Lib Dems make big gains in South Manchester

3.09.05pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 10th May 2007

Hard-working local campaigner Paul Ankers won an amazing victory in Chorlton ward

Local Liberal Democrats are celebrating after the people of South Manchester gave them their overwhelming backing in the recent council elections.

Months of hard work led to the Lib Dems winning the seat of Chorlton, meaning that Labour won only one of the seven seats in the Manchester, Withington Constituency.

The Liberal Democrat majority in the area almost doubled as Labour's support crumbled. The Greens and Conservatives were left to fight it out for a poor third place for another year.

The significance of the victory for the Liberal Democrats has not been lost on political experts who are now predicting that the Lib Dems are to hold the seat comfortably at the next election.

"This is tremendous news for us," said John Leech MP. "This result was down to the hard work of local campaigners and activists. I'm glad that local people have once again put their faith in us to fight for the causes that matter in our communities.

"It's also a big blow for Labour's new parliamentary candidate from London," he added. "Many people have come to the conclusion that they just can't able to trust Labour."