Labour loses control of Oldham Council amid Gaza backlash as Muslim voters ... trends now
Labour has today sensationally lost control of Oldham Council after Muslim voters punished the party over Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer's party has lost power in the town in Greater Manchester - and outgoing councillors say the leader's face has been plastered on leaflets of independents who took their seats.
Despite gains all over England from the Tories in yesterday's local elections, Labour lost control of Oldham after gains by Independents.
The party's national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden has admitted the crisis in Gaza has been an 'issue' on the doorstep and 'does get raised' when asked about Labour's poor showing in Oldham.
Polling guru John Curtice said there is a trend of the Labour vote falling in areas with high Muslim populations.
One Labour Councillor in the own who lost their seat told the BBC: 'The main reason for this is Gaza and anger that the Labour Party took too long to call for a ceasefire' .
The count at Oldham Council in the early hours where Labour lost control with those who lost seats blaming their party's stance on Gaza not chiming with Muslim voters
Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer's face and quotes about Gaza has been on opposition leaflets
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Labour is still the largest party on 27 seats - but have lost control because there are now 16 independents as well as nine Lib Dems and eight Tory councillors.
Retiring Labour councillor Paul Fryer said last night: 'Labour have been in power in Oldham for 13 years, perhaps people are a bit tired of Labour. In some parts of the borough it's the Gaza issue that may lose them the seat'.
Pat McFadden has admitted the crisis in Gaza has been an 'issue' and 'does get raised' when asked about Labour's loss of control in Oldham.
The party's national campaign coordinator told BBC Breakfast: 'I do think that's been a factor in some places, I don't think there's any point in denying that. It does get raised, and I understand why people have strong feelings about that.'
He said that with 'so many innocent people being killed I'm not surprised people have strong feelings about that'.
But Mr McFadden added: 'In addition to the Middle East issue which you mentioned there are specific very local factors in Oldham which have knocked it out of line with the Labour gains we've been seeing in local elections.'
Oldham's Labour
