Makerfield by-election timeline: how we got to today's historic poll

There is general agreement that it is a two-horse race between Labour and Reform with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham in the red corner and local plumber Rob Kenyon in the turquoise coroner.

So how did we get to this point?

Here are the key moments in a month which put a constituency, most people in the rest of Britain had never head of, not just in the national spotlight but brought international attention too.

May 14

Josh Simons, who had been Makerfield’s Labour MP since the 2024 general election landslide, announced that he was stepping down to give Mr Burnham a route back into Parliament and so challenge for the Labour leadership and the keys to 10 Downing Street.

It was the first time since the 1965 Leyton by-election that one had been triggered specifically to provide a vacancy for a figure not currently in parliament.

May 15

Labour announces that Andy Burnham is to be included on its list of potential Labour candidates.

The Mayor was blocked by the party’s national executive committee when his name was put forward for the Denton and Gorton by-election on grounds of unnecessary cost although some saw it as a means of snuffing out a challenge to Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.

Meanwhile Reform UK accused Labour of wasting taxpayers’ money on an “unnecessary election.”

May 16

Mr Simons is out campaigning for the man he wants to replace him while Mr Burnham gives his first interviews, saying that he is not a “carpetbagger” who would go for any seat, but a man wanting to represent his local area.

May 17

Wigan MP and cabinet member Lisa Nandy describes Labour leadership contest speculation as “froth and nonsense,” pointing out that no-one had triggered a contest.

May 18

Mr Simons's resignation was formalised when he was appointed Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds.

May 19

A writ of election was moved in the House of Commons, triggering the by-election.

Local plumber Rob Kenyon is announced as Reform UK’s by-election candidate. Only two weeks earlier he had been elected for the first time as a councillor.

May 20

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage makes the first of several visits to the constituency to endorse his candidate at a press event in a Winstanley precinct bar, both men giving interviews to Wigan Today, saying why the constituency and the country needs a change of party at the helm. Early polls predict a Burnham win.

May 21

Mr Burnham gives an interview to Wigan Today, explaining his reasons why he is hoping to get back into parliament, concentrating on local issues and not being drawn on any leadership battles should he win the seat. The former mayor of Wigan Michael Winstanley is revealed as the Conservatives’ candidate.

The Green Party announced nurse Chris Kennedy as its candidate but he resigned just hours later over social media comments about attacks on Jewish ambulances. The party therefore re-opened nominations.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that he would be coming to Makerfield to support the Burnham campaign.

May 22

Jake Austin is named as the Liberal Democrats’ candidate.

Mr Simons gives a detailed explanation as to why he stepped down, having facing criticism from some quarters about deserting people who had voted him in for a full five-year term.

May 23

Peter Ward is unveiled as the candidate for the Rejoin EU Bring in PR party.

May 24

Representatives of both Labour and Reform are out in numbers visiting as many constituents’ homes as they can.

Both state they want to have spoken to every eligible voter by the time polling day comes.

May 25

Robert Pownall, an independent who wears a fox costume was the latest to declare his candidacy.

Meanwhile a row was continuing about Coun Kenyon’s social media history which made derogatory comments about women, including the TV personality Carol Vorderman.

May 26

As the deadline came and went for candidates, it was revealed that there would be no fewer than 14 people challenging for the seat.

Those not already mentioned were Count Binface (Count Binface Party), Dan Clarke (Libertarian Party), John Dyer (independent), Ed Gemmell (Climate Party), Paul Gould (independent), Howling Laud Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Party), Rebecca Shepherd (Restore Britain), and, replacing Mr Kenndy, Manchester city councillor Sarah Wakefield (Green Party).

May 27

Reform gives its full backing to Coun Kenyon over his social media remarks of years past.

May 28

Under attack for not doing enough about grooming gangs while GM Mayor, Mr Burnham insisted he acted immediately while others looked away.

Wigan Today publishes one of its vox pops showing a community divided – mainly between Labour and Reform.

May 29

Mr Simons clashes with Coun Kenyon over the latter’s claims that he was “Makerfield born and bred,” when in fact he was born and raised over the Merseyside border in nearby Haydock.

May 30

Mr Burnham me former miners over breakfast to discuss the campaign for justice for coalfield communities.

May 31

Reform say they will take action against grooming gangs while Mr Burnham visit’s St Jude’s ARLFC and backs a youth zone for the area.

June 1

Candidates can begin the 18-day countdown to the big day as they entered election month.

June 2

Mr Farage returned to the constituency to back Coun Kenyon’s campaign and Mr Burnham called for tighter control of the water industry.

June 3

Mssrs Kenyon and Farage meet pub landlords to discuss the issues faced by the hospitality industry while Mr Burnham announces £1m will be awarded to secure the future of Ashton library and also tours Hindley railway station to view improvement work being carried out.

June 4

Mr Kenyon took to the radio to say he would oppose the building of 400 homes at Winstanley Hall and fight to reduce the number of HMOs in the constituency.

Five of the main candidates appear on the BBC’s Question Time, during which Coun Kenyon is quizzed on his social media history again and Mr Burnham finally admits that he would challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership if he wo the by-election.

June 5

Mr Burnham called for business rates to be cut for pubs and small firms and Coun Kenyon set out six pledges which included regenerating high streets and campaigning for a new Wigan hospital.

The Prime Minister said that he would now not be heading to Makefield to support Mr Burnham after his announcement that he would challenge for the Labour leadership.

June 6

Reform UK removed attack ads, including a portrait of Andy Burnham, after the artist Stanley Chow threatened legal action over what he described as unauthorised use of the image to push an “anti-immigration” message.

June 7

Polls show that Restore Britain is consistently coming third in the polls and it is observed that it could help “split the right,” making it easier for a Burnham win.

June 8

Coun Kenyon set out Reform policies on special educational needs provision, giving local mainstream schools the resources they need to support children closer to home.

June 9

Mr Burnham called for new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, giving local councils the right to block vape shops and new powers to stamp out illegal e-bikes causing anguish to local residents.

June 10

Mr Farage and Coun Kenyon hosted a major press conference attended by both supporters and many national media representatives during which it was announced that Reform would help struggling small businesses and sole traders by hiking the VAT threshold from £90k to £150k.

June 11

Mr Burnham said he would “stick by” women campaigning for compensation over changes to the state pension age, opening the door to a multibillion-pound spending commitment.

Many Labour MPs had backed the so-called “Waspi women” when in opposition, but after the general election the new Government said it could not afford to recompense them.

June 12

Former Makerfield MP Sir Ian McCartney, who backed Mr Burnham in his first two Labour leadership challenges, was back in his old constituency to support the Mayor again, saying that he would “make a great MP – and PM.”

Meanwhile Winstanley residents say the future of green belt is a key issue for them, not least the Winstanley Hall housing proposals.

June 13

Ms Nandy hit out at Coun Kenyon for historical comments made online about Warriors’ support for Pride.

The Cherry and Whites marked their match against Catalans Dragons in 2020 as Pride Day when Israel Folau joined the French club, after his contract with Rugby Australia was terminated over homophobic comments on social media. They also celebrated Wigan Pride in August 2022 during a match against Toulouse.

It was claimed Coun Kenyon wrote posts describing it as a “cheap publicity stunt” and said he would not be attending either match, describing the 2022 fixture as “the sexual preference game”.

June 14

Mr Burnham met mums of special educational needs children in Makerfield to hear from families about the pressures they face getting the right support for their children.

June 15

Reform MP Sarah Pochin wrote a letter to the women of Makerfield arguing the party’s position to defend the right of women to equal pay, equal rights, and maternity pay and, clearly in a reference to the furore surrounding Coun Kenyon’s social media posts of the past, she said there was “no place for chauvinism in our modern society, and we will not tolerate it.”

June 16

A row broke out over the announcement of the Ashton Library £1m award, Reform saying the cash had already been secured by the council months ago and reporting Labour and the local authority to the Electoral Commission over suspected breaches of purdah. Labour hit back, calling the purdah breach claims “nonsense” and saying that Reform had not “lifted a finger” to get the library reopened. Polls show that Reform is closing the gap on Labour as polling day approaches.

June 17

Reform UK has pledged to strengthen protections for pregnant women and new mothers, promising to become Britain’s most “pro-mother” party.

Comedian Steve Coogan joins Mr Burnham on the campaign trail.

June 18

The residents of Makerfield go to the polls. There are more than 80,000 eligible to vote. Some have already cast postal votes, the majority head to one of 33 polling stations.

At 10pm the stations close and the ballot boxes are brought to The Edge where counting begins.

June 19

The result!