Former Lib Dem councillor Patricia Colclough said she would be voting for Reform on May 1

People in deprived areas are being ignored by politicians and driving a surge of popularity for Reform, according to voters.

People in deprived areas are being ignored by politicians and driving a surge of popularity for Reform, according to voters.

In the build up to the Balderstone and Kirkholt by-election this week, locals in Balderstone Park shared their views on the political scene. There are seven candidates hoping to take the place of Elsie Blundell, who resigned as councillor last month to focus on her new job as MP for Heywood and Middleton North.

The Rochdale suburb is usually a happy hunting ground for Labour, but it seems there is a call for change in the air.

A former Lib Dem councillor, Patricia Colclough, made the shocking admission she would be voting for Reform when polls open on May 1. As a regular community heroine for Kirkholt, she felt change was necessary, despite crediting the two current Labour councillors Danny Meredith and Philip Massey with ‘doing a good job’.

She told the LDRS: “I am going to vote Reform at this election. I think we need a change.

“The way they were talking before I didn’t like them. I never used to like Farage either, but now he has to prove himself now.

“The want for change is driving the votes to Reform. Immigration is an issue locally because of the amount of people using local facilities.

“It takes so long to get a GP appointment for example. We have a mixed society here in Kirkholt and we don’t have any trouble.”

Two locals basking in the sunshine on the park’s footpaths felt they saw no benefits from politicians. Dale Peters, sat on a council funded bench, felt people from poorer backgrounds are never the focus of political figures. 

The 35-year-old said: “Until things change I don’t want to get involved. It seems to me that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”

Strolling through under the shade of the trees with Amber, her dog, Jane Brown added: “I’ve never voted in my life, for religious reasons. I don’t think people can sort the problems out.

“I’ve never seen the benefits they bring, and they only start to help when an election is coming up. So I don’t get too involved really.”

The Reform Party has recently seen a surge in popularity, coming second in a number of Greater Manchester seats in last year’s General Election, and storming to victory in a council by-election in Tameside earlier this month. The party, led by Clacton MP Nigel Farage, believes apathy and the desire for a change to the status-quo politically is working in their favour.

Many readers agreed with this sentiment. But there was a fierce debate in the comments section as to whether Reform can actually make a difference locally or nationally.

One LDRS reader, who identified as a regular Green Party voter, said: “I totally get why people are fed up in these deprived and desperately underfunded areas. They have been ignored by both Tories and before that, Labour, for decades. 

“All the funding seems to go to ‘posher’ areas like Altrincham or Didsbury. Voters have had enough.”

Another person added: “Whether they like it or not, Labour and the Tories must have seen this coming. The political unrest stoked by UKIP hasn’t gone away. 

“Slowly people’s living conditions have gotten worse.”

One Reform voter weighed in: “Well, it’s been a pleasure, folks! Liarbour and the left are obviously getting a bit concerned with how things are going, and rightly so. 

“No sign of things getting any better, too.”

But the readers’ comments section was not rife with delight over the rise of Reform. A number of commenters felt the political party would actually make life worse for residents.

“I have never seen a more bizarre and upsetting sight than Clacton in the general election,” one reader explained. “Disabled people placing faith that the extreme wing of the Tories turned to Reform would somehow protect their benefits. 

“I warn these people now. Reform will destroy everything.”

Gail Marie brought the comment section debate away from national politics and back to local issues. She said: “To be honest I want to see reform take over a council just so people can see how bad they are before a general election.

“Running local councils isn’t easy and being a councillor means you can’t ignore your constituents like Farage does. But the reality is that they will win seats and just be completely disruptive in council meetings.”

Another commenter, believes Reform voters are naive, saying: “Reform and change in the same sentence has me shaking my head and a wry smile. By all means vote for who you want but if you think voting for a bunch of Tory rejects or deserters will bring any difference is naive.”

With all the talk and anticipation in the build up to election day, the battle is expected to be hotly contested. Polls will open to voters on Thursday, May 1 to decide who will take the vacant council seat.

Six candidates representing Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems, Workers, Reform, the Greens – as well as an independent candidate – are in the running.