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CLOSE one! Phil Woolas retains his seat — just

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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