Labour maintained a majority hold on Wigan with the Lib Dems and UKIP losing their solitary seats in the local council elections earlier this morning.
Labour ended the count controlling 23 of the 25 seats that were up for election including council leader Lord Peter Smith’s seat in West Leigh which he retained comfortably with a majority of 1,347.
Since the authority was formed 40 years ago Labour have held control of the town hall and this morning’s results indicate that things are not about to change with more than 50% of the vote going to Labour.
Ensure you follow MM’s live blog of all the results across Greater Manchester here.
Following the victory Councillor David Molyneux, Labour Deputy Leader of Wigan said: “I’m very pleased. It shows we keep getting it right and we have lots of support.”
Labour now hold 62 seats on Wigan council, down by one from the start of the evening.
The Liberal Democrats lost their seat to Labour in Tyldesley meaning they now control no seats on Wigan council.
UKIP however made gains across the borough.
The polls show that they have had the largest increase in votes out of all parties since the last election and now currently hold 16% of the votes, almost equal to the Conservatives who commanded 16.6%.
After successfully winning his seat in Ince Labour Councillor James Moody said: “There has been a far right party in the past and we have seen them off.
“Now there seems to be another party that has taken up its mantle and we will see them off as well.”
The Conservatives gained another seat in Lowten East bring the total number of Conservative wards to two, however the big disappointment for the Tories was former Wigan Mayor, Michael Winstanley, who narrowly missed out in his attempt to regain the seat that he lost in 2011.
He said: “Yes I’m disappointed on a personal level but we’re still in a healthy position as a party.
“We’ll be looking forward now to next year and working hard to make sure we’re in a stronger position then.
When asked about UKIP’s gains Mr Winstanley dismissed Nigel Farage’s party. He said: “UKIP have had free publicity for a month.
“With the European elections they are bound to get a few more votes this year.
“Next year I’m hoping that it will go back to normal politics.”
Despite their dominance Labour were also ousted from the hotly-contested Standish with Langtree seat by Standish Independent candidate Debbie Fairhurst.
She said “I’d like to thank everybody’s who’s voted for me in Standish.
Hopefully now the council will take note of what we’re saying.”
Abram (Labour hold)
Carl Sweeney, LAB 1580
Janet Markland, UKIP 760
Joseph Sheedy, CON 180
Dennis Shambley, BNP 134
Susan Brown, CAP 101
Ashton (Labour hold)
Nigel Ash, LAB 1144
John Littler, UKIP 591
Peter Merry, IND 403
Michael Moulding, CAP 395
Marie Winstanley, CON 170
Aspull New Springs Whelley (Labour hold)
Ron Conway, LAB 1581
Maureen McCoy, UKIP 827
Janet Brown, ASI 547
Jane Surples, CON 393
Stuart Bolton, LU 88
Astley Mosley Common (Labour hold)
Barry Taylor, LAB 1812
Nasri Barghothi, CON 867
Atherleigh (Labour hold)
Pamela Stewart, LAB 1152
Stuart Gerrard, WIN 750
Denise Young, CON 339
Stephen Hall, LU 85
Atherton (Labour hold)
Karen Aldred, LAB 1494
John Higson, WIN 1106
Paul Fairhurst, CON 374
Craig Wilson, LU 129
Bryn (Labour hold)
Ann Rampling, LAB 1190
Stephen Jones, UKIP 724
Brian Merry, IND 625
Catherine Aspey, CAP 289
Susan Atherton, CON 131
Douglas (Labour hold)
Shirley Dewhurst, LAB 1502
Derek Wilkes, UKIP 790
Margaret Atherton, CON 210
Golborne Lowton West (Labour hold)
Richard Barber, LAB 1596
Abbey Aspey, CAP 456
Kathleen Houlton, CON 403
Hindley (Labour hold)
Jim Talbot, LAB 1418
Brian Ellis, WIN 913
Gerard Houlton, CON 263
Ian Heyes, LU 78
Hindley Green (Labour hold)
Keir Stitt, LAB 1145
John Vickers, IND 908
Kieron Creegan, CAP 325
Stephen Holt, CON 231
Ince (Labour hold)
James Moodie, LAB 1397
Ross Wright, UKIP 851
Ray Whittingham, CON 133
Janet Phillips, LU 79
Leigh East (Labour hold)
Fred Walker, LAB 1633
Ian Aspinall, CON 671
Leigh South (Labour hold)
Charles Rigby, LAB 1955
Richard Short, CON 1032
Leigh West (Labour hold)
Peter Smith, LAB 2005
Andrew Oxley, CON 658
Lowton East (Conservative takeover from Labour)
Edward Houlton, CON 1603
Eleanor Blackburn, LAB 1137
Sandra Atherton, UKIP 589
Sophie Aspey, CAP 144
Orrell (Labour hold)
Dave Arrowsmith, LAB 1102
Michael Winstanley, CON 1031
Philip Easton, UKIP 818
Norma Stout, GRN 210
Pemberton (Labour hold)
Paul Prescott, LAB 1632
Alan Freeman, UKIP 692
John Cartwright, CON 195
Adele Andrews, LU 85
Shevington with Lower Ground (Labour hold)
Michael Crosby, LAB 1050
Angie Bland, IND 797
Arnold Foster, UKIP 797
Claire Houlton, CON 353
Joseph Rylance, GRN 156
Standish with Langtree (Independent takeover from Labour)
Debbie Fairhurst, IND 1543
David Ollerton, CON 701
Debbie Parkinson, LAB 646
Joanne Bradley, UKIP 590
Emma McGurrin, WRL 63
Sharon Holden, TUSC 56
Daniel Willson, CAP 20
Tyldesley (Labour takeover from Lib Dems)
Joanne Marshall, LAB 1821
Margaret Winstanley, CON 551
John Skipworth, LD 404
Wigan Central (Labour hold)
George Davies, LAB 1618
Keith Jones, UKIP 893
Callum Chadwick, CON 614
Wigan West (Labour hold)
Phyllis Cullen, LAB 1726
John Atherton, UKIP 718
Hazel Duffy, LU 252
Jean Peet, CON 153
Winstanley (Labour hold)
Clive Morgan, LAB 1177
Andrew Collinson, UKIP 874
Allan Atherton, CON 263
Steven Heyes, GRN 208
Lee Aspey, CAP 149
Worsley Mesnes (Labour hold)
Lynne Holland, LAB 1552
Gillian Gibson, UKIP 813
Judith Atherton, CON 203
Full breakdown of results and more reaction to follow through the day. Check back for updates.
Picture courtesy of Rept0n1x via Wiki Commons, with thanks
