It may surprise some to learn that Buryís north and south divisions were both Conservative marginals going into the 1997 election.
Although both seats turned to Labour, past Tory successes can be partially explained by the fact that Bury was always one of the more affluent, well-heeled textile towns with a higher standard of housing that has allowed the town to re-invent itself somewhat as a commuter base to Manchester.
The reason for this relative prosperity can be partially explained by the fact that Bury had other industries, such as paper, engineering and chemicals, to fall back on following the decline in textiles, although these too are in decline nowadays.
Labour controls 32 of the Bury Metropolitan Borough Councilís 48 seats, with the Conservatives on 15 and the Liberal Democrats languishing on three.
If the Conservatives are to form a government at the next election, Bury North is the sort of seat they have to recapture at the first attempt.