Former Labour councillor John Warmisham called on residents to organise and stand candidates in May’s local elections as Your Party formally launched its Salford branch this week.
Warmisham, who has represented Pendleton and Charlestown for more than 30 years, was the keynote speaker at the launch rally, attended by trade unionists, striking Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) drivers, trans rights activists and local campaigners.
Around 30 to 40 people were present in what organisers described as a first step towards building a wider local base.
Thanking those in attendance, Warmisham said the event represented “hope”.
“It genuinely means a great deal to stand here with you at the launch of Your Party Salford,” he said.
Warmisham resigned from the Labour Party on March 23, 2025, citing opposition to the party’s national leadership, and confirmed on December 1 that he was joining Your Party as a member but would continue his current term of office as an Independent Socialist. He has previously said he aligns himself with the politics of Your Party co-founder Jeremy Corbyn.
“I didn’t come into politics for title or status,” he told the room. “I came into politics because I believe deeply that ordinary people, organised together, can change their lives and their communities.”
He described Salford as a “proud, working-class city” with a long tradition of collective action, before turning to the impact of austerity and local government funding cuts.
“Let’s be clear, this wasn’t inevitable,” he said. “These were political decisions, and working-class communities like ours carry the cost.”
Housing was a central focus of the speech, with Warmisham criticising insecure private renting and the treatment of housing as a commodity rather than a right.
“Homes are for living in, not for speculation,” he said, adding that Your Party Salford would campaign for genuinely affordable council housing and stronger protections for renters. This came on the same day the council approved consultation after a report revealed nearly all houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) converted into flats failed to meet basic safety requirements.
He also urged supporters to stand as Your Party candidates in May’s local elections, drawing applause from the room.
“Anybody that’s interested in standing in Salford or elsewhere, come and see me,” he said. “I’d be 100 per cent behind you.”
Warmisham also pointed to the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election in east Manchester, urging supporters to campaign for the Your Party candidate, expected to be the Unison branch secretary for Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Tony Wilson.
The rally ended with calls for collective action and further organising, as organisers look to build on the turnout and establish a wider presence across Salford.
