Bury bad news for Labour

Last Modified: 02 May 2008
By: Nick Martin

It's the final breakthrough in the north of England for the Tories - winning the council in Bury. Nick Martin has been to see how Labour has crumbled to the Tories in traditional heartlands.

Bury bad news took on new meaning for Labour last night - as the Conservatives took control of Bury council for the first time in more than 20 years.

The city was one of the Tories top targets - and as our research shows, victory here was mirrored by Conservative successes throughout Labour's northern heartlands.

No wonder David Cameron chose the city to make his final speech of celebration.

From Bury, our North of England correspondent Nick Martin reports.

Where now for Labour?

We were joined by David Cameron's former campaigns director, George Bridges and the former head of strategy at number 10 under Tony Blair, Matthew Taylor to discuss the wider implications of the vote - and Labour's crashing defeat across the country.

How does it compare since 2004?

Channel 4 News has surveyed share of the vote in the regions to see HOW well the parties are performing and the message for Labour is grim.

Northern England

2004 - We looked at 8 councils in Labour's bastion of the North of England - inner city and suburban. Four years ago in those councils the Tories managed 31% of the vote to labour's 35%.

2008 - Today, the Conservatives squeezed past Labour in the North - taking 36% of the votes right in Labour's heartlands and in council areas that are packed with parliamentary marginal seats.

Southern England

2004- And in the south of England where the party broke through in 1997 under Tony Blair. the alienation from Labour seems to be getting significantly worse. In our sample of 8 councils the Conservatives beat Labour in 2004 by 37% to 30%

2008 - Yesterday, the Tories had boosted that margin of victory to 45 over 28, which will worry scores of Labour MPs with marginal constituencies in the south