Makerfield residents and businesses share more thoughts on by-election

In 11 days time, residents from across the Makerfield constituency will head to the polls to cast their vote in the by-election (Thursday June 18).

The by-election was triggered last month when the then Makerfield MP Josh Simons said he would stand down so Andy Burnham could contest the seat.

Speaking on BBC Question Time on June 4, Andy Burnham said if he was elected MP for Makerfield, and there was a Labour leadership contest, he would seek to enter it.

The Labour candidate said: "I can't do anything unless I'm lucky enough to get the support of people here. But if I get your support, I would seek to represent you at the highest possible level and give this constituency maximum power and influence.

"I think Wes Streeting seems to have launched a leadership contest, so if that is running I would seek to join it, but I'd have to persuade members of the Parliamentary Labour Party to do the same."

Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon said: “My point would be - get normal people in politics, people who care about the place, people who live in the place and people who want to stay here and not use it as a stepping stone for other things.”

Peter Thompson, who runs Revolving Records in Ashton, said: He’s [Robert Kenyon] a young man. He's not got any political axe to grind as far as I can see.

“He’s been castigated over comments he's made from probably 15 years ago, but I doubt if there's anyone in this country who's not said things which they’d come back and bite them. He’s standing for local politics rather than international politics.

“He was asked on Question Time yesterday [June 4] a lot of questions about what would you do if you're in power. He's not got access to that information and he quite rightly said that he couldn't answer that. He's in it for local politics and that's what Ashton needs at the moment, someone local who will look after us locally and who knows our problems.

“Andy Burnham has no interest in Ashton-in-Makerfield, he’s using us as a stepping stone to become the Leader of the Labour Party. Last night, he admitted that as much, that he's now going to stand against Starmer. Now, he's been denying that now for a long time.

“If he wins this by-election, it's going to trigger an election for who runs the Labour Party, which means he won't have any time to look at our local issues whatsoever. He’s only interested in the top job.”

Resident Paul Kirkwood said: “I'll be voting probably for Andy Burnham. It's not that I'm a big Labour fan. I've got a few concerns about Labour, lots of concerns about Labour. My main concern is that I don't want reform to win this seat. The thought of them winning this seat and even more importantly to actually forming the next government fills me with dread. I think they see everything through the prism of immigration. Whatever the problems are in society, it's all the fault of an immigrant, which is disgraceful.”

Resident Ken Millett said: “I’m just keeping my eye on everything and trying to make my mind up. It seems to have changed. I know I'm getting on a bit now and I’m in my 80s, and it's not like it used to be and everybody don't seem as honest and as nice and helpful. I may vote, I may not, all depending, I’m a little bit undecided at the moment.”

Speaking earlier in the election period, Donna Holmes from The Coffee Shop in Ashton said she believes Burnham would be good for the community.

“He's a local man. He did all right for Manchester I believe so hopefully he'll be able to bring it out to Ashton because we are a good community so hopefully he'll say what he's doing on the tin and he'll support us all - the small businesses in Ashton. If he gets behind the people of Ashton, I'm sure they'll support him.”

Resident Collette Pye said: “Probably Reform I think. I don’t know to be fair, I don’t know who to go for anymore.

“I just think they’re [Reform] offering more, that’s what I’ve listened to on the news and things. Because the government that’s in now has promised so much and give nothing. We work so hard to keep other people and we get nothing back so it’s a bit annoying really.

“Not Labour again, nothing’s been done. I just think our country’s been ruined and that’s not me being racist or anything like that, I just think the government just doesn't look after their own people anymore. That’s just how I feel at the moment.

“I just want trust in the government and to look after our country. And can any of them do that? Hopefully we can, get back to how great our country was.”

Another resident, Keith Rigby said: “He [Burnham] could easily lose everything. It's wrong that he’s standing. Josh Simons should not have stood down. If Andy Burnham gets elected, we will not have an MP because he'll be doing PM duties and he'll never show his face in Ashton never again.

“Reform are a waste of space. They’ve got no policies whatsoever. It’s just a protest vote but people will vote for him anyway because they’re just fed up of everything else.”

The by-election candidates are: Jake Austin (Liberal Democrats), Count Binface (Count Binface Party), Andy Burnham (Labour and Co-operative Party), Dan Clarke (Libertarian Party), John Dyer (independent), Ed Gemmell (Climate Party), Paul Gould (independent), Howling Laud Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Party), Rob Kenyon (Reform UK), Robert Pownall (independent), Rebecca Shepherd (Restore Britain), Sarah Wakefield (Green Party), Peter Ward (Rejoin EU Bring in PR) and Michael Winstanley (Conservative).