TAMESIDE delivered its parliamentary verdict as people cast their votes at the general election. And, as ever, The Correspondent was there to soak up the sights and sounds – of which there were plenty – as the results were given.
IF ANY lecturer in politics is looking for an example of how to unite opponents of all sides and parties, they can show the handy example delivered by Sandra Stewart, acting returning officer of Tameside Council.
She achieved it in one line, without dissent.
“We expect a declaration some time between 4am and 6am.”
Audible groans echoed around the room at Dukinfield Town Hall as the estimate was given.
Judging from the many shocked looks on people’s faces, from different ends of the political spectrum, not many were expecting a late night.
Also, it meant a large queue for the table where the coffee urns were situated – one that rarely went.
Thankfully, the counters worked quicker and by 3.40am on Friday, July 5, numbers had been declared, posters were being taken down and the 10-minute warning that the building was going to be locked had been given.
The presence of Angela Rayner – more on that later – attracted a much larger than normal media presence as many TV cameras were in place by 10pm.
As the clock approached 2am, a ‘welcoming committee’ of councillors and local activists formed by the main door of the main hall.
However, not only was she good at winning the election with an increased majority of 6,791, she was also good at hide and seek as she was elsewhere in the building.
Emerging from the right-hand side of the stage as you looked after a lot of creaking and closing of doors, while all the other candidates entered from the left, Ms Rayner was greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos – opponents definitely made themselves heard.
In fact, so loud was the noise from jubilant supporters when the number 15 was read out, it caused confusion over how many votes she received – originally published as 15,573, it was in fact 15,575.
The two counts were split into different rooms. The Ashton-under-Lyne one in the temperate main hall, the Stalybridge and Hyde one in the nearby George Hatton Suite, which was absolutely roasting.
Maybe it was a good job the Denton count had moved to Manchester.
Cheers echoed around the hall seconds before the Ashton declaration as news that George Galloway had lost his seat in Rochdale filtered through – not even that dented the enthusiasm, nor dulled the noise, of Workers Party of Britain supporters.
If anything, the most relaxed person in the building was Robert Barrowcliffe, Reform UK’s candidate, whose second place in Ashton raised eyebrows but was known much earlier.
Once the ‘main event’ was over, it was time for the Stalybridge and Hyde declaration.
No offence to Dukinfield Town Hall but it would not feature highly on the list of destinations to spend a wedding anniversary.
But Jonathan Reynolds and wife Claire did just that as the former added more than 5,500 to his majority.
Congratulations, both professional and personal, were given in a small room on the ground floor before a round of media interviews, just to make the night that bit longer.
If he was tired, though, both he and his wife did a good job of hiding it.
Who knows, maybe they had a table booked for 4am….