ELECTION: Indy candidate who clinched long-held Labour seat says he will 'shake up the status quo'

An independent candidate who snatched the Ashton St Peter's ward from Labour has said he wants to "shake-up the status quo".

Kaleel Khan beat David McNally to clinch the seat, which has been held by Labour for nearly 50 years.

"It feels amazing that I've actually broken a pack in a ward where three councillors are Labour.

"I'm the first independent who has come in and shaken up the status quo.

"I started my campaign on February 1, and have been running a campaign intensively for the last three months which has been quite rewarding because every child, every mother and every person knows my name across the ward.

"My campaign has been different, being independent, and it's been quite wild. Now I want to do what my local residents want me to do.

"I want to be their voice and their advocate. I want to tackle the local issues around fly-tipping. I want to bring communities together."