Oldham's reputation for 'toxic politics' is proving hard to shake, with this year's local election campaign descending into a spectacle of personal attacks and bizarre online behaviour that has left many residents dismayed.

A video shared online by Werneth candidate Mohammed Imran Ali exemplifies the new low. The footage shows an image of Councillor Kamran Ghafoor's face placed on a novelty child's fountain. Cllr Ghafoor, leader of the Oldham Group, has faced recent scrutiny over a building collapse on King Street. Mr Ali, once known as 'Irish Imy', has his own controversial background, having been convicted as the getaway driver for Dale Creghan, who murdered a police officer.

This incident is not isolated. The pre-election period has seen a spike in activity on social media platforms where councillors bypass the local press to trade insults directly. Alongside official campaign material, dozens of 'local propaganda pages' offer a running, often racist, commentary on events.

The trend has alarmed experienced politicians. Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, warned that the angry tone was pushing voters away. "Politicians are giving themselves a bad name, and that's feeding into a frenzy on social media," he said. "We have to do better. Making politics about hating other people is just a downward spiral."

The anger is not limited to fringe candidates. Council leader Arooj Shah and Cllr Ghafoor have become locked in a bitter video war. Their dispute over Muslim burial grounds saw Cllr Shah accuse Cllr Ghafoor of scaremongering and making an 'inappropriate' film in a cemetery, while directly referencing the King Street collapse. Cllr Ghafoor retaliated with a social media video featuring AI-generated images, questioning Cllr Shah's motives.

Observers have noted that many of these campaign videos seem intended to attack the opponent rather than persuade potential voters. The antagonists appear to be talking past the electorate, performing for their own online echo chambers at a time when Oldham faces serious questions around housing, regeneration, and community cohesion.

As polling day approaches, there is a growing sense that the focus on online grievance is harming the body politic. Whether the angry rhetoric translates into actual votes remains to be seen, but many local residents will simply be hoping for a return to a more sober and constructive debate about the future of their borough.