Only 1 in 10 cast vote in by-election

LABOUR HOLD ONTO SEAT BUT TURNOUT IS ONE OF LOWEST IN COUNCIL’S HISTORY

LABOUR have won a council byelection which saw only 1 in 10 of voters go to the polls.

The turnout in the Blackfriars and Trinity ward is one of the lowest in Salford council’s history.

Out of 7,875 voters in the new council ward on the edge of Manchester city centre, just 788 people voted on Thursday.

Labour Party candidate Roseanna Wain won with 408 votes, beating the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

Speaking after the results were announced, she said she was ‘really excited.’

She said: “It’s been great to have so much support. Obviously, the turnout was quite low. We’re going to try to work on that in May to see if we can get as many people out as possible.

“But the work starts tomorrow and I’m really excited about beginning at Salford council.”

The 23-year-old charity worker paid tribute to the late councillor Ray Walker, a ‘committed socialist,’ who died in the summer after a ‘sudden illness,’ triggering the by-election.

Coun Wain promised to prioritise her manifesto pledges, which included improving cycling routes, cleaning up litter and fighting for funding for parks.

Green Party candidate David Jones, second with 160 votes, said the results were what he expected but he was disappointed by the low turnout.

He added: “It gives us a bridgehead for six months’ time.”

Liberal Democrats candidate Joe Allen, who came in third place with 152 votes, felt ‘defeated’ having received eight fewer votes than the Greens.

But he said the swing since May when the Lib Dems came last was ‘huge.’ He said: “I’m looking forward to seeing what Roseanna does.

“All the candidates were asking for the same things.

“We want clean parks, less car parks, better cycle infrastructure – all sorts of stuff.

“If Roseanna can champion that, I’m happy to work with her as a resident for the next couple of months and hopefully as a councillor some time in the future.”

Christopher Bates, the Conservative Party candidate, came last with 68 votes. He said: “I wasn’t surprised not to have been elected.”

Conservative councillor Robin Garrido, who attended the by-election count, raised concerns about the low turnout of 10.06 pc.

He said: “The Salford Labour Party should feel very concerned that 90 pc of the electorate did not bother to vote.

“This is hardly a ringing endorsement of Salford Labour policy in the ward which must rate as one of the safest Labour wards in Salford.

“Perhaps Labour should take this as a warning that people will not be taken for granted.”