There is a unique kind of bravery required to willingly spend a Tuesday evening in a room full of Wigan teenagers, but five political candidates did exactly that today. With the Makerfield by-election looming, the local hustings promised a fierce battle of ideas and a clash of visions for the future.
Hustings Highlights
For two hours, the audience at Winstanley College watched a spectacle that was part political debate, part endurance test. Attendees witnessed seasoned veterans battling uncooperative water bottles, an accidental endorsement for increasing the crime rate, and a political hero named that left half the room frantically checking Wikipedia under their desks. If you missed the drama, here is how the candidates measured up on a night where the rules of time were merely a suggestion, and survival was the ultimate goal.
Andy Burnham, Labour: 8/10
The King of the North and veteran of more hustings than most people have had hot dinners looked entirely at home. Burnham is a polished performer and it showed. Despite being the target of most attacks from the panel, he rarely looked rattled, even while wielding a snotty tissue. His answers on immigration and Belfast were among his strongest moments. He repeatedly returned to the need for unity and warned politicians to be careful how they use their words. However, his discussion of Greater Manchester policing in the context of the Belfast incident seemed to miss the point. His biggest weakness was a rather creative interpretation of the one-minute rule; most candidates drifted over occasionally, but Burnham appeared to regard the time limit as an opening bid. He also spent a surprising amount of time trying to open a water bottle and appears to have contracted whatever illness is currently doing the rounds in Greater Manchester. A competent display which will do no harm.
Michael Winstanley, Conservative: 7/10
Winstanley had a pretty good afternoon. He was across the local issues, knew his brief, and probably demonstrated a better understanding of the constituency than most people on the stage. He was particularly strong when discussing immigration, but loses marks for an impassioned defence of Margaret Thatcher that landed with the audience about as well as you would expect from a room full of teenagers in Wigan. There was also a brief moment where he appeared to advocate increasing crime rather than reducing it. This was obviously a slip of the tongue, although it would certainly have been a bold new direction for Conservative policy. A solid showing.
Sarah Wakefield, Green Party: 8/10
Wakefield does a great line in disappointed teacher expressions. She was sharp, articulate, and particularly strong on national issues. Her answers seemed to resonate with the student audience and she was one of the more confident speakers throughout. When Robert Kenyon spoke about issuing new licences for North Sea drilling, her facial expression suggested she had just been informed someone was planning to pave over a nature reserve. One of the strongest performances of the afternoon.
Robert Kenyon, Reform UK: 6/10
The plucky plumber produced probably his most competent hustings performance yet. His local credentials remain his strongest card and he returned repeatedly to his roots in the constituency. It is clearly a message that works with some voters. However, he struggled on questions about Belfast and immigration. While he condemned the violence, his answers sometimes felt like a man trying to cross a minefield while carrying shopping. The toughest moment came when he talked about Reform supporting women's rights and parts of the audience laughed. That is rarely where you want a laugh. Still, he is getting better.
Jake Austin, Liberal Democrats: 6/10
Austin struggled to leave much of a mark and spent large parts of the evening looking like a rabbit caught in very bright headlights. He was strongest when discussing the challenges facing younger voters and gave thoughtful answers on immigration. Beyond that, it was difficult for him to break through. His most memorable contribution came when naming his political hero. While other candidates reached for Thatcher, Churchill, or other figures, Austin opted for Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. A perfectly respectable choice. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of the audience looked as though they had absolutely no idea who that was. No major mistakes. No major wins either. Altogether, very Knope-like actually.
