As polling day draws closer, five of the leading Makerfield by-election candidates faced voters once again at a Manchester Evening News hustings on Wednesday afternoon. Hosted at Winstanley College, candidates from Labour, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives and the Green Party answered questions on immigration, Green Belt development, women's rights, heritage protection and opportunities for young people.
Among the audience were students, teachers, journalists and local residents. Students at the college, many with keen personal interests in politics, spanned much of the political spectrum, but left talking about one candidate more than any other: Burnham.
Key Moments from the Hustings
Kenyon clashed with the Greater Manchester Mayor on issues like spending on the failed Clean Air Zone, migration and stoking division with language following the Henry Nowak murder and stabbing incident in Belfast. Sarah Wakefield, the Green candidate, was also praised for her performance by younger audiences.
The Conservatives' Michael Winstanley got applause and cheers - although less so after his praise of Margaret Thatcher - as did the Lib Dem's Jake Austin, especially following calls for social care reform.
Voter Reactions
"My opinion hasn't changed," Norman Prior told the M.E.N following the debate. "I was going to vote for Andy Burnham and I think he's a great guy. I also thought that Sarah from the Green Party was exceptional as well."
Prior said his vote would be with Burnham, adding: "Burnham touched on quite a few things. He wants to make Makerfield an area we can all have pride in really. I think he was tremendous on that side and realises what faults we've got in the Makerfield area and I think he'd make a really good job of it."
He criticized Kenyon: "Rob Kenyon is frightening really. Frightening over his attitudes towards women, and I've read it on social media, it's a disgrace. We are a democratic country - I don't want us to be like the United States. I want to be able to walk around Wigan. We have doctors, nurses, all from foreign countries who do a fantastic job over here and they [Reform] decry them. And it's not acceptable."
Lawyer Olavakkode Navas arrived with his vote firmly on Andy and left with the same views, arguing that far-right politics create 'propaganda and hostility'. "I had some hope when this finished," he said. "Our country is going to be better, but before that there was a lot of negative thinking towards some attitudes. In the current climate, far-right politics is making propaganda, misunderstandings and hostility between the people of different faiths and backgrounds. We are human beings. Many communities are concerned about the growing sense of mistrust and animosity. With Andy's words, I got some confidence. He will make changes all over the country. Not just in Makerfield, but he will stand for the rest of the country to change attitudes."
Student Perspectives
Filling the majority of the audience were college students aged 16 to 18. As the Manchester Evening News reported earlier this week, they all shared a similar frustration with the state of modern politics. They don't fit into one political box, but they are all actively engaged with the crucial by-election.
Following the hustings, Shaun Simmons said: "I thought the Greens did really well. They all did well but I think the Reform candidate was the weakest. Whenever anyone mentions women's rights it's game over for him."
Ryan Cain, an 18-year-old Conservative voter, commended the Tory candidate: "I thought Michael Winstanley did really well. I'm glad he mentioned Margaret Thatcher as his inspiration. I also thought, even though I don't like their policies, the Green candidate spoke well." Discussing Andy Burnham, he added: "I wonder if he'll call for a General Election. I know he's previously ruled it out, but with some of the things he was calling for, will he have a mandate?"
Remy Naylor, 18, said he was always going to vote for Mr Burnham. After the debate, his opinion remained unchanged. "Although a lot of people denounce him as a careerist, I think having ambition is a good thing," he explained. "Ambition is a great quality to have and it usually means people will deliver, because if they stick to their principles, which Burnham has in Greater Manchester, you can take that to a national level. If someone has the principle and ambition to do what they want to do, I will regard them and other voters would as well, with the trust they can deliver on their promises. Burnham's align most with my views."
He added: "I think Kenyon brands himself as one of the working people, but I don't think a working person is sexist or what I would consider bigoted. I took his points with a grain of salt. I think no matter how you perform in a debate, you could be a little more quiet or more vocal on your points, if they lack courage, being kind to others, the British values of respect, then that will be the downfall."
Emiliano Dina, also 18, whose family migrated from Albania, was impressed with both Sarah Wakefield and Andy Burnham. "Initially before even coming in here, I would've placed myself with Andy Burnham and Sarah the Green candidate. After this debate, the Lib Dems also grew on me and had good initiatives. But I think Andy and Sarah resonate more with the constituency."
He continued: "As far as modern politics goes, I think the two-party system has started to break down. You've got Reform and the Greens who have gained a lot of traction in Parliament. I think they can be shot in the foot really by the identities of their own parties. I'd say the same for the Reform candidate Rob Kenyon. For the most part he is really shot in the foot by the party. They don't help him on any level. Especially any time immigration or the rights of women comes up; he can't really make an argument because the likes of Nigel Farage and what he's done or said are firmly tied to him."
He noted: "For example, when they talked about the Southampton protests and violence, Kenyon said the same thing as all the other candidates, but his words had less of an effect and less weight, because a lot of people associate those protests and that violence with his party. So I don't think he was swaying anyone in the room today, and the applause was probably enough of a referendum to tell you that."
Emiliano concluded: "I think Andy's big promise of change in political culture really resonated with me, because as I see it, politics in the UK has become way too toxic. His initiatives of trying to turn the perspectives away from what's happened, to focus on what we should do going forward, really resonated with me and others. That has solidified my vote for Andy, as it stands. It hasn't changed my views too much, it's just solidified what I already thought."
