Sara Britcliffe, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, admitted she has ‘a battle’ on her hands when she stands at the next general election.
Her comments came as Labour took control of Hyndburn Council after an emphatic display saw the party win 10 out of the 12 seats up for grabs in this year’s local election.
The Conservatives – who were previously controlling the council with the help of the Green Party – won in just one ward as their share of the seats diminished from 16 to 11.
Hyndburn Council now comprises 22 Labour councillors, an increase of six, the remaining two seats are shared one-a-piece by the Green Party and an independent.
The Greens were the ones starting the day strong, gaining Central ward from Labour, but in a foray of wins it was the reds who established themselves as top-dogs of Hyndburn Council.
Labour gained Church, St Andrew’s, Altham, Barnfield, Rishton, Peel and Baxenden, while also holding onto Spring Hill, Overton and Netherton.
“I am absolutely delighted that Hyndburn has given us this mandate,” Labour group leader Munsif Dad told The Hyndburn Lead.
“We will try and fulfil the vision that we have, and that vision is complete change. There are things we need to look at to refresh.
“We’ve got some young, talented, fresh faces coming through.”
Cllr Dad was coy when asked whether he thinks he will be the borough’s new leader, insisting “the group will decide in the forthcoming meetings.”
His deputy, Noordad Aziz, added: “For us, it highlights that we’ve been given the opportunity to deliver for residents, and it’s our priority to get on with it.”
In a day to forget for the Conservatives, their only victory came in St Oswald’s where Cllr Tina Walker held her seat.
Offering a mild “Well done Tina” in the wake of multiple ward losses was one of today’s Tory casualties, councillor of four decades, and former three times leader of the council - including as a stand in at the start of this year - Peter Britcliffe.
The father of incumbent Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Sara, he was one of five Tory councillors who lost their seats and admitted he was “bitterly disappointed.”
Peter Britcliffe said: “My campaign wasn’t helped by newspaper headlines that were generated. People thought I’d been sacked by the council, and I wasn’t.”
Mr Britcliffe was referring to a Lancashire Telegraph article that detailed how he was dropped from then leader, Marlene Haworth’s cabinet, in the run up to the election.
He added: “The result was very close and I still have a lot of support.”
Sara Britcliffe, who was present for the count just as she had been in Blackpool overnight, told The Hyndburn Lead: “We’ve lost some fantastic councillors, we were trying to defend seats in an atmosphere that’s not the easiest to contend with.
“The wards being contested today are from the 2021 elections, when we were 45% ahead on the polls. So we always expected it would be difficult for us this time. I'm very proud of the campaign that we ran, and of all our candidates and councillors, who will no doubt continue to work hard for residents.
“I don’t think people have lost trust in us.”
When quizzed about what this means for her chances of re-election to parliament, she admitted she had ‘a battle’ on her hands.
It was an election set against a backdrop of controversies. Three weeks before polling day the Conservatives withdrew support for their candidate Mohammed Riaz, after The Jewish Chronicle revealed he’d shared antisemitic content back in 2014. Riaz didn’t attend the count as Labour’s Noordad Aziz defeated him and held his seat in Netherton.
Cllr Sajid Mahmood, who today lost his seat in Church to Labour candidate Stewart Eaves, was this week under investigation for the second time this year after complaints he’d liked antisemitic Facebook content.
For Labour, newly-elected Clare Pritchard of Peel ward refused to speak to the press following her win. Keir Starmer was forced to address remarks she made in April, in which she referred to Queen Camilla as a “jumped up old whore”. She has since apologised.
In February, Graham Jones, Labour MP for the area prior to Sara Britcliffe and the parliamentary candidate for the next general election, was suspended by the Labour Party after comments made about Israel. Jones was in attendance today celebrating with Labour councillors.
Munsif Dad, Labour group leader in Hyndburn, said that today’s results signify that “the public want a general election” and that he’s hoping it happens “sooner rather than later.”
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