Green Party quickly creating a stronghold in Leigh

For years, the Leigh ward has been dominated by the Liberal Democrats but now the Green Party boast both new councillor Stuart Allen as well as councillor Richard Longstaff. 

Mr Allen was one of the biggest winners on the night achieving a whopping 1,725 votes, with the closest candidate Jean De Tourtoulon, for the Lib Dems, polling 637 votes. 

Following the result, Mr Longstaff praised his new ward colleague for helping him throughout the year and described him as a “little dynamo”. 

And the result has left Mr Allen ecstatic. 

He said: “It’s been very exciting and a very good night for us. It was a really good turnout for us. 

“People have been voting for the Lib Dems here for a long time, but they have now seen that they have another choice. And the Greens have been recognised as a serious party. 
Greens - Councillors Stuart Allen and Richard Longstaff for Leigh (Image: Stuart Allen)

“We have been working hard, we have tried to fix streets, drains and imperfections in the area.” 

Being voted into the council has left Mr Allen with a renewed sense of motivation to do his best for his ward. 

“I want to continue looking after Leigh and work hard for its residents, to do what is needed for them.” 

The two Green councillors are now looking forward to working together to create a “fair and green Leigh”, said Mr Allen. 

“Issues like biodiversity have been neglected by previous councillors and not taken seriously.” 

Following the result Mr Longstaff said: “I’m not all on my own now. What a tremendous result. He smashed it out of the park. Stuart is a little dynamo. He’s been helping me all through the year. He’s so committed. He was the only candidate that actually lived in the ward and also works in the ward. He’s very passionate about Leigh.

“It looks like we had more of the vote percentage wise than the Lib Dems. We were just above them overall on the night. I think that’s probably a first.”

Mr Longstaff added: “We are all ecstatic. It’s been an amazing result. It gives everyone confidence that a Green vote is not wasted.”