status quo

So the people have spoken. Salford's Langworthy ward didn't fall from Labour's grasp in yesterday's election, despite the controversy surrounding plans for the area's regeneration.
And that's despite a slight increase in turnout to - woo hoo - a whopping 27 per cent (if my ropey maths is to be trusted).
In fact, somewhat bizarrely, the margin between the winning Labour councillor and the Lib Dem contender actually widened to a whole 208 votes, from just 130 last year.
Perhaps there's a gap there between public feeling in Seedley South - where the bulldozers could soon be rolling in - and the rest of the ward.
Or it could be that residents who are genuinely fed up with their council sat on their hands through lack of interest or a misguided view that staying at home will somehow 'punish' those in power.
Whether the result will be viewed by Salford City Council as a mandate for their regeneration plans remains to be seen.

Meanwhile in Liverpool, protesting artist Alex Corina won 316 votes - coming within a whisker of Cressington's Tory candidate and beating the Greens and the Liberals.