You voted against scrapping zero hour contracts. You voted against banning fire and rehire. You voted against day one sick pay for workers. You said the minimum wage was too high for young people. Reform politicians openly say they don't like trade unions. You will always put the interests of your offshore crypto billionaire donors ahead of workers.

🚨 NEW: The second Makerfield by-election poll 🔴 LAB - 49% ( 6) ➡️ REF - 39% (-1) 🟣 RES - 8% ( 1) 🟢 GRN - 2% (-1) 🟠 LD - 1% (-3) 🔵 CON - 1% (-1) ⚪ OTHER - 1% (=) Via Survation, 518 sample, 26 May - 1 June

Getting worried? Desperate stuff even by your standards. 😂

I very much hope @AndyBurnhamGM is successful in his bid to become member of Parliament for Makerfeild, a good, decent working class man. If he stands in a Labour party leadership I will 100% be backing him. We need an authentic working class voice leading this country.

Are you getting desperate, lad? Maybe keep your crypto millions for something else. 😂

I know you know this but don’t believe everything you read in the papers. 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

🚨 NEW: A poll shows Labour could win a general election tomorrow if Andy Burnham was the leader 🔴 LAB: 30% ( 8) ➡️ RFM: 27% (-2) 🔵 CON: 20% ( 1) 🟠 LIB: 11% (-2) 🟢 GRN: 7% (-4) 🟡 SNP: 3% (=) Via @Moreincommon_, 2,599 people

Westminster Voting Intention [Burnham as Leader]: LAB: 30% ( 8) RFM: 27% (-2) CON: 20% ( 1) LDM: 11% (-2) GRN: 7% (-4) SNP: 3% (=) Via @Moreincommon_, 15-19 May. Changes w/ Standard VI.

I am proud and humbled to have been selected as Labour’s candidate for Makerfield. These proud working-class communities represent the very best values of our country and they deserve so much better. It would be my honour to work for them every day, if elected as their MP, to achieve that. Many people here feel Westminster isn’t working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that and get the voice of these communities heard loud and clear. I am glad that this by-election has finally put the places that make up the Makerfield constituency into the national spotlight. They have been neglected by national politics for too long. It is a good thing that all political parties are now on the hook to tell the voters here what they are going to do for them. More than anything, people need life to be more affordable again. As Mayor, I have brought in changes which are helping, such as the £2 fare cap, free bus travel for our 16-18 year-olds and removing the 9.30am restriction from older and disabled people’s bus passes. But there is only so much I can do from Greater Manchester. If elected, I will have a relentless focus on reducing people’s everyday costs and bills and well as securing the investment these communities need. I have been an elected representative in Greater Manchester for 25 years. Throughout that time, I have fought for the people of the North West of England on so many fronts. I am now ready to bring the whole weight of that experience to fighting for the communities of the Makerfield constituency and would be privileged to be given that opportunity.

It was John Prescott who described Andy Burnham best. He said Andy had “the human touch”. He is genuinely relaxed and at his happiest when he is the company of ordinary people. Politics needs the human touch back more than ever.

Politics isn’t working for places like ours. I will change that. #AndyBurnham #ForUs

🚨 NEW: Former Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas says she hopes the Greens will “put country before party” and not campaign against Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election

I agree

There will be a labour leadership contest. It has to be thoughtful snd inclusive. There will be a by election and Andy Burnham must be Allowed to stand in the by election and if successful to stand for leader and Prime Minister. The process must alliw for this!

I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election. I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics. Ten years ago, I decided to leave Westminster. Why? Because, after 16 years, I came to the conclusion that our national political system does not work for areas like ours. I learnt this fighting its failure to invest in the Wigan borough, for justice for the Hillsborough families and against its treatment of Greater Manchester during the pandemic. Over the last decade, I have been challenging this failure from the outside and building a new and better way of doing politics. We have built Greater Manchester into the fastest-growing city-region in the UK and put buses back under public control, introducing a £2 fare cap to help people with cost-of-living pressures. However, there is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to Parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people. Millions are struggling and they need the Labour Government to succeed. It has already made changes to make life better for them in its first two years. After this week, we owe it to people to come back together as a Labour movement, giving the Prime Minister and the Government the space and stability they need as the by-election takes place. I want to recognise the difficult decision taken by Josh Simons and the sacrifice he and his family are making. I have worked closely with him as Mayor on issues like flooding and illegal waste dumping and have seen first-hand how effective he has been. He has put the communities of Makerfield first, made a real difference for them and should take great pride in that. Finally, I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times. We will change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again. ENDS

For decades, Westminster has overseen the managed decline of towns like mine. We have talked big, then acted small, stuck in a politics of incrementalism that cannot meet the moment. We have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve. It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference. That must start with a change in leadership. Today, I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for. This has not been an easy decision. This is my family’s home, where only a few weeks ago, doctors and nurses at Wigan Infirmary saved our newborn son’s life. But we all must make choices and in recent days I found myself with a difficult one: defend the status quo or step forward and act. I have made my choice. I am in politics because politics is how you change lives for the better. My party has one last chance to do that: deliver for the people and places I represent, drive economic growth, secure our borders, reform our state and politics, and change a status quo that is not working. That is the fight. I believe Andy is the one to lead it.

Will Reform deputy leader Richard Tice now resign over fresh allegations about nudging another £100,000 tax after he demanded Angela Rayner quit over £40,000? Changed his tune. "A long career with multiple businesses is bound to feature some errors." theguardian.com/uk-news/2026…

NEW: Richard Tice failed to pay almost £100,000 in corporation tax, benefiting his investment company which made large donations to Reform UK. First time Reform's deputy leader's tax affairs can be directly linked to finances of Nigel Farage's party. Tice said: "Naturally I am always happy to put things right and if numbers need rechecking, of course I will pay what is owed - be that more or less." It's another big story from @Gabriel_Pogrund who also revealed last week that Tice's property company failed to pay £91,000 in tax before dividends.

Billionaires backing millionaires, that law was passed to stop foreign interference. Why should somebody living in another country be able to give millions to a UK party, or private company in your case. This man returning to the UK to fund you isn’t the flex you think it is

Proud to march with Health Visitors today in Ponty. As a father of two I’ve seen first hand the work they do supporting new mothers. I hope the health board will get back around the table with Unite and give them the fair pay deal that they deserve. We are with you all the way.