First-ever Workers’ Party councillors elected to Rochdale Borough Council; Labour retains overall control

Date published: 03 May 2024

The first-ever Workers’ Party councillors – Farooq Ahmed and Minaam Ellahi – have been elected to Rochdale Borough Council following the 2024 election, displacing Labour, which is still in overall control of the council.

Minaam secured 1,812 of the votes in Milkstone & Deeplish, typically a Labour stronghold, whilst Farooq gained 2,016 votes in the Central ward, removing Shahid Mohammed and Ali Ahmed (both Labour) as councillors.

Farooq, a former councillor between 2007 and 2014, said it was “absolutely amazing” to return to the council. He also previously stood in the 2015 general election for his own party, Rochdale First, where he finished fifth.

He said: “Absolutely amazing, the feeling I can’t describe. I’m going to focus on what the community and what the public want. There’s a lot of things that we could improve, and I want to serve the community, like I did before.

“I will be out there, speaking to people, see what people want and be that link to the council, which is what I did before. Hopefully, let’s see if we can improve more of our town centre, improve the services that we’ve got in Rochdale and also the roads need sorting out.

“Housing is a big issue and the biggest thing, working with George Galloway is bringing back the maternity ward in Rochdale. That is already in dialogue at the moment. I’m looking forward to working with George Galloway and also with my colleague Minaam [elected in Milkstone & Deeplish ward]. He’s a young man, this is the first time he’s stood in politics, and he’s done very well.

“Thank you to my mum, she gave me her blessing and her vote and everyone in the community who supported me, and it was a great experience to meet people as well. I also want to thank Ibrar Ali Khan and his family who were a big help with my campaign. Without their help, I don’t think I would be in this position.”

 

 

Minaam said: “It’s very overwhelming. From the beginning it was 50-50, we weren’t really sure whether we were going to win or not, but I think the hard work paid off in the end. Now, hopefully, work in the community and make it a better place to live for everyone, the elderly generation and the youth.

“Make it a little bit better place for everyone. I live in Milkstone & Deeplish. I want to be easy approachable so anyone can come to me with their problems. I’m here, round the clock to work hard for them.”

The party also scored favourably in Balderstone & Kirkholt, where they placed second with Billy Howarth, Kingsway where Haroon Khan came second and Healey, where Amr Nazir placed third.

The Workers Party also picked up a considerable number of votes in Bamford, placing third, and in Castleton, where Thomas Byrne was only 22 votes behind the next nearest candidate.

Despite the Workers Party success, Labour retains overall control of the council having kept 44 seats.

Read more: The results of the 2024 local election in full

 

 

After picking up 1,080 votes, former councillor Peter Joinson makes a return to Rochdale Borough Council, having stood for Labour in West Heywood after Peter Malcolm stepped down. Mr Joinson was previously a councillor until 2021.

Kath Bromfield has become the new Labour councillor for North Middleton after gaining over 1,200 votes, replacing Sara Rowbotham, who has stepped down. Paul O’Neill – who received 1,009 votes – has become the new North Heywood Labour councillor, filling the seat formerly held by the late Peter Rush.

Paul said he was “elated” to be elected, adding: “I’ve had a fantastic team who have made it happen and there’s been a good rapport with the community.”

 

 

Sue Smith, who held her seat in West Middleton, said: “I’m elated, but not just for me. This is for everybody, and I get to carry on my work for another four years.

“I’m glad I played a clean campaign and I’d like to thank my husband, Terry, my family, my team, and my leader and agent, Neil Emmott. We did this the right way and won.”

 

 

Dylan Williams held his seat in East Middleton with 1,974 votes and said: “I’m really pleased; I had the biggest majority in the borough. I’d like to thank everyone, including Terry and Sue [Smith; both councillors], my friends and family, ward members and residents for their votes of confidence and a landslide win.

“I will continue to work hard, day in, day out, and continue to provide action.

“Despite the abuse I’ve faced from the opposition over the last two years, I feel absolutely vindicated. This is a huge vote of confidence from the East Middleton residents.”

Liberal Democrat leader Andy Kelly held his Milnrow & Newhey seat by a 700-vote majority, and the Conservatives held their seats in Norden and Bamford with Peter Winkler and Philip Beal.

Philip replaces Pat Sullivan, who stood down this time. Peter Winkler received 1,448 votes and Philip Beal received 1,394.

Their new candidate in Wardle, Shore and West Littleborough, Adam Branton, secured the seat with 1,515 after Rina Paolucci stepped down.

Adam said: “I’m humbled by everyone who took the time to vote for me. Thank you very much to the people of Wardle, Shore & West Littleborough.

“I want to support the team, because we are a team in the Conservatives for the local borough and the ward and with that team spirit, we’ll tackle the issues we’ve been tackling endlessly and continue to fight for, greenbelt, speeding and the rest.”

 

 

Of his election, Philip Beal said: “It’s great; I’m passionate about local issues and getting involved.

“I think local policies and issues are what people are passionate about, so I think people become put off when they feel like they’re not listened to. We’ll keep listening; my Labour colleagues are perfectly placed to listen.”

Both of Reform’s candidates Mike Howard and Steve Potter placed second in North Heywood and Hopwood Hall, respectively, gaining 408 and 380 votes.

 

 

The Middleton Independents also held on to a high number of votes, which ultimately placed them second in North Middleton, East Middleton, West Middleton and South Middleton.

Representing MIP, Keeley O’Mara said the group was going to “regroup and dust themselves off” before returning next year.

She added: “Our figures were better. We’ve learned a lot with this campaign, and we’ll improve. Even though we’ve not gained any seats, we’ve not lost any, so there’s no change for us and we’ll keep moving forward.”

Reacting to the local election result, Rochdale Labour leader, Councillor Neil Emmott, said: “This was a strong, positive result for Labour. We ran an upbeat campaign focused on our record locally and put forward a range of detailed policies to make life better for all communities in Rochdale.

“This was a disastrous result for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, with their votes melting and people switching straight to Labour. And after all the bluster and rhetoric about how his ‘grand coalition’ was going to ‘clean the clock’ with Labour, George Galloway has managed to win just two seats.

“Rochdale is the home of co-operation and our communities want politicians who will be builders, not wreckers.”

It was a quiet election for the Conservatives and the Lib Dems who seemed content to hold onto what they had. Both group leaders were confident they would hold the wards they have, anything else would be a bonus.

Moving into the general election, expected to be held later this year, the message from the controlling Labour group is that they need to win back trust.

Councillor Emmott added: “We will listen to those people who haven’t voted Labour today and work hard to regain their trust. What Rochdale desperately needs now is a general election. The choice is a decade of renewal with Labour, incompetence and drift with the Tories, or division with Galloway.”