Labour refusing to give up on running Stockport council despite trailing Lib Dems following dramatic local elections

Labour is refusing to give up on running Stockport council this year despite trailing the Liberal Democrats, who again emerged as the largest group at last week’s local elections. The Lib Dems wiped out the Conservatives to come within a whisker of taking the 32 seats needed to form a majority and automatically take control of the town hall for the next 12 months.

But Labour gains at their expense in Offerton, and Bredbury and Woodley, denied them the chance to move the authority out of ‘no overall control’ for the first time since 2011. The results mean the Lib Dems now hold 30 of the authority’s 63 seats, while Labour has 24 - fewer than it had last May, but four more than it had following a number of acrimonious resignations over recent months.That puts the smaller groups - Edgeley Community Association (ECA), the Greens and Independent Ratepayers have three members each - in a kingmaker position. Who runs the council over the coming municipal year will be thrashed over the coming days and weeks- as deals are made and alliances sought ahead of the annual council meeting later.

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With the Lib Dems just shy of the 32 seats needed to claim control of the council by right - six ahead of Labour - it seemed Labour would struggle to make an argument for taking back the reins they relinquished last year. But Lib Dem leader Coun Mark Hunter said he would be making no assumptions in the immediate wake of the election - recalling the controversial Tory/Labour pact that blocked his party from forming the administration in 2021.And it appears he was right to be cautious, with new Labour group leader Coun David Meller confirming he will look to forge alliances with