First Woman Leads Wigan Council

Nazia Rehman just shattered a 50-year glass ceiling, becoming Wigan’s first female council leader — and the first Labour councillor to hold the top spot since 2016. Elected after a bruising local election where Labour lost all its seats but still holds a 42-25 majority, Rehman faces a daunting task — especially after Reform UK’s sweeping gains. Critics compared her leadership to “captain of the Titanic,” but supporters hailed it as historic. A chartered accountant, she’ll keep overseeing finance and resources as she steps into the role. Meanwhile, Anne Collins was elected mayor for 2026-2027, and David Molyneux, who retired after 44 years, received a heartfelt farewell. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4e2fb667d6687f4e