A plumber dressed in a striking pink suit was among a Green Party trio to give the Conservatives a bloody nose at the local elections in Trafford. Hannah Spencer stood out a mile on the stage as the results for the Hale ward were announced at Lancashire’s Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Alongside fellow Green contenders Jane Leicester and Owain Sutton, she unseated sitting Conservative councillor Daniel Chalkin.
Speaking after the shock result, Coun Spencer said: “We want to thank all those who voted for us.
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"Last year, people in Hale put their trust in Jane. They've now seen her in action and have decided they want more Green councillors.
“More and more people across the area are glad to have a positive option of voting Green. They want the same hardworking representation that residents in Altrincham already enjoy.
“And more and more people are putting their concerns about the climate and our environment at the top of their priorities."
Leader of the Green Party group Dan Jerrome added: “This is a great result with two new Green councillors in Hale, a nail-bitingly close result in Bowdon and an increased vote share in Altrincham.
“We have had fantastic results across Trafford. Our new Green Party group of six councillors is the only group to gain two seats tonight. This comes along with incredible results across the country with over 203 extra Green councillors elected."
In the end, Labour upped their majority on the council by one and now have 41 councillors in control, led by Tom Ross.
The Conservatives have been reduced from 13 to 10, which, according to one party insider, was regarded as a ‘good result’ in the light of the outcome elsewhere in the country.
The Greens held on to the stronghold of Altrincham to up their councillor-count to six. The Liberal Democrats increased their number by one from five to six.
With the boundaries tweaked and new wards created before this election, forcing the entire authority to be re-elected, the outcome was always going to be unpredictable.
Senior Conservative councillor Michael Whetton told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that while previous changes in 2004 had worked in the Tories’ favour and enabled them to hold power in Trafford for 14 years until 2018, the new boundaries ‘probably favoured Labour’.
On addition in Whetton’s ward of Bowdon, a significant chunk of Altrincham - a Green stronghold - has been added.
However, Coun Whetton’s fears of an undignified exit from public service after a total of 16 years proved to be unfounded as he and Conservativ colleagues Shengke Zhi and Phil Eckersley held off a strong challenge from Greens in Hale.
“Whatever the result, I think it’s important to flag that the boundary changes have given a significant advantage to Labour,” he said.
Labour leader Tom Ross, who will face another election next year after finishing third in Stretford and Humphrey Park, told the LDRS: “Labour are back and ready to win the next General Elections.
“There have been key gains across England and we are delighted with a strong set of results, not just in our traditional heartlands, but across the whole borough. I am looking forward to leading the next administration.”
The standings at Trafford town centre
- Labour: 41 (+1)
- Conservatives: 10 (-3)
- Greens: 6 (+2)
- Lib Dems: 6 (+1)
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Greater Manchester local election results 2023
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- Manchester: Full local election results
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- Bury: Full local election results
- Stockport: Full local election results
- Trafford: Full local election results
- Oldham: Full local election results
- Salford: Full local election results
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