Labour has maintained control of Salford Council despite huge gains for Reform UK in the local election.
People across the country voted yesterday with a third of councillors being elected in all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs – including Salford, where 20 of its 60 seats were up for grabs.
Labour lost 13 of its seats, taking its overall majorinty from 45 out of 60 seats in the council chamber to now just 34. Reform UK went from one seat to 14.
Among the Labour councillors to lose their seats was deputy mayor, Jack Youd, losing his seat to Reform UK’s Miles Henderson in Walkden North.
Labour maintained a stronghold in Eccles with 1,663 votes.
Nathaniel Djangmah Tetteh, Labour Councillor for Eccles, said he thinks the party will do great things for the area, with the town centre regeneration coming along well.
He said: “For me personally it’s a somber day. Although I’m happy I got re-elected, it’s a different make-up of the city council and it’s one that I dare say will make for an interesting first council meeting.
“We as Labour group will have to really think about what is important and what’s happened here and how we can address that.
“We have a fight on our hands, and I don’t think we’ll shy away from that.”
Significant gains for Reform present a new challenge for Labour, the party having maintained control of Salford Council since its inception in 1974.
Reform made the most gains in the election, winning previous Labour strongholds like Swinton, Little Hulton and Walkden North.
John Warmisham, the former Labour Councillor for the Pendleton and Charlestown ward, said: “I think people are voting against the national Labour Party – people in Salford have had enough.
“They’re affected by the winter-fuel payment, the two-child benefit, disabled benefit, universal credit and they just see that the Labour Party have lost touch and are not supporting them anymore.”
Despite retaining control of the council, Labour’s losses and Reform UK’s gains across several former strongholds signal a significant shift in Salford’s political landscape.
Featured image credit: Georgina Garness Copyright 2026
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