2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election

2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election
2 May 2024 (2024-05-02)
20 out of 60 seats to Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
31 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Arooj Shah Howard Sykes
Party Labour Independent Liberal Democrats
Last election 32 seats, 46.5% 4 seats, 14.3% 10 seats, 17.7%
Seats before 31 8 10
Seats won 7 8 3
Seats after 27 14 9
Seat change 4 6 1
Popular vote 17,178 22,698 8,401
Percentage 29.1% 38.4% 14.2%
Swing 17.4% 24.1% 3.5%
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Graham Sheldon
Party Conservative FIP
Last election 11 seats, 17.6% 3 seats, 2.1%
Seats before 8 3
Seats won 2 0
Seats after 8 2
Seat change 1
Popular vote 7,731 1,005
Percentage 13.1% 1.7%
Swing 4.5% 0.4%
Winner of each seat at the 2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election
Leader before election

Arooj Shah
Labour

Leader after election

Arooj Shah
Labour
No overall control

The 2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 60 members of Oldham Council in Greater Manchester were elected. The election resulted in Labour losing overall control of the council, with a net loss of 4 seats. Despite this, Labour maintains the largest share of seats, with 27 of the 60 councillors, and managed to form a minority administration after the election.

The local Labour Party leader, Arooj Shah, denied that the conflict in Gaza was a major reason for Labour's loss, saying that "we've asked for an immediate ceasefire right from the start".[1] Despite Shah's claim, The Guardian reported that Labour's stance on the conflict could sway many Muslim voters.[2] This could explain Labour's poor performance in Oldham, where a quarter of the population identify as Muslim,[3] compared to just 6.5% nationally.[4]

Following the election, the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and some of the other councillors attempted to remove the Labour leader and administration from office. They failed to do so by one vote, after two independents voted with Labour and three others abstained. Labour therefore continued to run the council, but as a minority administration.[5]

Background

The Labour Party have governed Oldham for most of its history. They held a majority on the council from its creation in 1973 to 1994, when they lost control against the national trend.[6] They regained a majority the following year, but lost control to the Liberal Democrats in 2000. Labour regained control in 2003, before losing their majority in 2006.[6] Labour again won a majority in 2011, and have formed majority administrations since then, albeit with reduced margins.

The 2023 election was the first election on the current ward boundaries; as a result, all seats were up for election. Labour won 32 seats with 46.5% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats won 10 with 17.7%, the Conservatives won 11 with 17.6%, the Failsworth Independent Party won 3 with 2.1%, and independents won 4 with 14.3%. The 2024 election was for seats held by councillors elected by the smallest number of votes in each ward;[7] Labour held 12 seats, the Liberal Democrats held 4, the Conservatives held 3, and the Failsworth Independent Party held 1.[8]

Previous council composition

After 2023 election Before 2024 election[9] After 2024 election
Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 32 Labour 31 Labour 27
Liberal Democrats 10 Liberal Democrats 10 Liberal Democrats 9
Conservative 11 Conservative 8 Conservative 8
FIP 3 FIP 3 FIP 2
Independent 4 Independent 8 Independent 14

Changes 2023–2024:

  • November 2023: Kamran Ghafoor, Muhammad Irfan, and Abdul Wahid suspended from Conservatives[a][10]
  • January 2024: Aftab Hussain (independent) joins Labour[11]
  • April 2024: Shoab Akhtar and Nyla Ibrahim leave Labour to sit as independents[12]

Results

2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour 7 5 35.0 20 27 45.0 17,178 29.1 –17.4
  Independent 8 8 40.0 6 14 23.3 22,698 38.4 +24.1
  Liberal Democrats 3 1 15.0 6 9 15.0 8,401 14.2 –3.5
  Conservative 2 1 10.0 6 8 13.3 7,731 13.1 –4.5
  FIP 0 1 0.0 2 2 3.3 1,005 1.7 –0.4
  Green 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 1,024 1.7 N/A
  Reform UK 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 639 1.1 N/A
  Northern Heart 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 212 0.4 –0.8
  National Housing Party 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 173 0.3 +0.2

Ward results

An asterisk denotes an incumbent councillor seeking re-election.

Alexandra

Alexandra[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Zaheer Ali 1,494 50.5 N/A
Labour Ghazala Rana 903 30.5 −29.2
Independent Carol Hardie 157 5.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Martin Dinoff 135 4.6 −6.6
Northern Heart Anne Taylor 94 3.2 −7.1
Green Andrea Chaverra Valencia 93 3.1 N/A
Conservative Md Nazrul Chowdhury 84 2.8 −3.2
Majority
Turnout 2,960 38.99
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Chadderton Central

Chadderton Central[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elaine Taylor* 954 33.6 −19.7
Conservative Mohammed Razon 935 33.0 +6.7
Independent Lisa Roddy 243 8.6 N/A
Independent Irfat Shajahan 221 7.8 N/A
Independent Peter Brown 213 7.5 N/A
Green Daniel Clayton 165 5.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Malik Abdul 81 2.9 −2.7
Northern Heart Rob Vance 25 0.9 −7.4
Majority
Turnout 2,837 35.76
Labour hold Swing

Chadderton North

Chadderton North[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Eddie Moores* 1,383 48.9 +2.3
Conservative Moudud Ahmed 824 29.2 −8.7
Liberal Democrats Dominic Cadman 401 14.2 +2.0
Independent Mohammed Alam 218 7.7 N/A
Majority
Turnout 2,826 33.81
Labour hold Swing

Chadderton South

Chadderton South[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Holly Harrison* 1,127 45.3 −9.9
Conservative Karl Bardsley 597 24.0 +7.0
Reform UK Andy Clare 359 14.4 N/A
Independent Mohammed Ali 272 10.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Michael Scholes 132 5.3 −6.1
Majority
Turnout 2,487 28.1
Labour hold Swing

Coldhurst

Coldhurst[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Montaz Azad 2,304 54.7 +12.9
Labour Ruji Surjan* 1,329 31.5 −14.0
Liberal Democrats Rachel Pendlebury 193 4.6 −1.1
Independent Mustafa Mustak 139 3.3 +0.5
Green Sheraz Gondal 136 3.2 N/A
Conservative Muhammed Dara 113 2.7 −0.9
Majority
Turnout 4,214 43.49
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Crompton

Crompton[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Diane Williamson* 1,180 44.0 +0.2
Independent Lee Navesey 895 33.4 +3.8
Labour David Barker 431 16.1 −3.6
Conservative Michele Stockton 173 6.5 −6.7
Majority
Turnout 2,679 34.41
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Failsworth East

Failsworth East[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Ken Rustidge 731 33.1 −10.3
FIP Lucia Rea* 712 32.2 −12.1
Independent Catherine Charnock 620 28.1 N/A
Conservative Foysal Chowdhury 104 4.7 −7.9
Liberal Democrats Barbara Beeley 42 1.9 −9.7
Majority
Turnout 2,209 28.07
Labour Co-op gain from FIP Swing

Failsworth West

Failsworth West[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mark Wilkinson 1,104 47.9 +13.2
Labour Co-op Kyle Phythian 774 33.6 −5.8
FIP Jane Cashinella-Vaughan 293 12.7 −6.2
Conservative Md Mostakim Chaudhary 70 3.0 −5.8
Liberal Democrats Lynne Thompson 37 1.6 −3.3
Independent Majid Khan 26 1.1 N/A
Majority
Turnout 2,304 29.46
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Hollinwood

Hollinwood[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Naseem Aslam 846 33.4 −4.2
Independent Muhammad Irfan* 812 32.1 −6.3
National Housing Party John Lawrence 173 6.8 −1.4
Conservative Muhammed Alom 172 6.8 −31.6
Independent Ewan Edge 146 5.8 N/A
Independent Ian Whitehead 139 5.5 −3.3
Green Jason Bromley 132 5.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Roger Blackmore 113 4.5 −3.5
Majority
Turnout 2,533 29.37
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Medlock Vale

Medlock Vale[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Umar Nasheen* 1,374 44.9 −18.6
Independent Shamas Altaf 987 32.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Shona Farnworth 300 9.8 −0.2
Independent Muhammad Yasir 226 7.4 N/A
Conservative Akhtar Hussain 172 5.6 −0.2
Majority
Turnout 3,059 35.68
Labour hold Swing

Royton North

Royton North[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lewis Quigg* 1,458 50.3 +8.4
Labour Clint Phythian 1,037 35.8 −1.3
Green Miranda Meadowcroft 231 8.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats Jeffrey Garner 174 6.0 ±0.0
Majority
Turnout 2,900 34.2
Conservative hold Swing

Royton South

Royton South[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jade Hughes 1,200 50.4 +14.3
Labour Steven Bashforth* 877 36.8 −3.9
Liberal Democrats Tom Penketh 155 6.5 −2.1
Green Jim Stidworthy 151 6.3 N/A
Majority
Turnout 2,383 31.44
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Saddleworth North

Saddleworth North[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Garth Harkness* 1,279 41.7 +6.8
Labour Hannah Roberts 779 25.4 −3.1
Conservative Stuart Pyefinch 630 20.6 −4.9
Independent Christopher Marshall 376 12.3 N/A
Majority
Turnout 3,064 39.72
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Saddleworth South

Saddleworth South[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Max Woodvine* 1,107 31.7 −4.6
Liberal Democrats Amy Wrigley 821 23.5 −8.0
Labour Co-op Dominic Wall 809 23.1 −3.4
Independent Paul Errock 642 18.4 N/A
Green Fesl Reza-Khan 116 3.3 N/A
Majority
Turnout 3,495 41.6
Conservative hold Swing

Saddleworth West and Lees

Saddleworth West and Lees[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Kenyon* 1,603 55.5 +3.9
Independent Paul Shilton 675 23.4 +0.5
Labour Dave Barter 468 16.2 +0.7
Conservative Mujibur Rahman 141 4.9 +1.1
Majority
Turnout 2,887 35.08
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Shaw

Shaw[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Lisa Navesey 1,011 42.1 +4.7
Liberal Democrats Hazel Gloster* 961 40.0 +1.0
Labour Stephen Hewitt 356 14.8 −1.5
Conservative Md Yahhia Qurashi 76 3.2 +0.3
Majority 50
Turnout 2,404 32.66
Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

St James'

St James'[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Josh Charters* 757 36.3 +1.7
Conservative Christopher McManus 628 30.1 −2.9
Independent Amoy Lindo 554 26.5 +2.2
Liberal Democrats Roger Hindle 149 7.1 +1.6
Majority 129 6.2
Turnout 2,088 26.35
Labour Co-op hold Swing

St Mary's

St Mary's[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Aisha Kouser 2,769 66.7 +27.7
Labour Ali Aqeel Salamat* 1,367 32.9 −12.4
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Hussain 120 2.9 −2.0
Conservative Khaled Ahmed 104 2.5 −0.8
Majority
Turnout 4,152 48.20
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Waterhead

Waterhead[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Naveed Chowhan 1,221 38.9 N/A
Labour Co-op Ros Birch* 876 27.9 −17.8
Liberal Democrats Joe Beeston 298 9.5 −4.9
Reform UK Jack Davies 280 8.9 N/A
Independent Stuart Allsopp 201 6.4 −6.2
Conservative Ruhid Chowdhury 168 5.4 −25.6
Northern Heart Paul Taylor 93 3.0 −9.0
Majority
Turnout 3,137 35.31
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Werneth

Werneth[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Nyla Ibrahim* 2,362 55.8 +0.6
Independent Amjad Ali 1,471 34.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Hamza Uddin 227 5.4 −29.0
Conservative Mohammed Miah 175 4.1 −5.5
Majority
Turnout 4,235 45.62
Independent gain from Labour Swing

References

  1. ^ Sit as part of the Oldham Group, which was not registered as a political party.
  1. ^ "Labour loses control of Oldham Council but holds 6 others". BBC News.
  2. ^ "'Trust is lost': Muslim voters unhappy with Labour's stance on Gaza war". The Guardian.
  3. ^ "How life has changed in Oldham: Census 2021". ONS.
  4. ^ "Religion by age and sex, England and Wales: Census 2021". ONS.
  5. ^ Hall, Charlotte (22 May 2024). "Labour narrowly retain control of Oldham Council". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  7. ^ "The Oldham (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/778, retrieved 10 April 2024
  8. ^ Lawlor, Kent (5 May 2023). "All the results from the Oldham Council elections". The Oldham Times. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Your Councillors by Party". Oldham Council. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  10. ^ Tooth, Jack (26 November 2023). "All change on Oldham Council after suspension of councillors". The Oldham Times. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  11. ^ Hall, Charlotte (22 January 2024). "Independent councillor changes allegiances". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  12. ^ Hall, Charlotte (9 April 2024). "Two Labour councillors in Oldham defect weeks before May elections over Gaza". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED". Oldham Council. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
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