Voters will go to the polls in the Makerfield by-election on June 18, with the Manchester Evening News providing comprehensive coverage of a contest that could influence the political trajectory of the country for years to come. The campaign trail continues on Tuesday, with pollsters indicating that Labour's Andy Burnham and Reform UK's Robert Kenyon are running neck-and-neck.
If elected, Mr Burnham, the current mayor of Greater Manchester, is widely expected to launch a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The Manchester Evening News has been reporting from the heart of the battleground daily, including a visit to Winstanley College on Monday to gauge the views of young voters. The students expressed frustration with the state of modern politics, despite disagreeing on various issues.
Key Developments on Tuesday
On Tuesday, a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street is expected, and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is scheduled to deliver a speech in Westminster. Badenoch is expected to call for the scrapping of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which requires public sector workers to consider equality issues in their daily work. She argues that the duty has become a minefield that exposes significant public decisions to legal challenges.
Culture Secretary and Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has expressed a desire to have Andy Burnham back in the team, as reported on ITV's Robert Peston show.
Candidates in the By-Election
- Andy Burnham (Labour)
- Robert Kenyon (Reform UK)
- Count Binface (Count Binface Party)
- Dan Clarke (Libertarian Party)
- Ed Gemmell (Climate Party)
- Robert Pownall (Independent)
- Rebecca Shepherd (Restore Britain)
The Manchester Evening News is offering a dedicated Makerfield by-election newsletter and a WhatsApp community for the latest updates. The polls will open on June 18, and the newspaper will continue to bring live updates from the campaign trail.
