Reform storm to victory in Longdendale by-election

The Reform Party took the Longdendale council seat from Labour in a landslide victory last night (April 10).

The Hattersley Hub in Tameside was the scene where Allan Hopwood was crowned as Greater Manchester’s first elected politician for Reform – receiving 911 votes. It was a decisive win for Nigel Farage’s party with 422 more votes than second placed Labour.

Coun Hopwood said he was ‘not surprised’ to get the victory.

He is now a Tameside Councillor for the Longdendale ward, a seat previously held by Labour’s former deputy leader Jacqueline North before her resignation last month. 

Delighted after his stunning victory, Coun Hopwood said: “I’m a bit overwhelmed. I can’t say that I’m surprised based on what people were saying on the doors.

“It’s clear to me that there were a lot of fed up people. The majority for Tameside has been Labour for a long 40+ years and it’s time we had a change.

“I am the first Reform councillor in Greater Manchester, and I hope I’m the first of many. Knowing the rest of the people in the party, there are more Allan Hopwoods waiting to come along.

“In May 2025, I think we will see that. 

“I’m a people person and I like to engage with people. We’re not robots, we care. We care about the area and the country.”

He went on to say that if Nigel Farage wants to give him a call he would be ‘delighted’ to hear from him. Coun Hopwood thanked his team, particularly the local party chair Rob Barrowcliffe, for all their hard work during the campaign.

For Labour though, it was a night to forget. The Longdendale ward has often been a happy hunting ground for the red rosettes, but their candidate Francesca Coates was nowhere near Reform’s winner in the vote count.

Council leader Eleanor Wills, who was in Hattersley for the count, said: “I think there are quite a few factors for people across Tameside at the moment that are dictating how they vote in elections. A lot has changed nationally, and locally we’ve been through a bit of a tumultuous period. 
“People did not come out, we’ve had a very low turnout (20.12 per cent) for this by-election. I’m just really disappointed for Longdendale really because Francesca would’ve been an amazing councillor.

“We need to help people, recognise what we’re doing, and listen to local people. I don’t feel this particular result means we have to look at what Reform are doing and think ‘they’re the marker’.”

The make-up of Tameside Council is still dominated by Labour with 36 councillors out of 57. The rest of the council chamber will be made up of 13 independents, seven Conservatives and now one Reform.