The Conservatives have gained a council seat from Labour on Bolton Council after a stunning by-election win. The win for Ayyub Patel, who gained a majority of more than 500 came in Rumworth ward, which in the past has been considered a safe Labour area.
Coun Patel gained 1,610 votes in Thursday’s poll, with Labour’s Ismail Patel second with 1,102. Alan Johnson of the Green Party gained the support of 156 voters while David Cooper of the Liberal Democrats got 36. Rosanna Makar of Bolton for Change/Reform UK received 23 votes.
The election was held after Labour councillor, Ebrahim Adia stepped down due to career commitments. Leader of Bolton’s Conservative Group, Coun Martyn Cox said: “This is quite simply a stunning result for Bolton Conservatives.
“Full credit goes to Ayyub Patel and his team who have worked incredibly hard to win one of the safest Labour seats in the town. Rumworth now has two Conservative councillors who are committed to improving their area.”
The by-election came just weeks after another former Labour Rumworth councillor, Shamim Abdullah, joined Bolton Conservatives.
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She said Conservative group at Bolton town hall saying they are ‘determined to make a difference’. Coun Abdullah, known as Rosie, was originally elected to her seat by voters supporting Labour.
However, in February, she dramatically quit the opposition group, citing disagreements with Labour leadership over a proposed Haslam Park school development. From her resignation from Labour until earlier this month Coun Abdullah sat as an independent member.
Her recruitment and the by-election win means the Conservatives have consolidated their position as the largest party on Bolton Council, which they control. They now have 26 members with Labour on 19, with the other 15 made up of Liberal Democrats, hyper-local parties and independents.
All out elections for each of the 60 seats on the council will take place next May.
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