Just hours after securing their first council seats in Greater Manchester with victories in Bolton, UKIP snatched two more in Oldham to send shockwaves through the three main political parties.
Warren Bates and Peter Klonowski took Failsworth West from Labour and Saddleworth West and Lees from the Lib Dems respectively as voters across the region kicked back against the three-party monopoly.
After securing his seat, Cllr Bates – who spent 60 years as a Labour party member – was bullish about his hopes for the town’s future.
“My priority is to get this town back and move it to what it used to be,” he told MM.
“It’s absolutely frightening what they have done to it and all the three main parties are responsible.
“I was in the Labour party for 60 years and as far as I’m concerned UKIP is the only party of hope.”
Despite Councillor Bates’ taunts, it was Labour who claimed the two seats on offer at the St James ward with Ginny Alexander and Angela Cosgrove prevailing, the latter beating UKIP’s Joseph Fitzpatrick by just 35 votes.
In the final vote of the day, Labour scored another victory over UKIP after a recount for the Chadderton South seat, Joy Wrigglesworth pipping UKIP’s Steven Connor by just 12 votes.
Although UKIP won just two seats, they were second in 14 out of the 20 votes in Oldham, showing a groundswell of support for Nigel Farage’s party, which has been reflected across the country.
Independent winner Nicola Kirkham also spoke of the need for a new direction on Oldham council following her resounding 478-vote victory in Saddleworth North.
“We are going to listen to the people of Saddleworth and give them what they want,” she told MM.
“Unfortunately with Labour having a majority on Oldham council nobody is listening to the people of Saddleworth.
“We are a cash cow for Oldham Council and it needs to change and the people have spoken and they want change.
“They want Oldham council to listen to them on planning issues and on greenbelt issues it is wrong what is happening we are just get ignored up in Saddleworth.”
Councillor Kirkham declined to comment on UKIP but did say the amount of votes they received showed people’s disenchantment with the main three parties.
“It is absolutely a wake-up call for the three main parties,” she added.
“I hope they are not arrogant enough to think it is not, because it is and we are just trying to get more Independent seats on Oldham Council now.”
The overall results saw Labour increase their number of seats on Oldham council from 43 to 45, while the Liberal Democrats had a disastrous day losing four seats, meaning they now have just ten left.
Successful Labour candidate for Coldhurst, Abdul Malik, reflected afterwards on what he felt was a job well done for his party.
“People know the Labour Party is working for the betterment of the residents of Oldham,” he told MM.
“We kept stressing that we should not be complacent and not take things for granted.
“The key reason for us winning is we fulfilled the promises we made last time.”
Alexandra (Labour hold)
Shaid Mushtaq, LAB 1387
David Carter, UKIP 671
Mohammed Masud, LD 582
Terry Hopkinson, CON 112
Rebecca McGladdery, IND 81
Chadderton Central (Labour hold)
Colin McLaren, LAB 1287
Vivien Swift, UKIP 946
Robert Barnes, CON 540
Louie Hamblett, LD 81
Chadderton North (Labour hold)
Barbara Brownridge, LAB 1420
John Berry, UKIP 785
Paul Martin, CON 579
Keith Taylor, LD 75
Chadderton South (Labour hold)
Joy Wrigglesworth, LAB 960
Steve Connor, UKIP 948
Eileen Hulme, CON 287
Melodey Walker, GRN 134
Kevin Dawson, LD 39
Coldhurst (Labour hold)
Abdul Malik, LAB 2781
Sean Curley, CON 279
Keith Pendlebury, LD 273
Md Shahid Miah, IND 242
Crompton (Lib Dem hold)
Dave Murphy, LD 889
Derek Fletcher, UKIP 742
Ken Rustidge, LAB 697
Phelyp Bennett, CON 490
Catherine Hunter, GRN 77
Failsworth East (Labour hold)
Norman Briggs, LAB 1055
Joan Spencer, UKIP 785
Adam Carney, CON 284
Andrew Rossall, GRN 93
Bill Cullen, LD 24
Failsworth West (UKIP gain from Labour)
Warren Bates, UKIP 1120
John Battye, LAB 988
Steven Cox, CON 225
Jean Betteridge, GRN 126
Sam Pennington, TUSC 59
Enid Firth, LD 29
Hollinwood (Labour hold)
Jean Stretton, LAB 1904
Thomas Eddleston, UKIP 813
David Caddick, CON 155
Martin Dinoff, LD 112
Medlock Vale (Labour hold)
Yasmin Toor, LAB 1511
Jean Eddleston, UKIP 836
Zulfiqar Mohammed, CON 748
John Hall, LD 113
Royton North (Labour hold)
Hannah Roberts LAB 1147
Kevin Allen, UKIP 979
Lewis Quigg, CON 542
Shaun Duffy, LD 51
Royton South (Labour hold)
Marie Bashforth, LAB 1205
Jackie Garnett, UKIP 770
Allan Fish, CON 417
Jim Stidworthy, GRN 103
Angie Farrell, LD 80
Saddleworth North (Independent gain from Lib Dem)
Nikki Kirkham, IND 1146
Alan Roughley, LD 669
Angela Clark, UKIP 526
Paul Fryer, LAB 430
Nicola Jeffery-Sykes, CON 370
Saddleworth South (Lib Dem hold)
John McCann, LD 967
Pam Byrne, CON 816
Lesley Brown, IND 539
Ian Manners, LAB 517
Chris Shyne, UKIP 506
Saddleworth West and Lees (UKIP gain from Lib Dem)
Peter Klonowski, UKIP 917
Robert Allsopp, LD 778
Stephen Hewitt, LAB 733
Neil Allsopp, CON 383
Oliver Thompson, GRN 147
Shaw (Lib Dem hold)
Rod Blyth, LD 1106
Peter Brown, UKIP 704
Hermione St John-Spiggott, LAB 548
Judith Haughton, CON 222
St. James’ (two seats, both Labour gain from Lib Dem)
Ginny Alexander, LAB 831
Angela Cosgrove, LAB 689
Joseph Fitzpatrick, UKIP 654
Muriel Taylor, UKIP 605
Roger Hindle, LD 489
Stephen Barrow, LD 460
Edna Wolstenhulme, CON 146
Roger Pakeman, GRN 131
St. Mary’s (Labour hold)
Ali Salamat, LAB 2900
David Atherton, CON 213
Sharon McGladdery, LD 211
Miranda Meadowcroft, GRN 204
Waterhead (Labour gain from Lib Dem)
Riaz Ahmad, LAB 1198
Nicholas Godleman, UKIP 755
Linda Dawson, LD 687
Sarah Afzaal, CON 131
Werneth (Labour hold)
Shoab Akhtar, LAB 3074
Michele Stockton, CON 193
Ron Wise, LD 137
Full breakdown of results and more reaction to follow through the day. Check back for updates.
Picture courtesy of Mikey, with thanks
