The constituency now has a new MP after Barbara Keeley decided to step down from the role. In her place for the reds is Michael Wheeler, who raced to a commanding 20,277 victory – 10,000 more votes than the next best candidate.
Before this election the Worsley and Eccles South constituency – as it was called before the boundary changes – could’ve been considered a marginal seat given the majority was only 3,219.
Even when the Tories did their biggest damage to Labour in 2019, they still didn’t take this seat. Like many other areas of the UK, this was well and truly Labour’s night, but it was never really in doubt – this seat hasn’t been anything other than red since Worsley became a constituency.
Speaking about what he wants to do for his new constituents at Salford Community Stadium, Mr Wheeler added he was ‘genuinely humbled’ by the trust the people put in him.
He quoted Keir Starmer, who has said that the Labour government is in the service of the country before acknowledging this for his new constituents.
He said:
“From Astley to Eccles, Cadishead to Worsley, I will fight for you to make sure we feel benefits here… I am now in the service of every single person I am fortunate enough to represent.”
Going into polling day, constituents who were lifelong Tory voters said they couldn’t see the blues grabbing this seat – they were correct. That gap was significantly widened with a push from Reform and Greens clearly chomping away at the Conservative share of the electorate.
Like many other constituencies across Greater Manchester, Reform UKs candidate Craig Birtwhistle took second place with 9,186 votes.
Despite this defeat, Coun Robin Garrido, leader of the Conservative group in the area, still believed the constituency was the Tories’ best hope of getting a toehold in the Salford borough.
Given the turnout was a dismal 54.3 per cent, down from 59.4 per cent, there is clearly a large proportion of the electorate that didn’t bother turning up. These voters could be the difference at the next general election.
Speaking on what he would do for the people of Worsley and Eccles, the new MP said:
“I intend to work for these people and get back out there and listen to them, as I did when I was campaigning. For now I want to listen to what the people of Worsley and Eccles have to say and go from there.”
Boundary changes meant that parts of Wigan, namely Astley and Mosley Common, had been engulfed by the new constituency. They replaced the Walkden area – which moved into the new Bolton South and Walkden constituency.
Anyone thinking that the new additions to the area, which had famously voted to make Leigh Conservative for the first time ever, could be a boost for the blues were clearly wrong tonight.
