Labour sweep to landslide victory

CELEBRATION: Norman Briggs (centre) celebrates with the Labour team, (l-r) Judith Heyes, Councillor Jim McMahon, David Heyes MP and David Dawson

Lib-Dems slump to third behind UKIP

LABOUR has a record number of councillors after a landslide victory in last night’s Failsworth East by-election.

Norman Briggs won the seat with 1,199 votes, ahead of UKIP’s Carrol Ashton on 209 and Liberal Democrat Ron Wise with 109 votes. There was no Conservative candidate.

The by-election was called following the death of Barbara Dawson, who held the seat from 2004 to 2008, before regaining it in 2010 with a 1,054 majority.

Labour now has 44 councillors — its highest number since the metropolitan borough was formed in 1974 and a record for any party.

Councillor Briggs said: “My first priority, of course, is to represent the people of Failsworth East in very difficult times because of Government cuts. I am looking forward to working with my fellow Failsworth East councillors, David Dawson and Jim McMahon, and also the other Failsworth councillors.

Yesterday’s turnout was only 19.2 per cent, compared with 24.1 per cent for the seat in May and 33.6 per cent across Oldham.

Council leader Jim McMahon said: “I would like to have seen more people come out to vote, but it’s inevitable in a by-election that it’s going to be low.”




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