ELECTION: 'Palestine could make the result tighter than we would like' - Labour

A Tameside Labour councillor has admitted the result in a couple of wards could be a close call.

Labour Cllr Bill Fairfoull, Ashton St Michael's, said: "It's been a challenging night for Labour. The elephant in the room is the Palestine issue that is going on and which has come into local politics, and we are going to have to deal with that.

"We haven't declared yet but in a couple of wards it is looking a bit tighter than we would like.

"Where there has been a competition, the turnout has been slightly higher but in other areas it has been on the low side. It's a shame because I think it would be nice to get that general election turn out in the local elections.

"We would like to see 60 per cent or more people involved in the process, but we do our best. I think over the last few years there has been a drop in confidence in politicians generally."