Residents of Makerfield have expressed a range of emotions following Andy Burnham's decisive by-election victory. On Friday morning, the streets of Ashton-in-Makerfield showed signs of the intense campaign, with political posters still visible in windows. The constituency, a focal point of British politics for weeks, saw Burnham win nearly 55% of the vote, totaling 24,927 ballots. Reform UK's Robert Kenyon came second with 15,696 votes, while Restore Britain secured just over 3,000.
Relief and Scepticism
Many locals voiced relief that the campaign was over. Chris Leech from Hindley said, 'I've never had so much junk mail pushed through my door. It just goes straight into the recycling.' He expressed disappointment with the result but was glad the process had ended. On Gerard Street, TV crews outnumbered residents early in the morning as people processed the outcome. Alan Lowe, 53, predicted Burnham might not stay long as MP, citing 'oppressive and aggressive' campaigning.
Mixed Emotions
Supporters of Burnham were more optimistic. Craig Cartwright, 42, from Bryn, dismissed claims that Burnham would use the seat as a stepping stone, calling it 'total rubbish.' Pauline Barker, 78, praised Burnham's track record as Manchester mayor, noting improvements in bus services under the Bee Network. Jamie Derbyshire, a Labour voter, hopes Burnham will bring freshness to the party, while Steve Johnson, 59, was unsurprised by the result and hopeful for local benefits.
Burnham addressed critics in his victory speech, vowing to make Makerfield synonymous with change and hope, rejecting any notion of it being a stepping stone. The by-election is widely seen as a precursor to a potential Labour leadership challenge against Keir Starmer.
