Labour's John Vickers won the Hindley Green by-election this week, defeating Reform UK's Bonnie Clarke, who came second. The result marks Labour's first council seat win of the calendar year in Wigan.
In May's local elections, Reform UK won 24 of the 25 seats up for grabs on Wigan council, and Labour failed to win a single seat. This week's by-election saw a significant turnaround in just six months.
Vote swing and turnout
In May, Vickers was defeated for the seat with 1,172 ballots, while Reform's Liam Clarke attracted 1,878 voters. This week, Labour got 1,201 votes to Reform's 887, with a much lower turnout of 26 per cent, down from 39 per cent six months ago.
Hindley Green is within the Makerfield constituency won by Andy Burnham in June. On Friday, voters in the village were asked whether the 'Burnham bounce' factor was behind Labour's upturn in fortunes.
Voter reactions
Jackie Rowson, who voted Reform in May, said: "I voted Reform in May, at that time I wanted to give Labour a kick in the proverbial, I think a lot of folk did. I chose different this time and voted Labour. I think there is some renewed momentum with Labour since Andy Burnham got in."
Neil Storey, 55, expressed similar sentiments: "There's a lot of working class, salt of the earth people in this area and traditionally they were strong Labour. I reckon a lot were totally unhappy with the way things were going on many issues and we saw that at the local elections. It does make sense to me that there has been some kind of revival in support for Labour since things changed and Burnham became the MP here."
Geraldine Lowe, 59, said: "It has really surprised me that Reform didn't win here last night. It's a shock because when I talk to a lot of my family members and friends they seem to have a lot of support. Burnham being elected hasn't seemed to have swung them. On balance I'd say I support Reform but I think there has been some good ideas. I like No 10 North, get some decisions made up here instead of always in London."
Political reactions
Speaking after the election, new Labour councillor Vickers said Mr Burnham's rise to Prime Minister had a part to play in the win. He said: "People were disillusioned in May and what happened on June 18 [Andy Burnham becoming an MP] certainly put a lot of faith back in people who had perhaps decided that the Labour Party was not going in the right direction."
Wigan Reform leader Paul Watson said there had indeed been a 'Burnham bounce' in the Hindley Green by-election. He said: "We came second tonight but this is a by election not a local election. Momentum maybe seems to be with Labour now, after the Burnham bounce, but come May it will be a totally different perspective. I'm still confident that in May 2027 Reform UK will take control of Wigan council."
Maureen Scrivens said her allegiance had remained solid: "I voted Reform in May and did again yesterday. Burnham's not for me, the only thing he's ever got done of benefit is the £2 bus fare when he was mayor of Greater Manchester."
Ryan Cardwell, 37, describes himself as a 'reluctant' Labour voter. He said: "It's not so much a case of the best of a bad bunch, more like the best of an absolutely pitiful bunch."
Paul Richards, 65, a strong Reform supporter, believes the 'Burnham bounce' was the defining factor of the Hindley Green result. He said: "For me it was more than Burnham being Prime Minister, he gave personal support to John Vickers, he came here. He walked around this very pond with the candidate, directly campaigning. There was a helicopter overhead for security. I think some people have behaved like sheep and followed Labour again just because he won the by-election but he's not going to sway me."
