After hours of checking, counting and verifying, the Labour Party were handed another local boost as their grip on Salford Council after winning all available seats
Labour held their heads high as they kept all 17 seats with ease after quite a predictable afternoon following a disappointing national result.
Some of the highest majorities came from Winton, Barton and Worsley at 1,673, 1,641 and 1,521 respectively.
Samantha Jayne Bellamy, who kept control of Walkden North with an 1,169 Majority, was extremely pleased at what happened in Salford.
She said: “I’m extremely pleased with what has happened this afternoon; we’ve all worked incredibly hard.
“Everyone has been up knocking on doors since 5am this morning and I’m proud of what everyone has achieved.”
Out of 17 of the seats Labour held, the UK Independence Party finished 2nd in front of the Conservatives 10 times.
Stacey Olsen, Pendlebury’s UK Independence Party candidate who finished behind Labour said the party has come a long way.
“We did well, but not well enough, the party has come a long way and in a few years I think you will see a change in the main parties and UKIP is becoming one of the big contenders.”
Iain David Lindley, who held Walkden South for the Conservatives was ‘quietly confident’ before his seat was held.
He said “I am very grateful to the residents in Walkden South for giving me the opportunity to continue as their Councillor for the next four years.
“I am very proud of what this party has done, I am very grateful for everyone that helped with the campaign.”
The Mayor of Salford Ian Stewart reflected on Ed Miliband’s resignation and the SNP’s dominance in Scotland.
“It’s a pity,” he said. “We’ve seen in recent weeks in the media that he is a better man and a better politician than many people thought he was.
“The media portrayed him in such a terrible way from the day he was elected, ironically, his image was transformed by the media (relating to milifandom), but perhaps it was too late.”
In regards to the SNP dominace in his native Scotland, he said “We work better as a union of the 4 countries, I see the people of Salford and the Northwest in exactly the same way as the people of Scotland. We will all do better together.”
Chris Bertenshaw, standing for the Green Party in Worsley and Eccles South, was pleased with the Greens in Salford and on the national stage.
He said: “There’s definitely been a change, the smaller parties are doing well. This has been proved by us greens standing in more wards across the country and in Salford.
“We retained our deposit in my constituency and came fourth in the polls above the Liberal Democrats, we’ve done very well.”
