The Labour Party romped home in the Walkden North by-election last Thursday, polling over two and a half times the combined votes of all the other parties.
While that was no shock n this solid Labour seat, what was startling was the lack of support for the Lib Dems, as they finished bottom of the poll with just 62 votes, reflecting the `Nick Clegg effect' that hit the Barnsley by-election on the same night.
With a miserly turnout of just 1,786 people, or 20.9%, Labour held the seat with 1,291 votes. Way, way behind in second place were the Tories with 209 votes, followed by the English Democrats with 125 votes, the BNP with 92 votes and Lib Dems with 62 votes.
The new Labour councillor for Walkden North is Brendan Ryan.