2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election explained

Election Name:2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election
Country:Greater Manchester
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:2023 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election
Previous Year:2023
Next Election:2026 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election
Next Year:2026
Seats For Election:20 out of 60 seats to Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Majority Seats:31
Leader1:Arooj Shah
Party1:Labour Party (UK)
Last Election1:32 seats, 46.5%
Seats Before1:31
Seats1:7
Seats After1:27
Seat Change1: 4
Popular Vote1:17,178
Percentage1:29.1%
Swing1: 17.4%
Party2:Independent politician
Last Election2:4 seats, 14.3%
Seats Before2:8
Seats2:8
Seats After2:14
Seat Change2: 6
Popular Vote2:22,698
Percentage2:38.4%
Swing2: 24.1%
Leader3:Howard Sykes
Party3:Liberal Democrats (UK)
Last Election3:10 seats, 17.7%
Seats Before3:10
Seats3:3
Seats After3:9
Seat Change3: 1
Popular Vote3:8,401
Percentage3:14.2%
Swing3: 3.5%
Leader4:Graham Sheldon
Party4:Conservative Party (UK)
Last Election4:11 seats, 17.6%
Seats Before4:8
Seats4:2
Seats After4:8
Popular Vote4:7,731
Percentage4:13.1%
Swing4: 4.5%
Party5:Failsworth Independent Party
Last Election5:3 seats, 2.1%
Seats Before5:3
Seats5:0
Seats After5:2
Seat Change5: 1
Popular Vote5:1,005
Percentage5:1.7%
Swing5: 0.4%
Leader
Posttitle:Leader after election
Before Election:Arooj Shah
Before Party:Labour Party (UK)
After Election:Arooj Shah
Labour
After Party:No overall control

The 2024 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 60 members of Oldham Council in Greater Manchester were elected. The election resulted in Labour losing overall control of the council, with a net loss of 4 seats. Despite this, Labour maintains the largest share of seats, with 27 of the 60 councillors, and managed to form a minority administration after the election.

The local Labour Party leader, Arooj Shah, denied that the conflict in Gaza was a major reason for Labour's loss, saying that "we've asked for an immediate ceasefire right from the start".[1] Despite Shah's claim, The Guardian reported that Labour's stance on the conflict could sway many Muslim voters.[2] This could explain Labour's poor performance in Oldham, where a quarter of the population identify as Muslim,[3] compared to just 6.5% nationally.[4]

Following the election, the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and some of the other councillors attempted to remove the Labour leader and administration from office. They failed to do so by one vote, after two independents voted with Labour and three others abstained. Labour therefore continued to run the council, but as a minority administration.[5]

Background

The Labour Party have governed Oldham for most of its history. They held a majority on the council from its creation in 1973 to 1994, when they lost control against the national trend.[6] They regained a majority the following year, but lost control to the Liberal Democrats in 2000. Labour regained control in 2003, before losing their majority in 2006.[6] Labour again won a majority in 2011, and have formed majority administrations since then, albeit with reduced margins.

The 2023 election was the first election on the current ward boundaries; as a result, all seats were up for election. Labour won 32 seats with 46.5% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats won 10 with 17.7%, the Conservatives won 11 with 17.6%, the Failsworth Independent Party won 3 with 2.1%, and independents won 4 with 14.3%. The 2024 election is for seats held by councillors elected by the smallest number of votes in each ward;[7] Labour are defending 12 seats, the Liberal Democrats are defending 4, the Conservatives are defending 3, and the Failsworth Independent Party are defending 1.[8]

Previous council composition

After 2023 electionBefore 2024 election[9] After 2024 election
PartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeats
323127
10109
1188
332
4814
Changes 2023–2024:

Ward results

An asterisk denotes an incumbent councillor seeking re-election.

Werneth

Notes and References

  1. News: Labour loses control of Oldham Council but holds 6 others . BBC News.
  2. News: 'Trust is lost': Muslim voters unhappy with Labour's stance on Gaza war . The Guardian.
  3. News: How life has changed in Oldham: Census 2021 . ONS.
  4. News: Religion by age and sex, England and Wales: Census 2021 . ONS.
  5. News: Hall . Charlotte . Labour narrowly retain control of Oldham Council . 31 May 2024 . BBC News . 22 May 2024.
  6. Web site: Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012 . Elections Centre . 10 April 2024.
  7. si . 2022 . 778 . The Oldham (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 . 10 April 2024 .
  8. News: Lawlor . Kent . All the results from the Oldham Council elections . 10 April 2024 . The Oldham Times . 5 May 2023 . en.
  9. Web site: Your Councillors by Party . 10 April 2024 . en . Oldham Council.
  10. News: Tooth . Jack . All change on Oldham Council after suspension of councillors . 10 April 2024 . The Oldham Times . 26 November 2023 . en.
  11. News: Hall . Charlotte . Independent councillor changes allegiances . 10 April 2024 . Manchester Evening News . 22 January 2024 . en.
  12. News: Hall . Charlotte . Two Labour councillors in Oldham defect weeks before May elections over Gaza . 10 April 2024 . Manchester Evening News . 9 April 2024 . en.