Greater Manchester could lose one of its ten borough’s – if the Wigan-based Community Action Party gets its way.
While CAP didn’t gain any seats at Thursday’s council elections, recently appointed party leader Michael Moulding is ready to push ahead with plans to get Wigan city status and break from Greater Manchester.
Mr Moulding, a former Green Party activist, believes Wigan has the history, culture and population to be granted city status.
Speaking at Thursday’s election count, told MM: “We shouldn’t be part of Greater Manchester, its holding Wigan back. We want to be able to attract more businesses, trade and tourism to Wigan which we could do more effectively if Wigan was a city.
“We want to provide an effective opposition to Labour. Conservative and Lib Dems don’t offer that to the people in the Borough.”
Last year the party lodged an e-petition on the government’s website which, had it gained sufficient support, would have triggered a parliamentary debate.
But the petition closed earlier this month having only garnered 490 signatures.
CAP had candidates vying for eight wards at Thursday elections and came second in Golborn Leighton West with Abbey Aspey receiving 456 votes.
Mr Moulding, running for the Ashton ward came in fourth with 395 votes behind Labour, UKIP and an Independent.
Of the 25 seats up for grabs, Labour secured 23 with the Conservatives and Standish Independents winning one seat each.
Despite not winning any seats UKIP would consider the evening a relative success by receiving 16% of the votes, only 0.6% below the conservatives.
When asked about UKIP’s increase in the share of votes Mr Moulding said: “I don’t think they offer a credible alternative and I think some of their views are repugnant.”
Greater Manchester, with a population of 2.7 million has existed for over 40 years as a result of the Local Government Act 1972 and is one of the largest metropolitan borough areas in the UK.
Picture courtesy of Ben Sutherland, with thanks.
