UPDATE: |’Labour massively let us down’: On the streets that elected Greater Manchester’s first Reform councillor News

Residents in Longdendale told the M.E.N. they voted for Reform’s ‘realistic’ and ‘honest’ approach

Surrounded by rolling green hills and stunning scenery, Longdendale has an air of tranquility hard to miss in the April sunshine.

But discontent has been brewing in the Tameside ward for quite some time. Despite its traditionally Labour roots, residents told the Manchester Evening News they felt ‘let down’ by the party who currently run the borough’s council.

In an historic by-election on Thursday night (April 10), those residents elected Greater Manchester’s first Reform UK councillor. Councillor Allan Hopwood swept the ballot, earning 422 more votes than second placed Labour.

Speaking to us on the ward’s streets today, they explained it was ‘time for a change’.

Hannah Goodwin, 34, and Thomas Davies, 36

Outside the community centre where Coun Allan Hopwood claimed victory just hours ago, Hannah and Thomas said they felt a lot of what Labour had done in the area ‘wasn’t fair’.

“Labour massively let us down, that’s why,” Hannah said. “They went back on everything they said in their manifesto, like in the winter fuel payments.”

She said she was concerned about housing being built near her being given to refugees, adding ‘there are people on the estate who need it’.

“We don’t really agree with it,” she said. “Not when there’s people around here that have a lot of kids and are stuck in one bedroom flats and things.”

Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE

Neither Hannah nor Thomas voted in the by-election, but Thomas said he knew his mum had voted for Reform.

“She’s got the Reform poster in the window,” he added.

“For me it’s because Labour just went against everything they said they were going to do,” Hannah continued. “And I’m not a big fan of Starmer. I’m really not a fan. I don’ t know how he’s still in power.

“When you get on the bus, where the elderly sit, they’re all talking about it, it’s disgusting what’s happened to them, and that they’re struggling and things, and it’s not fair. I really don’t agree with it.”

Gwen

Gwen, who did not give her last name or age, told the M.E.N. she voted for Reform because she thought they were ‘more realistic’ than Labour.

“I’m glad about it,” she said. “I think they’ve got an honesty about them, about what’s going on. I think that’s important and I think they speak the truth.

“I think there is so much that is destructive about the current government, is my feeling, and I think that they are blind and they don’t see what’s happening in the world.”

She added she thinks immigration is ‘really important’ and that the government ‘aren’t living in the real world’.

“I think they’re more realistic and I think that they have more idea about what people on the street are concerned about than other politicians who live in their own bubble,” she said of Reform. “Let’s face it, London is not the center of Britain, a lot of people live in other places.

“I’m glad they’re in,” she added. “I don’t know if they’d agree with my views entirely but I think they’re better than anything else on the table at the moment.”

‘Can’t do any worse than Labour’

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said she didn’t vote in the by-election but felt it was ‘time for a change’.

“Can’t do any worse than the Labour councillor that we’ve had for God knows how many years,” she added. “I don’t even think it’s just Labour, I think it is all of them.

“They promise you everything and we get nothing. So, we need a big change – what that is, I don’t know. But like I say, we can’t do any worse than what it’s [the government is] already doing.”

Yesterday’s by-election saw just a 20.12 per cent turnout – something she said she felt was to do with ID checks.

“It’s ridiculous,” she added.

‘I don’t know anything about it’

But by far the most resounding response from Longdendale residents was given by those who didn’t vote and didn’t care.

“I don’t know anything about it. I don’t trust any of them,” one resident told the M.E.N. Another said she had become disengaged with politics since Covid and now actively avoids the news.

“I don’t have any views at all on it,” another man added.

‘I’m not surprised’

Speaking after his victory last night, Coun Hopwood said he was ‘overwhelmed’ but ‘not surprised’.

“I’m a bit overwhelmed. I can’t say that I’m surprised based on what people were saying on the doors,” he said.

“It’s clear to me that there were a lot of fed up people. The majority for Tameside has been Labour for a long 40+ years and it’s time we had a change.

“I am the first Reform councillor in Greater Manchester, and I hope I’m the first of many. Knowing the rest of the people in the party, there are more Allan Hopwoods waiting to come along.

“In May 2025, I think we will see that.

“I’m a people person and I like to engage with people. We’re not robots, we care. We care about the area and the country.”

Council leader Eleanor Wills, of Labour, said there were ‘quite a few factors’ affecting how voters in Tameside cast their ballots.

“A lot has changed nationally, and locally we’ve been through a bit of a tumultuous period. People did not come out, we’ve had a very low turnout (20.12 per cent) for this by-election. I’m just really disappointed for Longdendale really because Francesca would’ve been an amazing councillor.

“We need to help people, recognise what we’re doing, and listen to local people. I don’t feel this particular result means we have to look at what Reform are doing and think ‘they’re the marker’.”