Ashton under Lyne
Labour hold

Safely Labour for at least six decades, the north Tameside constituency of Ashton under Lyne, which also includes Droylsden and Failsworth, is being vacated by Labour's oldest MP Robert Sheldon (born in 1923), who achieved his highest majority ever, 23,000, in 1997. This ex-textile industry seat has virtually no significant pockets of opposition for the foreseeable future.

In place of Labour's retiring Bob Sheldon, comes the unexpected 54 year old Oldham councillor David Heyes, who beat Tameside councillor Kieron Quinn, who had supposedly the endorsement of the Millbank machine. Committed to sustaining Labour's trade union link and, as a former NALGO organiser, "directly-employed public sector workers", David Heyes, a CAB manager since 1995 and vice-chairman of Ashton CLP, was reportedly 'stunned' by his selection by seven votes. Educated at Blackley Technical High School and the OU, he will inherit the seat in June with a somewhat larger majority than 7, but comes too late to emulate Bob Sheldon's 37-year incumbency.

Denton South Labour Party

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 1.31% 14.99% 8.72 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 0.00% 2.13% 0.00 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 0.00% 2.49% 0.00 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 4.18% 4.43% 94.49 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 7.07% 7.27% 97.19 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 0.00% 2.56% 0.00 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 0.00% 2.04% 0.00 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 0.42% 3.94% 10.54 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 4.08% 13.04% 31.31 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 43.70% 12.70% 344.03 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 8.13% 8.14% 99.84 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 0.12% 4.02% 3.10 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 6.81% 3.19% 213.68 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 16.67% 11.31% 147.39 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 3.53% 3.06% 115.13 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 3.98% 2.52% 158.21 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.00% 0.06% 0.00

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 11.45% 9.41% 121.67 £5-10K 20.40% 16.63% 122.67 £10-15K 19.37% 16.58% 116.84 £15-20K 14.68% 13.58% 108.10 £20-25K 10.27% 10.39% 98.78 £25-30K 7.00% 7.77% 89.98 £30-35K 4.76% 5.79% 82.10 £35-40K 3.26% 4.33% 75.21 £40-45K 2.26% 3.27% 69.25 £45-50K 1.59% 2.48% 64.10 £50-55K 1.14% 1.90% 59.64 £55-60K 0.82% 1.47% 55.76 £60-65K 0.60% 1.15% 52.36 £65-70K 0.45% 0.91% 49.38 £70-75K 0.34% 0.72% 46.74 £75-80K 0.26% 0.57% 44.38 £80-85K 0.20% 0.46% 42.27 £85-90K 0.15% 0.37% 40.37 £90-95K 0.12% 0.31% 38.65 £95-100K 0.09% 0.25% 37.09 £100K + 0.40% 1.34% 29.93