Andy Burnham has accused Reform UK of being “desperate” after the party reported the Mayor of Greater Manchester to police over alleged breaches of covid lockdown rules. Burnham described the allegations as a “baseless” smear campaign, following claims that the Makerfield by-election candidate may have hosted a gathering at his home in Warrington in 2021 that violated covid lockdown restrictions.
Reform UK's Allegations and Police Response
Reform UK raised the allegation with Greater Manchester Police on Sunday. The force confirmed on Wednesday that it was reviewing the matter but later informed the party that an investigation could not proceed because the statutory deadline had already passed. Consequently, the case was closed with no further action.
A source close to Mr Burnham told the Telegraph: “These are completely baseless allegations. On the eve of the poll, these are desperate attacks from Reform that are completely unfounded.”
Makerfield By-Election Context
Voters in Makerfield will head to the polls today in what is anticipated to be one of the most consequential by-elections in British political history. Mr Burnham is projected to win the seat, which could open the door to a Labour leadership contest. Reform UK is expected to be his closest challenger, though polling indicates the party is losing support to Restore Britain, a more hard-line party on migration and other issues.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage admitted the race would be “tight”, adding: “I’m absolutely confident we’re going to get a very, very big score.”
Burnham's Final Message to Voters
In his final appeal to voters, Mr Burnham urged them not to back Reform’s candidate Robert Kenyon, warning that a Reform victory could lead to a “darker and more divided politics”. He said: “There is a path that carries on and makes Britain look more and more like the United States of America, and we do not, in my view, want to end up there, where people can’t talk to each other in the street. That’s not the Britain I know, and the Britain that I love, and that’s not the path that we should be taking.”
Other By-Elections on Thursday
Makerfield is one of three parliamentary by-elections taking place on Thursday. The other two are in the Scottish seats of Aberdeen South, and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, where SNP MPs Stephen Gethins and Stephen Flynn have stood down after winning elections to the Scottish Parliament in May.
