Labour bucks national trend in Trafford and snatches seats from Tories

On a bad day for Labour nationally, Trafford bucked the trend as ‘the only good news story for the party’ in the country, gaining three seats.

The party retained overall control of the council, holding all of its previous seats and winning a few more to boot, stealing them from the Conservatives.

The Tories gained one a seat in Village ward, having lost three seats to Labour.

The Liberal Democrats kept all of their seats, with ex-MEP Jane Brophy being re-elected.

The Greens held on to their Altrincham seat with Geraldine Coggins.

The party also bagged a huge percentage gain in their share of the vote in Hale Central, coming narrowly second to the Conservatives.

Green group leader Geraldine Coggins comfortably held her seat in Altrincham.

She said: “We’ve had a fantastic upturn in support across Trafford and especially in Hale Central, where Jane Leicester came a very close second to the Conservatives.

“It is clear that residents really appreciate Jane’s year-round hard work.

“We’re delighted to have new Green councillors around Greater Manchester today.”

Labour gained three seats from the Conservatives – in Ashton on Mersey, Davyhulme East and Davyhulme West.

Before the results, Labour leader Andrew Western said: “In what has been a bad night for Labour nationally, we’ll be the only good news story in the country.”

Labour managed to hold all of their seats, including a number of their executive members and the current mayor Laurence Walsh.

The Conservatives gained a seat in Village ward, which used to be held by council legend Ray Bowker before he sadly died last year.

Shadow members of the executive – including John Holden and Patrick Myers – were re-elected.

The Lib Dem’s Greater Manchester mayoral candidate Simon Lepori came fourth in his Hale Barns.

Conservative candidate Daniel Chalkin kept hold of Hale Central for his party.

The Green’s Jane Leicester for the Greens gained a massive percentage increase in her party’s share of the vote in the ward, coming second.