Family is the ‘bedrock’ of any good society and the government’s welfare reforms, said Iain Duncan Smith at the Manchester Conservative Party Conference today.

The TUC will stage a national demonstration in Manchester this autumn against the government’s austerity agenda and attacks on trade unions.

A paper authored by University of Manchester health economists suggests the Conservative government’s proposed plans for introducing a seven-day NHS service is not the most cost-effective means of doing so.

Over the last 65 years the Greater Manchester constituency of Cheadle has been a battleground between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, becoming used to the political pendulum swinging between the two without being challenged from outsiders.

Hazel Grove’s newly elected Tory MP William Wragg has revealed improving transport in the area is his ‘first priority’ after describing the victory as his ‘highest honour’.

Rochdale’s Conservative candidate Azi Ahmed has revealed she’s not surprised that the Tories are currently a whisker away from an overall majority according to BBC’s exit poll.

A Stretford MP is urging Trafford Council to rethink plans to close all but one youth centre in the borough after a Tory minister branded the cuts ‘choice, not a necessity’.

A Stockport councillor has leapt to the defence of Labour MP Emily Thornberry, saying her forced resignation over an ‘ill-judged’ tweet was an ‘overreaction’.

UKIP gave Labour a scare across many of Bolton’s hotly-contested seats – placing a second 12 times.

However Labour retained control with 40 seats, Tories 15, Lib Dems three and finally UKIP’s two.

Kate Green launched campaign earlier this year

Former minister will step down completely in 2015