Labour claim Reform 'pose risk' to regeneration

The Labour party is claiming a vote for Reform UK in the upcoming local elections could threaten regeneration projects in Greater Manchester.

Mayor Andy Burnham urged voters to resist "taking out their frustrations" with national politics on "hard-working local councillors".

He said planned schemes in the region were a "success story that needs to be protected".

Reform UK said they had already "demonstrated across all councils" that they could be "trusted to deliver better value for money" while maintaining and improving frontline services.

A third of Greater Manchester council seats are up in the elections in the area on 7 May.

Currently the Labour party controls seven of Greater Manchester's ten councils and leads two more, Bolton and Oldham, as minority administrations where it is the largest party but does not have a majority. Stockport is led by a Liberal Democrat minority administration.

Burnham recently announced hundreds of millions of pounds in funding for schemes aimed at creating economic growth across the ten council areas with 30 projects being planned in coming years.

The region's mayor, who was joined by Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell in Prestwich, along with Labour activists, said: "We'll have to see as to whether [Reform UK] manage to destabilise our councils.

"But I would ask people to pause and think about the risk to Greater Manchester, which has been built on partnership, which is succeeding right now.

"I know people will have frustrations with national politics but I would say don't take it out on the councillors who are working hard.

"This is a success story that needs to be built up and protected, not put at risk."

In response, Reform UK said they offered "better stewardship of council taxpayers' money and commonsense policies".

A spokesman cited the "hundreds of millions of savings" already delivered and the "lowest council tax rises of any other party including Labour".

Some boroughs, long considered Labour strongholds, could see a challenge from Reform UK, with the Green Party also hoping win seats, to build on their Gorton and Denton by-election success in February.

Politics professor Jon Tonge from Liverpool University said: "It's largely a defensive operation for Labour.

"Will they be able to hold on to councils such as Bury, Rochdale, Tameside and Trafford?

"Labour are already briefing that they're expecting losses but it's not clear who they would lose seats to."

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