Advertisement
The candidates compare length. Screengrab via YouTube
Straw-ocracy

Labour wins control of UK council after candidates draw straws

The candidates – Labour and Conservative – could not be separated after three full recounts so it was either straws or a coin toss to determine the outcome.

WHEN YOU CAN’T separate them in the polls it appears there’s no other option other than to settle it the very old school way – draw straws.

That’s exactly how a UK council swung to Labour control on Thursday night.

Three full recounts for the Ramsbottom seat in Bury produced a dead heat and incredibly under electoral rules it meant that the candidates had to either draw straws or toss a coin, reports the Manchester Evening News.

In the end Labour’s Joanne Columbine drew the longest straw and the longest cheer as she beat her Conservative rival Robert Hodkinson.

Watch how it all unfolded here:

The result meant that Labour had 26 council seats as opposed to the Conservatives’ 20 combined with the Liberal Democrats five seats, thus Columbine’s party took overall control of Bury Council thanks to the length of their straw.

It was an experience new council leader Mike Connolly said he would not be keen to repeat, reports BBC News.

UK elections: Hammering for Lib Dems as Scottish nationalists approach majority >