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Date published: 07 May 2010
Woolas wins after nail-biting night
THEY may only have been 103 votes — but still managed to secure the political future of Immigration Minister Phil Woolas shortly after 11am today.
The ballot papers were counted three times before the Oldham East and Saddleworth results were declared after a nail-biting night and morning.
Mr Woolas endured two agonising recounts, one at 5.42am, the other at 10am, before his Liberal Democrat opponent Elwyn Watkins conceded defeat. The result was so tight all the candidates agreed to a recount, declared by acting returning officer Charlie Parker. And when it was still too close to call at 6.25am, he declared a second recount — but suspended it until 10am this morning.
A relieved Mr Woolas (51) has now held the seat at four general elections in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2010.
The Lib-Dems had hoped to take a major scalp by ousting Mr Woolas, who is also Minister for the North-West, whose previous majority was just 3,590. A disappointed Mr Watkins (45) was hoping to become MP at his first attempt after starting his political career on Rochdale Council.
The fight for the seat was marked by accusations from a former Lib-Dem worker that Mr Watkins had paid his volunteers £3 an hour, less than the minimum wage, which sparked an HM Revenue and Customs investigation.
Mr Watkins denied the accusations, which were seen by millions of TV viewers on BBC 2’s “Newsnight” programme.
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Comments
103 vote majority, I wonder if this result will stand if the Police investigation does uncover evidence of malpractice with the postal votes. This is so close that any murmur of electoral fraud would throw the result into serious doubt, I'm not convinced we've heard the last of this.
The best man won ......well done Phil !
fedupoldhamer - you really haven't got a clue!
fedupoldhamer - you could equally criticise all the people who wasted their vote by voting for plutocratic Tory or fascist BNP instead of LibDem.
Have to agree with fedupoldhamer, how many of you were duped into thinking that a tory vote was a wasted vote? The literature I received certainly suggested that. Perversely you voted Lib Dem to keep Labour out and handed it to them on a plate! Bet you think about it differently next time. Hey ho.
I cannot believe we have to put up with this incompetent man for longer
The Vance Miller 'fiasco' eroded public confidence in the Lib Dems locally.
Phil Woolas - MP by the grace of dodgey kitchens.
Why can't people accept that whatever personal grievances they may have with Phil Wollas,either as a person or a politician, that 103 of their counterparts preferred him to his nearest rival.
Guffley get real Your comment the best man won.. Majority 103 on a vote of approx 45,000. If you think that is the best man then no wonder the country is in the state it is.
Woolas is only interested in himself.
Have Your Say
i must congratulate all those who've voted lib dems this election!
you where all fooled by their only tactic of it only being a two horse race between them and labour!
what utter fools you have been! the lib dems didnt provide any real substance to any of the proposals and by tactically voting for them you have handed it over yet again to phil useless!
the tories where our last chance to really improve oldham for the better.
now we'll just continue the slippery slope down hill!
By fedupoldhamer @ 07/05/2010 12:51:41