Labour leader Mohammed Pervez

By James Truswell: Labour have regained a significant majority in the Stoke-on-Trent City Council local elections as the BNP lost seats.

Labour won 17 seats of the 20 on offer – including five holds and 12 gains.

The BNP lost the two seats they were defending and failed in their attempt to regain ex-BNP member Alby Walker’s Abbey Green ward which was won by Labour candidate Gwen Hassall.

The BNP have seen their seats on the council nearly halve since last year from nine to five.

And in the midst of ambiguity and decreased support nationally, people in Stoke have returned their faith in Labour and lost faith in Independent councillors.

Before the elections, the three main parties only held 26 of the 60 seats in Stoke, but Labour now hold 26, Conservative nine and Liberal Democrats four.

Labour gained eight seats from Independents and a further two from the BNP, one each from the Liberal Democrats and non-aligned Cllr Alan Joynson who gave up his Hanley and Shelton seat to compete in Stoke and Trent Vale.

Leader of the Labour Party in Stoke, Mohammed Pervez, said: “I’m delighted that the people of Stoke-on-Trent have put their trust in Labour.

“We will continue to listen to the people and do our best do protect frontline services.

“We have come together and campaigned hard and listened to the people.”

The new Stoke Central MP Tristram Hunt was delighted with the BNP’s poor performance.

“It’s excellent news that we’ve regained Bentilee,” he told StaffsLive.

“Labour have taken the fight to the BNP and people have seen the reality of the BNP.

“It’s really exciting, I am happy that the taint and the slur has been taken away. Optimistic results locally and we will see what happens nationally.”

Leader of the Council and Conservative Cllr Ross Irving admitted it was a success for Labour locally but said it was hard for other parties to win with a high turnout – a result of the General Election.

“It is very hard for other parties to campaign on high turnout. But the victory today is for the Labour group.”

Cllr Pervez and Liberal Democrat leader Kieran Clarke took the opportunity to bask in the BNP’s failure to win a seat.

Cllr Pervez said: “The eyes of Britain have been on our city hoping to see a reversal in the advance of the BNP.

“Today the people of Stoke-on-Trent have spoken. The BNP bubble has burst. This is not my judgement, but that of the good people of Stoke-on-Trent.

“The veil of shame is lifting.”

Cllr Clarke added: “We have proved again that the BNP have never successfully defended a seat in the city and long may that continue.”

BNP leader Michael Coleman was disappointed but defiant in defeat.

“Our core votes are holding but I cannot dress that up as anything other than a disaster.

“We do not care if we do not get any votes, we would still go on and fight. It’s little old us against big old them, we love that. It puts us as the centre of attention.”