The borough of Rochdale was hit by a ‘political earthquake’ at the 2019 general election when Chris Clarkson became Heywood and Middleton's first ever Tory MP.
But will voters deliver another shock at next month’s local elections, which were cancelled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic?
A third of the council is up for election on Thursday, May 6, with 78 candidates standing across the borough’s 20 wards.
The town hall is currently dominated by Labour, who account for 44 of the 60 elected members. The Tories are the second largest group with nine councillors, followed by the Lib Dems with three.
It would take an extraordinary result to release Labour’s grip on the borough. But the party is sure to be wary of any continuing shift towards the Conservatives - particularly in the Heywood and Middleton wards.
Labour council leader Allen Brett and Tory chief Coun Ashley Dearnley - are both up for re-election this time around.
However, both will be strong favourites to retain their respective Milkstone and Deeplish and Wardle and West Littleborough seats.
This election also presents a tale of two former council chiefs.
Two-time leader Coun Richard Farnell will not contest the Balderstone and Kirkholt seat he has held since 2012.
Coun Farnell stood down as Labour council leader in 2017 after coming under pressure following his evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Abuse (IICSA).
He was suspended by Labour after the inquiry found he had ‘lied under oath’. Coun Farnell quit the party in 2018, but continued to serve as a ‘non-aligned’ councillor for Balderstone and Kirkholt.
Labour will be hoping that Phil Massey - whose wife Rachel represents Spotland and Falinge - will reclaim the seat.
In contrast Colin Lambert - who was ousted as Labour leader by Coun Farnell in 2014 - is eyeing a return to the town hall.
More recently Mr Lambert stood as The Brexit Party candidate for Heywood and Middleton at the 2019 general election.
He is now seeking election as a councillor in the West Heywood ward, where he is standing as an independent.
Elsewhere Rochdale ‘Man of the Year 2019’ Paul Ellison will again be contesting the Hopwood Hall seat for the Conservatives, having lost out last time around to Labour’s Coun Sue Emmott.
Meanwhile Stephen Anstee - twin brother of former Trafford council leader Sean - will fight it out in Bamford. He is taking up the mantle for the Conservatives as Coun Jane Warne is standing down.
Labour councillor Billy Sheerin, who has just completed a year as Mayor, will again be standing for re-election in Castleton. The 76-year-old has represented the ward since 2012.
East Middleton is certain to get a new councillor following Coun Malcolm Boriss’ decision to retire after 13 years service to the ward. Terrance Smith is the man tasked with retaining the seat for Labour.
It is a similar situation for in Spotland and Falinge. Current incumbent Coun Wendy Cocks is to contest West Heywood, with Iram Faisal being drafted in to fight the seat for Labour.
There are also a number of smaller parties fielding candidates this year.
The Green Party is standing in 14 wards, while there are also candidates from UKIP, the Social Democratic Party and the anti-lockdown Freedom Alliance.
Three independents are also standing.
The full list of candidates is as follows:
* denotes defending candidate
** denotes a new candidate is defending the ward for the incumbent party
Balderstone and Kirkholt :
- Laura Grabowska - Freedom Alliance
- Jacqueline Holt - Conservative
- Philip Massey - Labour and Co-operative
- James O'Meara - Green Party
Bamford :
- Stephen Anstee - Conservative **
- Elizabeth Atewologun - Labour
- Siobhain Cunnane - Liberal Democrats
- Edward Whittaker - Green
Castleton :
- David Jones - Conservative
- Jonathan Kershaw - Green
- Sarah Kisa-Smith - Liberal Democrats
- Billy Sheerin - Labour and C-ooperative *
Central Rochdale :
- Iftikhar Ahmed - Labour *
- David Jones - Conservative
- Adam Mir - Green
- Barrie Nicholson - Liberal Democrats
East Middleton :
- Ian Aspinall - Liberal Democrats
- Robert Mudd - Social Democratic Party
- Stephen Sanderson - Conservative
- Terrance Smith - Labour **
Healey
- Mark Alcock - Liberal Democrats
- Robert Mclean - Conservative
- Shaun O'Neill - Labour and Co-operative *
- AJ Rennie - Green
Hopwood Hall :
- Paul Ellison - Conservative
- Tony Hughes - Liberal Democrats
- Ian Kilgannon - Independent
- Linda Robinson - Labour *
Kingsway :
- Shakil Ahmed - Labour *
- Mark Hollinrake - Green
- Andrew Nelson - Conservative
- Stephen Thornley - Liberal Democrats
Littleborough Lakeside :
- Kate Clegg - Liberal Democrats
- John Hartley - Labour *
- Gareth Hobson - Conservative
Milkstone and Deeplish :
- Feruz Ali - Green
- Hassan Ansari - Liberal Democrats
- Allen Brett - Labour and Co-operative *
- Rizwan Shafiq - Conservative and Unionist
Milnrow and Newhey :
- Neil Butterworth - Labour and Co-operative
- Irene Davidson - Liberal Democrats *
- Daniel Nuttal - Conservative
Norden :
- Sarah Croke - Green
- James Gartside - Conservative *
- Shahid Mohammed - Labour
- Stephanie Robertson - Liberal Democrats
North Heywood :
- Bernard Akin - UKIP
- Donna Chadwick - Liberal Democrats
- Nigel Morrell - Conservative
- Liam O'Rourke - Labour and Co-operative *
- Martin Orson - Independent
North Middleton :
- Adrian Coan - Conservative
- Kat Horrex - Green
- Ben Keane-Lyons - Liberal Democrats
- Donna Williams - Labour *
Smallbridge and Firgrove :
- Leonard Branton - Conservative
- Jules Howliston - Green
- Dean Larder - Liberal Democrats
- Amna Mir - Labour *
South Middleton :
- Martin Collinge - Green
- Emma Griffin - Liberal Democrats
- Peter Joinson - Labour Party *
- Karen Winkler - Conservative
Spotland and Falinge :
- Rabina Asghar - Liberal Democrats
- Mick Coats - Green
- Iram Faisal - Labour **
- Steven Scholes - Conservative
Wardle and West Littleborough:
- Ashley Dearnley - Conservative *
- Richard Eden-Maughan - Liberal Democrats
- Julian Farnell - Labour
- Hannah Macguire - Green
West Heywood :
- Wendy Cocks - Labour and Co-operative *
- Colin Lambert - Independent
- Guy Otten - Green
- Jordan Tarrant-Short - Conservative
West Middleton :
- Nikki Edwards - Liberal Democrats
- Aaron Slack - Conservative
- Susan Smith - Labour Party *
