This week we conducted focus groups in the Makerfield constituency among previous Labour voters weighing up the decision: whether to send Andy Burnham to parliament or switch to Reform UK.
There were mixed views as to the circumstances of the by-election. Some applauded Josh Simons’s decision to step aside for Andy Burnham (“hats off to him”), though they thought a reward would be forthcoming: “He was a nice fella and he worked for the community. I feel that he’s become the fall guy. Obviously, there’s been a deal done behind the scenes – whatever he’s going to get money-wise, or another job somewhere.” Some saw it as a rare sign of solidarity or emerging party unity: “Is that sticking together, because they haven’t been sticking together. It’s been one side or the other. But this is like, we really want him. If they’re all willing to do this for him, they must see something.”
Read moreIt’s more about them and what they want. It’s not particularly ‘let’s do the best for Makerfield’
