Michael James Felse
Reform UK candidate who took Barton and Winton ward from Labour in the April 2026 Salford by-election.
Last refreshed: 26 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Does Reform UK's Salford breakthrough signal a structural shift in Greater Manchester Labour heartlands?
Timeline for Michael James Felse
Mentioned in: Fourth Reform candidate on BNP list
UK Local Elections 2026Won Barton and Winton ward by-election with 676 votes
UK Local Elections 2026: Reform takes Salford ward off Labour- Who won the Salford by-election in 2026?
- Michael James Felse of Reform UK won the Barton and Winton ward by-election on Salford City Council in April 2026, defeating Labour candidate Catherine Goodyer.Source: Lowdown
- How did Reform UK win Salford Barton and Winton in 2026?
- Michael James Felse won the ward by-election on 22 April 2026 with 676 votes, beating Labour's Catherine Goodyer by 33 votes. The seat had been Labour since Salford council's creation.Source: Lowdown
- Who is Michael Felse and what is his background?
- Felse is a lifelong Salford resident who previously worked in a coal mine. He has stood in multiple elections since 2012 across Greater Manchester, Doncaster and Dewsbury. He was also Pride Queen at the 2011 Manchester Pride festival under the drag name Ethol Mary.Source: Salford Now
- What does Reform UK's Salford by-election win mean nationally?
- The result confirmed that Reform UK's polling momentum in Labour's northern metropolitan heartlands converts into actual votes. It is the party's first ever seat on Salford City Council, representing its furthest penetration yet into urban Labour territory.Source: Lowdown
Background
Michael James Felse is a Reform UK politician who won the Barton and Winton ward by-election on Salford City Council on 22 April 2026, defeating Labour's Catherine Goodyer by 676 votes to 643 — a margin of 33. The by-election was triggered by the death of Labour's David Lancaster MBE, who was believed to be England's longest-serving councillor.
Felse has lived in Salford for around 30 years and describes himself as proudly working-class with a background that includes working in a coal mine after leaving school. He has stood in multiple previous elections, including Salford's 2012 mayoral race, as well as contests in Doncaster and Dewsbury. He is also known outside politics: he was selected as Pride Queen for the 2011 Manchester Pride festival under his drag persona Ethol Mary.
The Barton and Winton result gave Reform UK its first ever seat on Salford City Council and was cited as direct evidence that the party's polling strength in Labour's Greater Manchester heartlands translates into real votes ahead of the 7 May 2026 national cycle. A single ward by-election carries limited predictive weight, but it represents Reform's furthest penetration yet into metropolitan Labour territory.
