Elections to Manchester City Council took place on 1 May 2008. One third of the council was up for election - every ward of the city returned one councillor at this election out of the three councillors a ward in the city has. Four national political parties - the Conservative Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party - each stood a candidate in every ward in this election. There were candidates from other political parties standing in some of the wards, but there were no independent candidates standing for election this year in the city.