1980 City of Glasgow District Council election

The previous election, held in 1977, had seen Labour lose its majority on the council and while the party still had the largest number of councillors (30), the Labour group decided not to try retain power after rejecting the possibility of coalition deals with either the Conservatives or the SNP. This left the second placed Conservatives to form a minority administration, although they also refused to work with the SNP and prior to the first meeting of the council after the election it was uncertain what would happen.[1] Ultimately the Council met on 9 May 1977, SNP abstentions meant that Labour's nominee David Hodge was elected Lord Provost of Glasgow over the Conservatives Jack Richmond. Although the Conservatives had said that they would only form an administration if Richmond was elected as Lord Provost, after an internal vote among the Conservative group they decided that they would form an administration after all. However it was noted in The Glasgow Herald that many of the Conservatives policies, including the sale of council houses, were unlikely to be supported by the majority on the council.[2]

Ultimately, lacking support from other parties, the Conservative administration announced it would relinquish power in September 1979 after the Council rejected its plan to cut spending by up to £30 million pounds, paving the way for Labour to form a minority administration.[3]

By the time of the election as a result of by-elections and other changes Labour held 32 seats to the Conservatives 22, the SNP's 14 and the Liberal Party's one. There were two independent councillors and one seat was vacant.[4]