Stockport Conservatives said national discontent among voters was to blame for the group's failure to win a single council seat at this year's local elections.

The Conservatives were wiped out in Stockport last year when they lost all their councillors, but the group were hoping to turn that around on May 2.

This time, the Conservatives lost out again at the polls, giving a boost to the Lib Dems instead who won two Labour seats in the marginal wards of Offerton, and Cheadle East and Cheadle Hulme North.

It has put Stockport Lib Dems just short of a majority in the town hall, with a total of 31 councillors out of 63.

Conservative candidate Oliver Johnstone, who stood in the Norbury and Woodsmoor seat which was won by the Lib Dems, said he will take a step back from council politics after the result, to focus on trying to win the Stockport parliamentary seat at the general election.

Oliver Johnstone, Conservative council candidate for Norbury & Woodsmoor, and Parliamentary candidate for Stockport constituency (Image - Stockport Conservatives)

He added: "It was a mixed bag for all parties, the Lib Dems didn't make the progress they were anticipating in Bredbury and Woodley, and Manor.

"Labour lost two seats and failed to take seats from the Greens or in Edgeley.

"There were some people who wanted to register a protest and we saw that in the vote, but in some areas our share did increase."

Cllr James Frizzell, who was re-elected in the Reddish South ward for the Green Party, said his victory was down to the community work that goes on "all year round", as well as listening to what voters want.

Paul Athans, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove, said: "We didn't make the progress we wanted to, but that's in part due to the national picture.

Paul Athans, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove constituency (Image - Paul Athans)

"The turnout last night was not that of a general election, and there are Conservatives out there who are wanting to show discontent, but at a general election people come back.

"The national picture hasn't helped, but I'm not focusing on the past, I'm focusing on what's next."

Voter turnout was 36.9 percent in Stockport, a slight increase from 35pc last year.

Mr Athans said that he thinks the general election result in the marginal seat of Hazel Grove will be between the Tories and Labour, despite a strong Lib Dem presence in the area.

He added: "There are only two parties who can form a government in the next general election, and that's the Conservatives or Labour, it's going to be a fight between us in Hazel Grove.

"I think it'll be a tight vote but I'm positive that we can win, and Mary Robinson will in Cheadle too."

Labour's parliamentary candidate in Hazel Grove, Cllr Claire Vibert, celebrated being re-elected to Stockport council last night in the Heatons South ward.

Cllr Claire Vibert, Labour parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove (Image - Claire Vibert)

She won more than 2,700 votes and said that voters in Stockport have told her that they are ready for a change of government.

Tom Morrison, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for the Cheadle constituency, was re-elected as a councillor in the Cheadle West and Gatley Ward last night.

He said the Lib Dems are in a "fantastic position" to win the Cheadle and Hazel Grove constituencies when the general election is announced.

Cllr Tom Morrison, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Cheadle (Image - Declan Carey LDRS)

He added: "It really gears us up for when that general election is called, we're here on the council where we've reinforced ourselves.

"We've had a really good reception from the public and that gives us a mandate to carry on into the future.

"The national picture is dire for the Conservatives."

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