ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD, England — Approximately 75,000 voters in northwest England are preparing to make a crucial decision that could determine Britain’s next prime minister or send the nation’s volatile political landscape into further chaos.
The special election on June 18 in Makerfield has attracted global media attention, unusual for a midterm contest to fill a single House of Commons seat among 650 total positions.
“I think they’re all a waste of time,” voter Shirley Prior commented about the candidate choices in this closely watched race.
Should centre-left Labour Party candidate Andy Burnham secure victory, he could potentially unseat struggling Prime Minister Keir Starmer as both party chief and national leader. His opponent from Reform UK, a far-right organization, aims to demonstrate that this traditional Labour territory welcomes their anti-immigration platform, which could have dramatic implications for British politics.
While Labour has maintained control of this district for 120 years, Burnham’s victory isn’t guaranteed. Reform, under veteran anti-immigration figure Nigel Farage, captured 24 of 25 available council positions in recent local voting.
“I always voted Labour because my dad, my grandad, everybody voted Labour then,” Prior explained. “I’ve never done that for a lot, a lot of years.”
The voting occurs during heightened immigration debates. A stabbing incident in Belfast this week, resulting in attempted murder charges against a Sudanese man, sparked violent demonstrations across Northern Ireland with vehicles and homes set ablaze.
In Ashton-in-Makerfield, located 200 miles northwest of London, some residents support Reform’s claims that newcomers are overwhelming housing and public resources.
“Immigration’s too high, all the services are being put under pressure and Labour just keep inviting more and more people into the country and it’s the taxpayer who has to pay for them,” retiree Phil Arrowsmith stated.
Net migration to Britain peaked above 900,000 in 2023 under Conservative leadership before dropping to 171,000 last year.
This decrease hasn’t helped Labour’s government, which has struggled since taking power in July 2024. Starmer faces criticism for failing to deliver promised economic expansion, fix damaged public services, and address living costs. His troubles include controversial appointments like Peter Mandelson, a scandal-linked associate of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s Washington ambassador.
Poor local election results last month prompted Labour legislators to demand Starmer’s departure. While he’s declined to step down, Cabinet minister Wes Streeting resigned to pursue a potential leadership campaign.
Burnham, Greater Manchester’s well-regarded mayor, also seeks leadership but requires a parliamentary seat to challenge Starmer. The opportunity arose when Josh Simons, Makerfield’s Labour representative, resigned to trigger this special vote.
Burnham acknowledges voter frustration and describes the substantial Reform UK support as “a cry for real change” that Labour must address.
The Makerfield area represents British transformation – former coal mining towns now serving as commuter communities. The industrial decay and poor housing George Orwell documented in his 1937 work “The Road to Wigan Pier” has given way to neat modern neighborhoods mixed with Victorian worker homes and farmland.
Despite being outside the city center, it belongs to Greater Manchester, where Burnham receives supportive honks and gestures from drivers as he campaigns in his typical dark jeans, navy shirt and jacket.
The 56-year-old has led the 3 million-person region since 2017, overseeing central Manchester’s growth with new skyscrapers replacing former industrial sites. Residents credit him for promoting the city and consolidating fragmented public transit under municipal control as the Bee Network.
Before his mayoral role, he spent fifteen years as a parliamentary member and Labour government minister. He downplays that experience, preferring his outsider image that earned him the “King of the North” nickname.
“What we’ve built in Greater Manchester needs to go national,” Burnham told reporters during campaign activities this week. “I know what it is to turn places around.”
The race combines local and international elements. While some voters prioritize immigration concerns, others focus on declining shopping areas, road conditions, and minor criminal activity.
Burnham’s primary challenger is Reform UK’s Rob Kenyon, a 41-year-old plumber and local council member who finished second to Labour in the 2024 general election. He presents himself as an unpretentious ordinary citizen, though critics highlight his inappropriate, sexist, and anti-vaccination social media posts.
Reform supporters also face competition from Restore, an even more extreme anti-immigration organization.
Michael Poultney, a retired educator and Labour backer, believes Starmer’s government unpopularity creates significant obstacles for Burnham.
“Without his personal vote, I think we would struggle,” he observed. “Keir Starmer has done reasonably well on the international stage, but the government are yet to be in control of the economy.”
Burnham maintains he’s campaigning for Makerfield residents rather than personal advancement and isn’t assuming victory.
“I am making no assumptions beyond the 18th of June,” Burnham declared.
However, he emphasized that “this is a change byelection.”
“I will take the fight for the changes I want to see in politics as far as I can take it,” he added.
