Ardwick Councillor Joins Green Party

0:00On April 20th, Amna Abdelateef, the counselor for Ardwick and Manchester, just switched from independent to the Green Party. She's held that seat since she first won in 2019. What sparked the move was Hannah Spencer's strong campaign in the Gordon and Denton by election back in February, where Spencer got elected as MP. Abdelateef started as a labor member, but left the party in 2023 over disagreements with Kierstarmers' position on Gaza and Israel. She went independent until now. During that by-election, she jumped in to help the Greens and fell right at home with their vibe. Folks are buzzing about this because it boosts the Greens to four seats on Manchester City Council, matching the Liberal Democrats. Labor still dominates with 87 seats, and there's one from the Workers' Party of Britain. Abdelateef says, the Greens bring real energy and hope for change in the city and beyond. Liberal elections hit on May 7th, with one-third of the council seats up for grabs. Her own spot in Ardwick isn't on the line this time.

1:01Still, she's optimistic about picking up more Green counselors, especially in spots like Mosside, where they've come close before. Green leader Astrid Johnson welcomed her, praising Abdelateef's passion on shared issues. They are outhunting for defectors, it's about counselors finding their true political home. This could signal a Green Wave building in Manchester as the votes roll in.