold denotes the winning candidate

References