Andy Burnham has hit out after CCTV appeared to show a man pulling down campaign signs in the Makerfield constituency over the weekend.
The Greater Manchester Mayor, who is Labour's candidate standing in the upcoming by-election, shared the video on his campaign social media page, claiming it depicted a man 'up to no good'.
The video and reaction
The short clip showed a white van pulling up on a residential street before a man is seen violently ripping down a campaign sign positioned at the front of a property. He is then seen putting it in the back of the van before driving away.
"Whoever this is, we'd appreciate your help on the 19th of June as we'll have about 650 stakes to take down, but could you give it a rest for now," the post penned. The video was captioned: "Someone's up to no good in Makerfield."
Public response
Viewers quickly responded in the comments section. One person wrote: "Embarrassing behaviour. Would have loved to have seen him getting caught." Another penned: "How embarrassing, a grown man having a public tantrum over a sign," as a third added: "Bet he doesn't even realise, that's theft and criminal damage all on CCTV."
However, others suggested the video was AI-generated, with some accusing Mr Burnham of staging the stunt. One user commented: "AI generated! Wow you are getting desperate Andy!" A second then responded: "Staged? Looks like it."
Voters in Makerfield will head to the polls for a by-election on June 18.
