Rochdale Election Special - Live Commentary

3.50am:

Lib Dem candidate Paul Rowen says thanks to his supporters as his five years as Rochdale MP come to an end.

3.45am:

The Town Hall is rocking as Labour jubilantly celebrate their victory. Champagne is being cracked open as Simon Danczuk gives a speech to a rapturous applause.

3.40am:

It's official. Labour candidate Simon Danczuk has taken the Rochdale seat. The Conservatives doubled their share of the votes from 2005.

3.35am:

The votes have been counted and the result is in. Labour's Simon Danczuk has won.

3.30am:

The difference in votes between Labour and Lib Dems looks small.

3.20am:

Still no official result. Tensions mount as it comes down to the wire between Labour's Simon Danczuk and Paul Rowen of the Lib Dems.

3.15am:

Smiles in the Danczuk camp suggest that Labour have beat the Lib Dems. Still to be confirmed.

3.00am:

We still await the result.

2.45am:

The votes are still being counted. The result is said to be imminent.

2.30am:

As the count approaches its conclusion, Rochdale's Labour candidate, Simon Danczuk has just arrived at the Town Hall.

1.40am:

The postal votes are currently being added to the regular votes. They have all now been verified. The final count begins.

1.35am:

The votes have been verified. The turnout for Rochdale was 58.5%, up slightly on the last General Election, when 58.4% of the local electorate voted. A result is expected between 2.30am and 3.00am.

1.30am:

A sudden clattering of ballot boxes arouses attention in the room. But it is still unclear when the final result will come in.

1.25am:

In Rochdale Town Hall it is tense. Which way this one will swing is anybody's guess. Paul Rowen MP appears relaxed, chatting to fellow politicians. Labour candidate Simon Danczuk is yet to arrive.

1.15am:

Votes have been separated and stacked into piles of fifties. Dubious ballot papers are being sifted through, and invalid votes discarded.   

1.00am:

Just the postal votes to verify now, and rumour has it that it is extremely tight between Labour and the Lib Dems. Can Paul Rowen cling on to his seat, or will Simon Danzcuk be the new Rochdale MP?

12.55am:

Paul Rowen has just arrived at the Town Hall.

12.40am:

Early indications suggest that the count may be concluded at 2.30am today (7 May). Several of the tables have been cleared and the atmosphere in the Town Hall is now a little more relaxed.

12.30am:

In Smallbridge and Firgrove, Jean Ashworth, of the Lib Dems, reveals that she was expecting a greater lead to emerge for her party, and Labour remain neck and neck.

Meanwhile, Labour appear to be stretching their advantage in Central Rochdale.

12.20am:

Conservatives are still ahead in Wardle and West Littleborough.  The Lib Dems' Greg Couzens informs us that 'they've still got one box left to count' in Spotland and Falinge. In this ward it is closely fought between Labour and Lib Dems, the latter a little ahead.

12.15am:

Counting in Littleborough Lakeside continue to be on hold.  They are still cross-checking voting papers with the register.

12.05am:

Conservatives are streaking ahead in Wardle and West Littleborough.

11.50pm:

Votes are keenly contested in Milnrow and Newhey. There's not much between Lib Dems, Labour or Conservatives.

11.45pm:

The Littleborough and Lakeside verification is still suspended. They are regrouping the votes into stacks of fifty.

11.40pm:

Lib Dem representatives are remaining tight-lipped. Greg Couzens claims that it is 'even stevens' between Lib Dems and Labour in Spotland and Falinge. In Smallbridge and Firgrove, Jean Ashworth thinks that 'it's all swings and roundabouts'.

11.35pm:

Drama with the Wardle and West Littleborough boxes. The number of votes do not tally up against the voting register. They are in the process of counting the votes again. A box of votes has just been emptied onto the Kingsway table. It is going to be a long night!

11.30pm:

In Balderstone and Kirkholt Dale Mulgrew, local candidate for the area, speaking exclusively to Rochdale Online, is 'playing his cards close to his chest'. He describes tonight as 'an interesting evening', and he believes that there is a 'significantly higher turnout' in the ward.  He adds that it would be interesting to see whether this was a pattern throughout Rochdale.

11.20pm:

In Smallbridge, Labour and Lib Dems are neck and neck.  The ballot boxes from Milnrow and Newhey have finally arrived, and Labour and Lib Dems are deadlocked. In Wardle and West Littleborough, the three main parties are inseparable.

11.15pm:

In Rochdale collectively, it remains tight between Labour and Lib Dems.

11.10pm:

Hopes are high for Lib Dems in Kingsway. Local elections candidate, Doreen Morton, said: 'It's difficult to say we're not ahead'.

11.05pm:

It appears that not all the boxes have come in from Wardle and West Littleborough, but Lib Dems look strong. Meanwhile, the vote verification for Littleborough Lakeside has been halted. They await further ballot boxes. 

11.00pm:

Labour creeping in front in Spotland and in Smallbridge. In Central, Labour and Lib Dems are neck and neck.

10.50pm:

It remains tight between Labour and Lib Dems in Balderstone and Kirkholt.

10.45pm:

All the ballot boxes are in except for one ward. We await the arrival of Milnrow and Newhey votes.

10.45pm:

Conservatives are edging ahead in Littleborough Lakeside.

10.40pm:

In Central Rochdale ward the votes seem evenly spread amongst all candidates.

10.35pm:

Paul Rowen still looking to have a healthy lead in Milkstone and Deeplish.

10.35pm:

The Kingsway votes have been brought in. Labour are looking good.

10.30pm:

Ballot boxes from Spotland and Falinge have arrived.

10.25pm:

The boxes are in from Balderstone and Kirkholt. Early reports suggests that it's close between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Lib Dem local candidate for the area, Dale Mulgrew, is 'in the thick of it' and he said 'it's going as expected' for Paul Rowen.

10.20pm:

The Healey boxes have arrived.

10.20pm:

At first glance, the Liberal Democrats seem to be ahead in Deeplish and Milkstone.

10.15pm:

The first ballot boxes from Deeplish and Milkstone have arrived and the verification process has begun.

10.00pm:

We have arrived at Rochdale Town Hall, and the polling stations have now closed.

----------------------------------

General Election results 2010

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-results/3