Tag Archives: Hannah Roberts

Tory revolt over controversial councillor’s future role

A controversial Conservative councillor, who owes his seat on Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council almost entirely to a grotesque smear campaign against his main opponent, faces losing his Party nomination for the ‘all-out’ elections in May, 2023. Cllr Robert Barnes, who presently represents the Chadderton South ward, narrowly ousted the former Labour and Council Leader, AroojContinue reading “Tory revolt over controversial councillor’s future role”

Labour only just survive by-election shocker

If political turmoil is what rocks your boat then Oldham is definitely one of the places to be in the United Kingdom. In monsoon-like weather, a Borough Council by-election was fought out between five candidates in what was expected to be a routine victory in a Labour safe seat; held in the Hollinwood ward forContinue reading “Labour only just survive by-election shocker”

Wet weather adds to low by-election turnout fears

Polling stations opened just over an hour ago in Oldham as voting takes place today in a by-election called following the sad death of Cllr Jean Stretton in September, 2022. Jean was a popular Labour Party councillor for twenty years in the Hollinwood ward and a respected former Leader of the Metropolitan Borough Council. TheContinue reading “Wet weather adds to low by-election turnout fears”

Oldham by-election set to be hotly contested

Following the sad passing of Cllr Jean Stretton, a former Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, a by-election will take place on Thursday 17th November, 2022 to elect a successor as one of the three councillors representing the Hollinwood ward. Labour Party colleagues, Cllr Kyle Phythian and Steve Williams, presently hold the other two seatsContinue reading “Oldham by-election set to be hotly contested”

Labour slams Oldham Tories over ‘peddling mistruths’ in dirty election campaign

Following the defeat of Council Leader, Arooj Shah, in the local elections in Oldham Metropolitan Borough at the beginning of this month (read more here), she described the campaign as ‘dehumanising’ and spoke of the distress it had brought to her and her family: “I fought a really positive campaign, I believe in positivity, andContinue reading “Labour slams Oldham Tories over ‘peddling mistruths’ in dirty election campaign”

Tory denials blown apart

At the Oldham Council election count last Thursday (writes Neil Wilby), the first two of a significant number of councillors, candidates and party officials, from across the political spectrum, to visit me in the media centre were Cllr Graham Sheldon (Conservative Group leader) and Cllr Dave Arnott (media lead). Amongst other topics, mostly off theContinue reading “Tory denials blown apart”

Tories hucker down over ‘missing’ Twitter account

As the run up to local council elections intensifies one mystery in a grand old East Lancashire mill town deepens: What has happened to the Twitter account of the Oldham Conservative Group? Two separate enquiries, by the author of this article, Neil Wilby, have been stonewalled, following the apparent de-activation of the Twitter handle, @oldhamtories.Continue reading “Tories hucker down over ‘missing’ Twitter account”

Local elections in Oldham begin to take shape

In what is probably the most important election in decades, the political parties in Oldham are settling on their candidates that will fight the twenty-one seats that are up for grabs. Since the election in May, 2019 only one poll has taken place and that attracted widespread media attention for all the wrong reasons asContinue reading “Local elections in Oldham begin to take shape”