LABOUR held on to a council seat in Hazel Blears’ Salford constituency tonight in the first test of her party’s popularity following the MPs expenses furore.
And fears that the expenses row engulfing Ms Blears and nationwide politics could bring more votes for the BNP failed to materialise with the far-right group coming third. I wonder better the devil you know?
But Labour’s majority, in the heartland ward of Irwell Riverside, was reduced in the wake of the expenses fiasco.
A low turn-out of 17.5 per cent – compared to 20.5pc last year – also highlighted the country’s disillusionment with politics.
Matt Mold, the 27-year-old Labour candidate, won with 606 votes. The Lib Dems’ Steven Middleton came second with 293 votes with the BNP’s Gary Tumulty third with 276.
The result represented a swing away from Labour, who won the ward in 2008 with 888 votes compared to the Lib Dems’ 337, the Tories’ 286 and just 233 for the BNP.
Unacceptable
Gordon Brown described Ms Blears’ actions as ‘totally unacceptable’ this week
Martin Bell – the ex-journalist who ousted Neil Hamilton from the Tatton seat in 1997 on an ‘anti-sleaze’ ticket – said yesterday he would ‘not rule out’ taking on Ms Blears.
The BNP – which has a ban on non-white members and wants to pay non-white British citizens to leave the country – has been trying to exploit the public’s disillusionment with mainstream politicians. Thank god they are failing.
INSIDE SALFORD POLITICS 