In a day to forget for the Conservatives, their only victory came in St Oswald’s where Cllr Tina Walker held her seat.
Offering a mild “Well done Tina” in the wake of multiple ward losses was one of today’s Tory casualties, councillor of four decades, and former three times leader of the council - including as a stand in at the start of this year - Peter Britcliffe.
The father of incumbent Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Sara, he was one of five Tory councillors who lost their seats and admitted he was “bitterly disappointed.”
Peter Britcliffe said: “My campaign wasn’t helped by newspaper headlines that were generated. People thought I’d been sacked by the council, and I wasn’t.”
Mr Britcliffe was referring to a Lancashire Telegraph article that detailed how he was dropped from then leader, Marlene Haworth’s cabinet, in the run up to the election.
He added: “The result was very close and I still have a lot of support.”
Sara Britcliffe, who was present for the count just as she had been in Blackpool overnight, told The Hyndburn Lead: “We’ve lost some fantastic councillors, we were trying to defend seats in an atmosphere that’s not the easiest to contend with.
“The wards being contested today are from the 2021 elections, when we were 45% ahead on the polls. So we always expected it would be difficult for us this time. I'm very proud of the campaign that we ran, and of all our candidates and councillors, who will no doubt continue to work hard for residents.
“I don’t think people have lost trust in us.”
When quizzed about what this means for her chances of re-election to parliament, she admitted she had ‘a battle’ on her hands.
It was an election set against a backdrop of controversies. Three weeks before polling day the Conservatives withdrew support for their candidate Mohammed Riaz, after The Jewish Chronicle revealed he’d shared antisemitic content back in 2014. Riaz didn’t attend the count as Labour’s Noordad Aziz defeated him and held his seat in Netherton.
Cllr Sajid Mahmood, who today lost his seat in Church to Labour candidate Stewart Eaves, was this week under investigation for the second time this year after complaints he’d liked antisemitic Facebook content.
For Labour, newly-elected Clare Pritchard of Peel ward refused to speak to the press following her win. Keir Starmer was forced to address remarks she made in April, in which she referred to Queen Camilla as a “jumped up old whore”. She has since apologised.
In February, Graham Jones, Labour MP for the area prior to Sara Britcliffe and the parliamentary candidate for the next general election, was suspended by the Labour Party after comments made about Israel. Jones was in attendance today celebrating with Labour councillors.
Munsif Dad, Labour group leader in Hyndburn, said that today’s results signify that “the public want a general election” and that he’s hoping it happens “sooner rather than later.”
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