Leigh and Atherton general election 2024 results in full

Labour has won back the seat which was emblematic of the party’s downfall back in 2019, repainting Leigh and Atherton red once more in 2024.

The Leigh and Atherton seat – slightly expanded from just Leigh when the constituency boundaries redrawn recently – has been taken by Labour’s Jo Platt. The incoming MP previously took over the seat from Andy Burnham who stepped down to become Greater Manchester mayor in 2017, before losing the seat back in 2019 to Conservative James Grundy in one of the most dramatic turns of the previous general election.

That December night, Leigh turned blue for the first time ever, after being staunchly Labour for 97 years, from 1922 onwards. Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership cast a long shadow in the constituency, with many on the ground saying that was one of the single reasons why the constituency was claimed by the Tories.

Brexit still looms large on the doorstep, according to Labour sources, with the area’s strong leave vote continuing to play some role in residents’ decisions at the ballot box. But the early hours of the morning in 2024’s election saw a red dawn once again.

READ MORE: LIVE: General election 2024 results and updates across Greater Manchester and UK

In 2019, Jo Platt called election night ‘traumatic’, as her loss sent shockwaves through the Labour Party – with even the then-incoming MP James Grundy saying the switchover was down to the Corbyn leadership.

That night, he said: “This shouldn’t be considered a fault on [Jo’s] behalf,” he said.

“Ninety-nine times out of a hundred Jo would’ve carried Leigh. On this occasion it was not to be because of anger over Brexit and anger at Jeremy Corbyn.

“Let us be clear - it’s his fault that Jo lost.”

Tonight, in 2024, Ms Platt recognised that loss by saying that the party she now stands for is a ‘changed’ party. During her victory seat, she said: “We ran this election as a changed Labour Party. Thank you for putting your trust in us to change the country…

“Losing this seat in 2019 was deeply painful, not just for me personally, but for those who desperately need a Labour government. It was a moment of reflection and realisation for us all.

“Over the last four years, under this Conservative government, things have got worse. The Labour Party has listened to our concerns, learned from past mistakes, and developed policies that speak directly to towns like ours.

“The people of this constituency deserve a government that has their back, supports their aspirations, and enables grassroots regeneration. Labour is ready to be that government, building on the pride and potential of our towns.”

The seat now incorporates the areas Atherton North, Atherton South & Lilford, Golborne & Lowton West, Leigh Central & Higher Folds, Leigh South, Leigh West, Lowton East; Tyldesley & Mosley Common and parts of Astley and Hindley Green.

Turnout in Leigh and Atherton fell this year to 51.7 per cent – down from 60.9pc in 2019, and 61.5pc in 2017. Jo Platt received 19,971 votes for Labour, George Woodward got 11,090 votes for Reform, Michael Winstanley had 6,483 votes for the Conservatives, Amelia Jones got 1,653 for the Green Party, Stuart Thomas won 1,597 votes for the Liberal Democrats, and Craig Buckley, of the English Democrats, got 376 votes.

Not only did Leigh and Atherton follow the exit poll prediction of returning to Labour, it also became another northern town to adhere to the pattern of Reform claiming some success – with the party posting a strong second place victory. The Reform candidate referenced the area’s past as one strongly in favour of leaving the European Union.

‘By popular vote’, said the candidate, ‘we are now the default opposition in the country… and we intend to hold the Labour government to account’.

George Woodward, the Reform candidate, told the Manchester Evening News.: “It’s amazing really, unbelievable. Six months ago, we didn’t have a campaign, the seat was not established.

“Momentum built and we overperformed our expectations…

“I suppose it fills the void of the Brexiteers, Boris, the popular Conservatism void which exists in Leigh and Atherton. In 2019, it swung for the first time to the Tories probably as a result of Brexit being delayed and delayed and delayed, and Boris Johnson being quite a charismatic figure who promised to get Brexit done.

“And probably also a contribution from Corbyn, the most unpopular Labour leader in recent years. In this seat, I think Reform speaks to those people, particularly due to our Conservative policies, on immigration, on tax, on stopping the illegal boats coming across.”

On Reform’s sudden success, Jo Platt said she could understand why people feel disillusioned with politics after 14 years of Tory government. But speaking to the M.E.N., Ms Platt said Labour can restore people’s faith.

Rebuilding public services including the NHS and policing are ‘things that people rely on in these towns’, and Ms Platt added that she wants to help get them ‘back into working order’: “We’ve really listened to towns like this. If there was a criticism in 2019, it felt like we weren’t listening as a Labour Party to constituencies like this.

“That has completely changed…

“My number one priority is to concentrate on all of our town centres here in the constituency, each and every one of them. They have their own identity, but they all have similar issues – it’s very visible with the decline that we’re all seeing.

“To change that, for me, is going to be the first thing that we do.”

You can see all the results for the constituency as they are announced across the UK, in the interactive widget and map below which will update once the count has been declared. Find out who won the seat and how many votes each candidate received.