SADDLEWORTH woke up to a dramatically changed political landscape following the local elections, after Reform UK secured major breakthroughs across the parish.
The party claimed two of the area’s three seats on Oldham Council after voters went to the polls on Thursday, May 7.
In Saddleworth West and Lees, Reform candidate Peter Klonowski unseated sitting Liberal Democrat councillor Alicia Marland by 172 votes. Marland had represented the ward on Oldham Council since 2022 and joined Saddleworth Parish Council a year later.
Reform also captured Saddleworth North from the Conservatives, with Ioan Williams winning comfortably by a 463-vote majority, after Luke Lancaster stepped down following five years in office.
Saddleworth South remains in Liberal Democrat hands but only by the narrowest of margins. Helen Bishop, chair of Saddleworth Parish Council, survived a fierce Reform challenge by just two votes after polling 1,594 against Reform candidate Christopher McManus’ 1,592.
The results leave Saddleworth politically split and underline Reform UK’s growing support in the borough, mirroring the wider electoral earthquake felt across the country.
Across the borough, Reform gained 13 seats in what party figures described as a “people’s revolt”, transforming the group from one of the council’s smallest factions into the second largest political force with 16 councillors.
The result dealt a severe blow to Labour, which lost eight seats overall despite remaining the council’s largest party. Labour now holds 18 seats on Oldham Council, leaving the authority once again under no overall control.
In Saddleworth, it was a particularly bruising night for Labour, who finished fourth in Saddleworth North, third in Saddleworth South and third again in West and Lees – reflecting the party’s wider struggles nationally and locally.
Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams described the outcome as “deeply disappointing”, adding that she had told the Prime Minister there must be “demonstrable change in effective delivery of policies underpinned by our values by the end of the year”.
Meanwhile, Reform figures were quick to claim the results signalled deep frustration among voters.
Oldham Reform group leader Lewis Quigg said the elections showed residents were “fed up with the establishment” and claimed communities across the borough had “long been forgotten”.
The elections were among the most dramatic Oldham has seen in recent years. More than 46 per cent of residents turned out to vote, with some wards fielding up to seven candidates and several contests decided by thin margins.
The atmosphere around polling day and the overnight count was equally turbulent. Police were called to several incidents outside polling stations amid allegations of disorder and voter intimidation, while a councillor’s car was vandalised near The Loom – Oldham’s new count venue.
Labour council leader Cllr Arooj Shah admitted the result was “devastating”, warning that the borough now faced a fragmented and uncertain political future.
Negotiations between Oldham’s political groups are expected in the coming weeks as parties attempt to form a workable administration at the Civic Centre.
SADDLEWORTH ELECTION RESULTS:
Saddleworth North
Ioan Williams (Reform): 1,752 votes ELECTED
Michael Powell (Liberal Democrats): 1,289 votes
Luke Bywater (Conservative): 488 votes
Samuel Hollis (Labour): 432 votes
Chris Fielding (Green): 330 votes
Majority: 463
Turnout: 54.48%
Saddleworth South
Helen Bishop (Liberal Democrats): 1,594 votes ELECTED
Christopher McManus (Reform): 1,592 votes
Archie Duncan (Labour): 602 votes
David Hartington (Conservative): 417 votes
George Atkinson (Green): 344 votes
Majority: 2
Turnout: 54.77%
Saddleworth West and Lees
Peter Klonowski (Reform): 1,808 votes ELECTED
Alicia Marland (Liberal Democrats): 1,636 votes
Dave Barter (Labour): 279 votes
Joe Bardsley (Green): 238 votes
Lisa Hartington (Conservative): 143 votes
Majority: 172
Turnout: 49.43%
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