Manchester City Council: Some Interesting and Strange Nominations

Twenty wards, of 32, have the standard vanilla quota of Tory, Fibs, Green and Labour. But in twelve there will be some wooden spoon interest as independents and specials vie with the Tories.

In alphabetical order, with a couple of vanilla wards with interest:

Ancoats and Clayton: John Hulse, allegedly with some murky associations with the NF, stands as an independent while the Libs do stick with Danny Valentine, also with some murky associations.
Baguley: Lynn Worthington is an Independent Socialist Save Our Baby Unit, which is interesting.
Charlestown: UKIP are in the pot and the Lib Dems field Whalley Ann Rodgers as a paper tiger.
Cheetham: Former councillor and PPC for Gorton the news whore solicitor Mr Kassim Afzal is dropped for taxi man Sham Raja. Nice chap, no chance.
Chorlton Park: sadly just the four, including our very own star John Hacking.
City Centre: sees an Independent Kin Cheng which is a very interesting development and worth a separate blog later. Kathy Crotty for Labour. Whiney Rob Adlard for Tories. Absentee and almost de-selected Lib Dem Kenny Dobson defending. And Brigit Vollm for the Greens.
Didsbury East: "Chicken" Geoff Bridson (Labour) tackles Helen "D" Fisher (Lib Dem). What a lightweight!
Didsbury West: UKIP PPC Robert Gutfreund-Walmsley is on the ballot.
Gorton South: Sabrina J Jones is standing as TUSP which I think may be The United Socialist Party but is could be a coincidental Tenants' thing. This is the home seat of the wobbling Lib Dem leader Simon Ashley with Julie Reid standing for no nonsense Labour.
Harpurhey: Bullock's for UKIP.
Higher Blackley: Joe Finnon, the student rabble rouser and undercover infiltrator moves across from Fallowfield. This was for a time hot Fash country with a sadly departed Lamb and Flag PH a focus. Shirley Reeve of UKIP also pitches for the right wingers.
Hulme: Former PPC Steve Durrant and anti-fash and anti-war activist (Green) stands again after being humbled into third last time in the Green's "stronghold". Will Cllr Vanessa do photocalls with candidates this time. Or is she still too self-important and picky?
Miles Platting and Newton Heath: Yes, we have Derek Adams for the BNP (he's bananas), Lisa Duffy competing with him in UKIP colours, June Hitchin for Labour and erstwhile Lab, Ind, UKIP now Lib Dem Damien O'Connor.
Moston: Some kind of Rellie of Shirley (Higher Blackley) Peter Reeve makes a matching pair across the boundary.
Rusholme: Nahella Ashraf is Respect's candidate. Bit too keen on the Labour bashing even among friends - e.g. Tony Lloyd MP at Pakistan Earthquake appeal supper had to hear a silly tirade. But she's a good worker.

Some of the Lib Dems go plain, some go "For a Fairer Britain", and some are "Focus Team". Strangely there are no candidates on a platform of an "Unfairer Britain" which means Ann Rodgers and the rest pass the LOL nonsense test.