To lose one Labour council leader might be concerned careless, to lose another in the space of just two years might hint at a more significant problem. Arooj Shah, the first female Muslim council leader in the North, was ousted from leadership of the council after losing her Chadderton South seat following what she described as a 'dehumanising smear campaign'.
The leader lost out to Conservative Robert Barnes by just 96 votes. Overall, Labour retained control of the council. They lost six seats - three to independents - but gained a seat in Medlock Vale.
In a bruising night for the ruling party, Miss Shah said she was the victim of a ‘smear campaign’ which ‘dehumanised’ her. She has become the second Labour leader to lose her seat in as many years, with Sean Fielding being voted out in 2021.
“There's always the possibility that you're going to lose, that is part of the territory. If you never prepare yourself for the loss you're naïve,” Miss Shah told the Manchester Evening News after her loss. "I fought a really positive campaign, I believe in positivity — that's what I wanted to bring to politics in Oldham. The campaign against me was a really personal campaign.
"I saw a new low in the Conservatives in Oldham, they really jumped into the gutter. At every opportunity, I told myself 'they go low, you go higher'. I think the one thing I can do is that I wanted to do my best for the people of Oldham.
"It was not about policy at all. I feel like that was what their aim was — to dehumanise me. This is not just about me standing here saying this, it was there for everyone to see me.
“This is the first election I've ever been to where I have not been able to bring my family. That's because I just did not want them to be here and experience anything negative. I can't wait to go home this evening."
In her year in charge of the authority, Ms Shah faced numerous challenges. Last summer, she was the victim of a car bomb attack, which damaged her vehicle and a surrounding property. She also admitted Oldham had not taken enough concrete action to regenerate the town centre in February.
Other winners were Montaz Ali Azad, an independent who took a seat off Labour, and the Failsworth Independent party, who won two seats off the red rose. On the night, Labour only held on to seats, Conservatives gained two, there was one gain for the Lib Dems, two for the Failsworth Independent Party, and one independent gain.
Ultimately, the council now has 35 Labour members, nine Conservatives, nine Liberal Democrats, five Failsworth Independent Party members and two independents.
