Voters want to give Sir Keir Starmer a right old kick in the ballots on Thursday (June 18). They reckon backing Andy Burnham will help speed up Sir Keir's removal from No10 - and ensure a northern PM.
Your Daily Star spent a day in the Makerfield constituency ahead of the crunch by-election to get a sense of the political temperature. And even some Reform voters think Mr Burnham winning wouldn't be a bad thing if it ousts Sir Keir.
Retired sales estimator Ray Harrison, 73, said he thinks the Greater Manchester Mayor is using the byelection as "a stepping stone to get into parliament". But he added: "I'd just be happy to see the back of Starmer. If Andy Burnham wins, at least he'd be a better prime minister than Starmer."
Labour are the red-hot favourites with bookies to win the byelection and Burnham is expected to challenge Starmer for the top job.
Kath Gaskell, one of the co-owners at the Cake Boutique in Ashton-in-Makerfield, said: "It could only be good for the north if it happens. Hopefully it puts us front and centre and it's good for the area."
Telly star Carol Vorderman wrote to every woman in the constituency to urge them to not vote for Reform's Rob Kenyon after his degrading comments about women came to light. But asked if she thought the byelection could be decided by female voters put off by Kenyon's social media posts, co-worker Deborah Binder said: "No, I don't think so. I think everyone has made their mind up by now who they're voting for. I think whatever way people are voting, that won't have too much affect."
Speaking near a pub that was plastered in Andy Burnham posters, one woman said she was voting for him "because he's a lovely man and would make a great prime minister."
But Polish bakery owner Martin Wysocki, who had a Restore Britain poster in his window, wasn't so sure. He said: "Keir Starmer doesn't care. There is no police in the area. Whoever we vote for should come down to listen to the people. The prime minister needs to have the courage to do as he has promised."
