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Hanging on!
Date published: 07 May 2010
RICHARD HOOTON, KAREN DOHERTY, JANICE BARKER & MIKE ATTENBOROUGH
ELECTION 2010
Voters deliver a hung parliament
Woolas survives after night of high drama
Meacher and Heyes keep seats
All the council results in . . . click here
BRITAIN woke today to its first hung parliament since 1974 with the Conservatives just short of an overall majority.
Gordon Brown returned to 10 Downing Street without any clear indication of whether he will be able to remain as Prime Minister but seemingly ready to seek a coalition deal with the Lib-Dems to cling on to power.
Labour stalwart Michael Meacher secured an 11th election victory in Oldham West and Royton with only a minor dent to his majority. Oldham’s longest-serving MP was delighted to retain the seat he has made his own since he was first elected in 1970, seeing off strong challenges from Conservative Kamran Ghafoor and Lib-Dem Mark Alcock.
But in Oldham East and Saddleworth it was nail-bitingly close, with Labour’s Immigration Minister Phil Woolas defeating Lib-Dem rival Elwyn Watkins by 103 votes after a second recount.
Conservative leader David Cameron insisted Labour had “lost its mandate to govern our country” as his party raced ahead. The Conservatives were on target to gain more seats in this ballot than in any General Election for 80 years.
Senior Tory Michael Gove said Mr Cameron is “happy to talk” with other parties to ensure Britain gets a “strong and stable” Conservative–led government.
The shadow schools secretary stressed it was for his leader to decide who he should talk to, but did not rule out talks with Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats.
But Mr Brown insisted: “My duty in all of this is that there be a stable, strong and principled government and to play my part in making that possible.
“I think it is too early to say what the verdict of the people is but it is pretty clear that what the people will want at the end of this election is a government that is strong, stable and principled.”
Labour election supremo Lord Mandelson insisted: “The rules are that, if it’s a hung Parliament, it’s not the party with the largest number of seats that has first go – it’s the sitting Government.”
The Liberal Democrats had a disappointing night, with no sign of the so–called “Cleggmania” prompted by the TV debates being translated into votes or seats.
Deflated leader Nick Clegg acknowledged: “We simply didn’t achieve what we hoped.”
Mr Clegg gave no indication of which party he would seek to talk to first in the wake of the inconclusive result, cautioning other leaders against “rushing into making claims or taking decisions” which did not stand the test of time.
He urged everyone involved to “take a little time” to ensure people got the government they deserved during these “difficult times”.
It was a chaotic night started by angry scenes in Manchester, London and Sheffield when people were unable to vote after polling stations couldn’t cope with long queues. The Electoral Commission will hold an inquiry and some results may be challenged.
In Oldham, counting didn’t start until 3.45am after it took nearly six hours to separate the general and local election ballot papers. A first recount was called in Oldham East and Saddleworth at 5.45am and the Oldham West and Royton result came in at 6am.
The biggest scalp was former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith who lost her Redditch seat to the Conservatives while former Chadderton barrister Vera Baird, the solicitor general under Gordon Brown, lost her Redcar seat after a massive 21 per cent swing to the Lib Dems.
The Greens gained their first MP at Westminster with party leader Caroline Lucas in at Brighton Pavillion.
HOW YOU VOTED
OLDHAM EAST and SADDLEWORTH
* Phil Woolas (LAB) 14,186
Elwyn Watkins (LIB-DEM) 14,083
Kashif Ali (CON) 11,773
David Bentley (UKIP) 1,720
Gulzar Nazir (Christian Party) 212
Alwyn Stott (BNP) 2,546
Majority: 103
Turnout: 61.6 per cent
2005: Phil Woolas (Lab) 17,968, Tony Dawson (Lib-Dem) 14,378, Keith Chapman (Con) 7,901, Michael Treacy (BNP) 2,109, Valerie Nield (UKIP) 873, Philip O’Grady (Ind) 138. Majority: 3,590. Turnout: 57.5 per cent
OLDHAM WEST AND ROYTON
* Michael Meacher (LAB) 19,503
Kamran Ghafoor (CON) 10,151
Mark Alcock (LIB-DEM) 8,193
David Joines (BNP) 3,049
Helen Roberts (UKIP) 1,387
Shahid Miah (Respect) 627
Majority: 9,352 Turnout: 59.7 per cent
2005: Michael Meacher (Lab) 18,457, Sean Moore (Con) 7,998, Stuart Bodsworth (Lib-Dem) 7,519, Anita Corbett (BNP) 2,606, David Short (UKIP) 987. Majority: 10,459 Turnout: 53.5 per cent
ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE
* David Heyes (LAB) 18,604
Seema Kennedy (CON) 9,510
Paul Larkin (LIB-DEM) 5,703
David Lomas (BNP) 2,929
Angela McManus (UKIP) 1,686
Majority: 9,094
Turnout: 57.0 per cent
2005: David Heyes (Lab) 21,211, Graeme Brown (Con) 7,259, Les Jones (Lib-Dem) 5,108, Anthony Jones (BNP) 2,051, John Whittaker (UKIP) 768, Jack Crossfield (Local) 570. Majority: 13,952. Turnout: 51.3 per cent
:: Click here for the local results
Comments
What the Saddleworth result shows is that the Tories had made any effort whatsoever, instead of ignoring the seat as a dead loss, they would have won. Big mistake by central office to ignore local party feeling.
Just goes to show how popular Woolas is.
If a party cant get the majority necassary to defeat a party who have been in for three terms, been blamed for the world going bankrupt, condemned for illegal warmongering, despised over expense fiddling and forcing an unelected leader upon the nation, then they surely have no place in charge of any country.
ProDriver - Look who came 2nd, according to your theory spouted in other comments he should have won (muslims block vote implying no individuality etc). So which is it? We are all sheep voting one way or we have an ability to form our own thoughts!
Woolas saved by 103 votes. Hope he takes note.
fightback. Woolas had Brown Blair and Prescott in town and pinned his hopes on the Muslim bloc vote. Watkins had Clegg in town and a very visible campaign. The Tories did nothing, they couldn't even agree at local party level and still got 1,000 votes closer to Woolas than the Lib Dems last time out. Had the Tories used their brains Woolas would be gone. They messed up big time ignoring this seat. There's bound to be an election within 12 months so fingers crossed they wake up.
Nice one phil a wins a win. Unlucky then for the Tory section who have no idea what they're voting for. In response to Prodrivers comments - Woolas made a real visible attempt to keep the seat maybe the idiot monicle wearing toff Tories we're too thick (or drunk after lunchtime champagne) to make an attempt to take the Oldham East seat - Woolas wins he he.
"There's bound to be an election within 12 months so fingers crossed they wake up."
Oh yes, prodriver, that's what we need, a Tory MP. I'm thinking of 300 years of Tory history looking after ordinary northern folk like us...er...
I couldn't care less how they run their campaigns, you made totally ficticiuos claims about Muslims and how they vote as a "block", so once again dont avoid my challenge what happenend to your theory about this block voting, the conservative didn't win!!!!!!!
Phil Woolas has been re-elected only just, because working class people don't like change how many have lost their jobs but still voted Labour most of them
emlyn who? thank god oldham came to thier senses in time well done phil a win is awin dont let any body tell you any different. get rid of the hibernian heathen and you might get some of your friends back in six months or so
Lib-Dem candidate ELWYN Watkins, BNP candidate ALWYN Stott - makes you ask the question whether or not there was any confusion between voting Lib-Dem and BNP. Would this have affected the 103 majority I wonder? Congratulations anyway Mr Woolas - I hope we won't be paying to prune your fruit trees in future!
Labour did outstandingly well in Oldham in both parliamentary and local elections. The Liberals...well they need to take a long look at their electoral techniques and policies because their popularity is definitely waning. As for the Tories well public clearly don't trust some of their candidates at all................with a high turnout the public has spoken and we all need to take notice
The Lib Dems are a waste of space, they have messed up this town, Phil Woolas was the only MP to stand up for the Birks Quarry group whilst Oldham controlled Lib Dems couldn't be bothered, he is by far the best MP in our constituency.
I have spoken to several people who didn't know the difference between the ballot papers, and because of the long queue didn't like to ask, or take their time to read the paper fully.
Although they didn't want to vote the same in the local election as the general election, they treated both as the general election, so as not to miss out on that election.
Why didn't the ballot papers have 'Local Election' or 'General Election'in bold at the top of each?
well mr woolas you were lucky this is your last term best get looking for a new job
And don't forget Vance Miller !! He scuppered the Lib Dems.
Phil Woolas has worked hard for Oldham and was challenged by a bunch of incompetents. He deserved to win.
Michael Meacher has been our MP for forty years, so he must have done something right.
David Heyes has established himself as an excellent constituency MP.
Why can't the cynical, instant, knee jerk complainers give credit where credit is due?
They should grow up!
Phil Woolas had a Lees address in his candidate nomination. Although he registered this as his main home for expenses, it is not. Mr Woolas lives with his family in his London house that he started buying with a mortgage before he stood for Parliament. He now calls this his second home because he can claim mortgage interest and claim £25-a-day living expenses. Everyone in Oldham has contributed to the huge profit he will make when he sells it. Will this continue? Jacqui lost for the same thing
I've experience of MPs for Oldham and Saddleworth since 1945 and remember well Leslie Hale, Glenville Hall, Charlie Mapp and David Clark and I'll claim that Phil Woolas is the best we've had. With a different result he would be in the Cabinet now. I am particularly glad that the sneering, offensive and (of course)anonymous knockers will have to nurse their disappointment. They'll have another four or five years to cobble together some more witticsms!
Jack Schofield
Woolas runs with the fox and hunts with the hounds.. If all you dimwits who voted him in cannot see that then I feel sorry for you.. The man is totally dedicated to himself not the voters of Oldham. He has never had a constructive independant thought slavishly following the party line. And what about his total humiliation by Joanna Lumley over the Sherpa affair. he was like a naughty little schoolboy in his reactions on T.V.dont forget also is expenses claims. Vote him out next time around
So Woolas is in for another term. He's no bigger rip off merchant than the rest of the MP's. This is why young people like me don't vote. Don't mud sling over expenses, every one of you lot would do the same in his job. I don't care if he's in London, maybe there he can make a difference to the country for the greater good.
Have Your Say
Same old, same old then. Commiserations to Elwyn Watkins, who was up against a typically dirty and smeary Labour campaign. Commiserations to Kamran Ghafoor and Kashif Ali - futile efforts of course, but never mind. Finally, of course, nice to see Michael Meacher (Lab, Cotswolds) visit the borough once again.
By Sapere Aude @ 07/05/2010 13:33:10