BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt engaged in a tense discussion with Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice on Friday morning, following Labour's victory in the Makerfield by-election. Andy Burnham secured the seat with a 9,000-vote margin, leaving Reform UK in second place.
Stayt Presses Tice on Defeat
Stayt began by acknowledging Burnham's win, noting that the seat had been held by Labour for a century. Tice argued that voters were sending a message to remove Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claiming that backing Burnham was a means to that end.
Stayt asked directly: "What went wrong for Reform?" Tice responded by emphasizing the seat's safe Labour status and pointing to an increased vote share for his party since the last general election. He also noted that Burnham's campaign materials avoided the word 'Labour', reflecting the party's unpopularity.
Repeated Question Leads to Clash
When Stayt reiterated his query, Tice insisted he had already answered, stating: "There's no point in asking the same question; I'll give you the same answer." Stayt countered that a defeat should prompt reflection and lessons learned, not just an explanation of the seat's history.
Tice concluded: "This is a safe Labour seat, they were always expected to win with a high-profile candidate. We were always the underdogs. Our reflection is that only Reform can beat the hard socialist currently in power."
BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 6am on BBC One.
