REFORM UK has unveiled the team that will lead its expanded group on Tameside Council following last week’s historic local election results.
Longdendale councillor Allan Hopwood was unanimously elected leader of the group during a meeting held at Dukinfield Town Hall on Friday (May 15).
Joining him at the helm will be Audenshaw councillor Kim Roberts as deputy leader and Denton South councillor Audra Murray as secretary.
Cllr Roberts secured his Audenshaw seat from Labour’s Nick Axford with an 884-vote majority, while Cllr Murray recorded the largest winning margin of the election night – taking Denton South by 1,040 votes.
That seat became vacant following the resignation of Claire Reid in December 2025 after she became embroiled in the ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp scandal.
In a statement, Reform UK Tameside and Gorton said: “Congratulations to all of our elected councillors on making this selection and to all three councillors on their new key positions. Let’s Reform Tameside.”
Newly elected Stalybridge North councillor Liam Duff praised the new leadership team and said Reform councillors are determined to make their mark on the borough.
“What a pleasure it will be to work alongside such a dedicated councillor [Cllr Hopwood] and set the record straight for the people of Tameside,” he said.
“What a pleasure it is to have such a fantastic leadership team. I would also like to acknowledge all of my other fellow councillors, as if one cog is missing from the clock it stops working.
“Each one of the Reform councillors, including myself, looks forward to working with and for the people of Tameside. Onwards and upwards.”
Cllr Hopwood made history last year when he became Reform UK’s first-ever councillor in Tameside after winning the Longdendale by-election following Jacqueline North’s resignation.
A year later, the party ended 47 years of Labour dominance at Tameside Council.
The local authority has fallen into no overall control after Labour managed to hold just one of the 19 seats contested in last week’s elections.
Reform UK came close to a clean sweep, winning 18 of the 19 available seats and dramatically reshaping the political landscape across the borough.
Labour suffered heavy losses, dropping from 38 councillors to 25 – four short of the 29 needed for an overall majority on the 57-seat authority. Although Labour remains the largest party on the council, Reform UK is now close behind with 19 councillors.
Former Reform UK group leader Robert Barrowcliffe declared after the results were confirmed that the party led nationally by Nigel Farage has laid the foundations to potentially take overall control of Tameside Council next year.
Meanwhile, council leader Cllr Eleanor Wills has expressed her belief that Reform UK’s surge could “slow progress” but said she is willing to work with the party as its councillors adjust to their new responsibilities.
Tameside’s new political landscape could face an early flashpoint as The Correspondent understands Reform UK may table a motion of no confidence in Cllr Wills’s leadership at the authority’s first full meeting following the elections on Tuesday, May 26.
Catch up on all of our elections coverage here.