A by-election for a key seat in a ‘forgotten’ Greater Manchester town will be held on November 12, with Labour and Reform UK set to compete for the ward. The Failsworth West seat in Oldham was previously held by former Reform UK leader Mark Wilkinson, who stepped down due to ill health.
Wilkinson steps down for health reasons
On September 24, Coun Wilkinson announced he would step down as both leader of the borough’s 16-strong Reform UK group and as an elected member for Failsworth, for health reasons. This came just days after he was elected to replace Lewis Quigg.
Coun Wilkinson said he had been diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and atrial fibrillation following a visit to Royal Oldham Hospital, adding: “This has inevitably made me take a serious look at my health and my future. I have been advised by medical professionals to take things easy and get plenty of rest.”
He added: “This has not been an easy decision. Serving the people of Failsworth and representing them as a councillor has been a privilege, and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has supported me during my time in public service. However, my health has to come first.”
By-election date confirmed
It has now been confirmed that a date has been set for the by-election to be held on November 12, if the by-election is contested. The seat had previously been held by Labour until Sandra Ball was elected as an independent in 2023. Coun Wilkinson was then elected as an independent a year later.
Both councillors later joined Reform UK ahead of the party winning its first councillor there in 2026. Mark Ruthven won 55.9pc of the vote, easily beating Labour’s Peter Davis.
Key test for both parties
The upcoming by-election could be a key test for Reform UK following ‘personal and demeaning attacks’ on social media, while for Labour, it will be a test of whether Prime Minister Andy Burnham is winning back voters. The election also takes place against the backdrop of the council’s ongoing stalemate about who should lead it.
Over the weekend, Labour Party deputy leader and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell was out with councillors and campaigners. She said her party had kicked off campaigning in the ward already, while Oldham’s Labour Party said there were ‘lots of people feeling thr [sic] Hope again that Andy Burnham is bringing to the country.’
In a post on social media, Reform councillor Mark Ruthven criticised ‘nasty and personal comments’ made about his party’s former leader. He added: “Here in Reform Failsworth, we are continuing to work hard on casework and doing our best to help residents with the issues they are facing. Across Reform Oldham, we are now moving forward with the process of electing a new Leader, while also working on the by-election to find a candidate to stand and replace Mark Wilkinson.”
