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LBC's Natasha Clark visited Makerfield to find out how the people there will cast their vote in the upcoming by-election. An 'historic' election could determine the fate of Keir Starmer's premiership, with Labour candidate Andy Burnham expressing his desire to become Prime Minister. The full list of candidates are: Jake Austin – Liberal Democrats Count Binface – Count Binface Party Andy Burnham – Labour and Co-operative Party Dan Clarke – Libertarian Party John Alfred Dyer – Independent Ed Gemmell – Climate Party Paul Gould – Independent Howling Laud Hope – The 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 Michael Winstanley – The Conservative Party Candidate Andy Burnham will 'find it easier to talk about cutting welfare than actually doing it' if he becomes Prime Minister, Diane Abbott has insisted, flagging billions of pounds of waste when it comes to defence spending. The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington told LBC's Ben Kentish that she is "a little disappointed" that the Mayor for Greater Manchester has said he will look at slashing welfare spending. She added that when he has to specify what he's actually going to cut, he will find it a lot harder. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #natashaclark #makerfield #andyburnham #reform #farage #restore #politics #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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He's using this area as a stepping stone to be Prime Minister
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I wouldn't vote for reform if they were the only party standing. Is this area in the suburbs of Wigan about to be the location of the most important by-election in history
0:14
What do you think about Keir Starmer? Get him out. Yeah? Get him out
0:19
200 miles north of Westminster and around halfway between Liverpool and Manchester
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Makerfield is a constituency that's been Labour since its creation in 1983
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The Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to make his comeback to Westminster
0:33
and has openly admitted he wants to run to be Labour leader and Prime Minister
0:38
If he wins this seat, it could change the course of history. But he's got a big mountain to climb first
0:45
We've arrived in Makerfield to find something is rather obvious. All across the constituency we are seeing signs that are all focused about one man
0:54
It's all Andy, Andy, Andy. There's no mention on these posters of Labour
0:58
The only reason you'd know he was standing for the Labour Party is the Labour Red
1:01
But these are exactly the kind of posters that we're seeing all over the constituency
1:06
No mention of the Labour Party on there. Why do you want to be voting for Andy Burnham
1:10
Well, he's done a lot for Lee. He did the Marina. He did the Lee Sports Village
1:14
He's done a lot in Manchester. I want somebody who can represent Tashton who's got a pedigree and what we can trust
1:19
So it's important for you that you've got a local guy that you've known for years and years
1:23
And obviously you represented Lee just around the corner for such a long time. Do you think that's what's most important to voters around here
1:30
And I think what reform are doing, making a lot of promises they can't keep. You know, we can all say we're doing this, we're doing that
1:36
but if you can't keep them, you know, it's... And obviously, this by-election could be far greater
1:42
than just electing another MP for the area. It could be about electing the next Prime Minister
1:47
Do you think Andy would make a good PM? I think he'd make a very good PM. I think the country has had enough of Starmer
1:53
because obviously he's coming down as one of the most unpopular PMs of all time
1:58
which is not good for the country. We took out the winter fuel allowance, we took the cap off
2:05
You could have more than two children claim benefits. We just need somebody that can run the country properly
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And obviously Andy will be different if he does get to become Prime Minister and be into No. 10 Downing Street
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What would you like to see him do differently to Keir Starmer? I think he said he wants to make politics northern
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and we never get represented up in the north. And he's going to, you know, like you said
2:27
where we've been Londonised with all the politics for years, he's going to shift it and, you know, he's a local lad
2:32
so I'm all for him. But despite the visible presence and support for being a local
2:36
that hasn't stopped the Reform Party's recent rise in the area's politics
2:40
The party has been sweeping up council seats here, left, right and centre
2:44
with Nigel Farage's party winning over disaffected voters who are sick and tired of Westminster politics
2:50
and feel that change hasn't been coming quick enough for them. Reform, UK, definitely
2:55
Yeah, why do you think that? Why do I think that? Because they care about British people
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They want to do well for this country, especially look after the borders
3:04
They want to control the borders. Is immigration important to you? Yes, it is. Yes, it is
3:09
I don't mind genuine refugees, but these people are coming over to stab us and kill us
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like they were on the telly last night. and they're saying that Britain will never turf us out
3:21
This country is going downhill and I have a lot of friends who are multicultural
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don't have anything against that. But these economic migrants that are coming in
3:33
we don't know who they are and I feel sorry for the communities where they're just dumping them
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Do you like Nigel Farage as well? Yes, I do. Do you think he'll be a good Prime Minister
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I think he'll be an excellent Prime Minister. He'll do what he says
3:46
And this one, Starmer, he's off his head. What he does for us is nothing
3:52
He's all talk, no action. And he loves being on the world stage and strutting about But the genuine British people the cost of living terrible people can manage Who are you going to be voting for next week sir Reform
4:06
Yeah, why do you think that? Because Andy Berman, he's under Greater Manchester
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we're under Greater Manchester, and he's done nothing for us personally. Oh, really? I don't think he's done anything for Ashton
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and at this moment in time, he thinks, oh, yeah, Ashton, Ashton
4:23
and if he gets in, we won't see him again. Are you from round here then
4:27
I am. Lived here all my life. And so what do you think about the reform campaign that you quite like
4:33
I think it's going to bring change. And we need change because Labour at the moment are stagnant
4:39
Around here was always a Labour area. It has been. It has been for years
4:42
Exactly. And it's changed for the better. And what do you think about Nigel Fryer
4:47
Do you think he'd make a good Prime Minister? He will. I think he will tell you the truth
4:51
But time will tell. Do you not think that a lot of the people here, obviously like yourself, just feel that, you know, you've sort of
4:57
lots of politicians make these big promises and none of them really deliver. Well, why do you trust that this guy was going to be the one to change things
5:03
Why not? Yeah. Why not? That's a good point. You know what I mean? But you don't like the look of Andy Burnham
5:09
It's not him personally. Or is it the Labour Party you don't like? It's just the Labour Party itself now
5:15
It's done nothing for this area. Absolutely nothing. Look, it's state of Ashton now
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You know what I mean? it's full of pizza shops and vapour shops
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What would you like to see? I'd like the market back and more
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people and regeneration Do you have any idea who you're going to vote for yet
5:34
Andy Boone. Yeah, why is that? Because he's the best candidate What do you like about him
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He's got a good track record, I wouldn't vote for reform if they were the only party standing
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Do I need to go on? and I think he's got a lot more integrity as well
5:53
He's appropriate for the job. Do you think he'd be a good Prime Minister? I do, yeah
5:57
What makes you say that, just because he's a good principal guy? He's a good principal guy
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He's a Northerner, which is... Is that important to you? It's not absolute, no, but I think it would be nice for a change
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especially for those from this area. Andy Burnham, probably. Why do you think that
6:14
I think he'll do more for Ashton than anybody else. You live here, you live around here
6:20
Yeah. And, yeah, what do you think of him? He seems a straightforward guy
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Yeah. And he lives in this area. He does, yeah. And he knows what it's all about
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Yeah. He knows what Ashton needs. And what do you think this local area needs
6:38
What would you like to see? Well, at the present moment in town, it's a dump for me
6:44
Think he needs more money going into it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Who do you think you might be voting for next week
6:50
Definitely Andy Burnham. Yeah, why is that? He was a genuine bloke. He did all right at Manchester
6:54
Yes. So, you know. Are you from around here? Yeah, I am, yeah. Do you think he'll make a good Prime Minister
6:59
I think he will. Yeah? Yeah, I think he will, yeah. I think a lot of other people do think so. Yeah
7:03
I can't weigh him up, Sam, with being honest. And I turned out then to give me 50 pence a week rise
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Your pension? I mean, 50 pence a week. I'd like to ask him, what was your last rise
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You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, what, can we spend 50 pence a week? Not even a day, but 50 pence a week, you know
7:23
Couldn't believe it. What do you think of reform? I can't stand them. Never, ever ending
7:27
Oh, really? Yeah, yeah, and I still haven't got a clue I'm going to vote for. You don't know yet? Now, Andy Burnham, we don't know
7:34
We don't know what's going to happen. Hopefully, he'll carry on. He'll be a good Prime Minister and then take it from there
7:42
Do you think if he does get elected, he will stand to be Prime Minister
7:45
Well, I think he's got a big fight on his hands, a massive fight on his hands
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because I don't think Keir Starmer's going to give up without a massive fight. Are you a Labour voter or are you an Andy supporter
7:58
No comment No comment at all Well I grew up in the era of Enoch Powell and in the back of my head we do not want to see that again
8:10
My father came over on the Windrush at 15, you know, so..
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And does immigration play a big part in how you might vote? Absolutely, yeah, absolutely
8:18
You know, I mean, where I live, the area where I live, we have got a lot of immigration
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and we've also got I've had personal experiences with the circle houses nearby
8:29
and you know it wasn't nice. Who do you think you might be voting for next week
8:33
Restore Britain. Oh yeah, why do you think that? Well we want to have a country back
8:37
to where it was. What do you think Restore are offering to people like yourselves
8:43
Well I hope some good things because we've had nothing done no matter who
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we vote for. They promise you the earth and we get nothing. you come to Ashton they're doing all this which is beautiful yeah no public
8:56
convenience not been for about five years it's a good to see them trying to
9:00
eventually try and restore the town oh awfully yeah awfully and you know the
9:03
candidate is called Rebecca Shepherd I think for the yeah do you know much
9:07
about her at all I've not seen her no but I've read she's a bit local business
9:12
yeah around here so and what do you think about Keir Starmer get him out yeah
9:17
get him out. Yeah, not a fan? No, he's ruined Britain. And what of the other parties in the
9:24
running? The Greens, the Tories, the Lib Dems? There's been huge debate about whether to even
9:28
stand candidates here. Some people have been saying that slightly smaller parties like the
9:34
Conservatives, like the Lib Dems, shouldn't be running in an area like this because you're going to split the vote, you're going to allow Andy Burnham or Nigel Farage to walk into this seat
9:42
What do you say to those critics? Well, I don't accept that and as I said earlier, I think everyone
9:46
has got the right to vote Conservative. I only want to be their Member of Parliament
9:50
I'm not using this as a stepping stone for anything else. I want to give them a voice in Westminster
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And that's been a little bit of the criticism of Andy Burnham's campaign, that he's just using this area to try to get to Number 10 Downing Street
10:01
Have you heard many people on the doorstep telling you the same thing? Yes, this is actually coming up time and time again with people
10:07
because people do feel resentful that this by-election has been created and that it's being used as a stepping stone for Andy Burnham
10:16
to get back into Parliament. It's coming up quite a lot. And it's actually quite disgraceful, really
10:21
that this has happened because Josh Simons was elected less than two years ago
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Andy Burnham constantly told people the mayor of Manchester was the only job he ever wanted to do
10:31
and he would serve out his full term. And yet here we are with this media circus in Makerfield
10:38
Sorry about that. Focusing on this by-election. This is about one man's ego
10:43
We've travelled down the road to meet Davis Baxter, who's the chief executive and founder of the Wigan and Lee community charity
10:49
Every day he sees the issues that local communities face. Does it feel like Makerfield's been a bit of a left-behind community
10:56
Yeah, and I've used this before about this ogy of this Russian doll
11:00
and this feeling that the layers of the fact that you've got the North Sof divide
11:05
and then even when you break it down to Greater Manchester, the location of Wigan being on the..
11:10
Yeah, which, were you in Manchester? Yeah, a lot of work, understandably
11:15
focuses on Salford and Manchester as a city centres, a lot of jobs are obviously in those
11:20
areas, Transport Link is mainly based going into those areas, so Wigan being on the edge
11:26
of the great Manchester area, as much as you've got some great links like the M6 for example
11:31
it always feels like a lot of the conversations in Manchester Salford and then of course when
11:36
you then do then strip the next layer off and go into Wigan Borough, understandably the jobs
11:45
the nighttime economy is always Wigan and Lee Town Centre, so Makerfield in the middle
11:50
We don't have town centres or high streets in the way that we're used to go into
11:56
Young people obviously are struggling to find jobs around here. There we had this thing where really after six o in the evening there nothing for young people to kind of do and of course some like like people like my dad and some of the older generation they want those shops where you can go into and you not just buying a service but you also
12:15
having a chat with the owners and unfortunately those shops are all now disappearing two months
12:23
ago one of those bakeries that's been around for 50 years sadly closed down our pubs have gone from
12:29
seven to now one so if you're a person of that generation where do you go to to get out of
12:35
social isolation during our time in makerfield the candidates were themselves down the road in
12:40
salford for a televised debate we made our way down ourselves to ask how they found the campaign so
12:45
far do you mind me too quickly it's i'm not doing that i've just done a big interview yeah i know
12:50
i just we would love to speak to you but we um we haven't managed to get hold of your team is the campaign going so far do you mind me asking we'll set it all properly okay it's going well
12:56
We'd really like to. Thanks, Andy. I'd want to ask you about how the campaign's going
13:00
and how you're finding it. It's going really well. Yeah? What's your reception being like on the doorstep? Brilliant
13:05
It couldn't be better. Yeah? And how was the last debate you just had? Fantastic
13:09
BBC, did you get any grief from the Green candidate this time? No, it was a good bit of banter
13:13
Yeah, good. And how do you find it's all going? Smooth. Yeah, smooth
13:17
Enjoying yourself? Loving it. Yeah, I think you'll make a good MP for the area? I think I'd make an absolutely fantastic one. Yeah
13:24
And obviously, I know you got a bit of a rough ride last week with Chris Mason. Do you think it's fair to keep bringing up all your old comments
13:28
or are you ready to draw a line under that? I think I'm ready to draw a line. I've answered the questions numerous times now
13:34
Is it coming up on the doorstep for you at all? Not really, no. Are you willing to put it behind you? Well, the only time it's ever come up on the doorstep
13:40
is when people have said, don't take any notice. It's just a smear campaign. Some on the left, including the former Green MP Caroline Lucas
13:47
didn't want the Green Party to stand a candidate in this constituency
13:51
And obviously other campaigners, including Carol Vorderman, have said you'll be splitting the left, the progressive vote
13:57
What do you say to those critics who say that actually you might be handing Nigel Farage another MP
14:02
I say it's on every single candidate to make the case for why the people of Makefield should vote for them
14:08
And it's really important in a democracy that people have the choice to vote for a party that they want to see
14:13
And in the Green Party, we run things really interestingly. It's a democracy, so the local party make a decision
14:20
about whether to run a candidate. They had a vote, they decided to, and then they voted for me to be that candidate
14:25
So we're just wrapping up the day here after spending the morning in Makerfield
14:29
speaking to voters on the high street. It became pretty clear that Andy Burnham
14:33
clearly has a momentum in Makerfield and there is, at least according to the polls
14:37
a good chance that he will now win this by-election. But equally, we've been speaking to people
14:42
who are supporters of reform, who are even supporters of the Restore campaign
14:46
So could a big electoral upset be on the cards? This could be the most consequential by-election
14:52
of modern times. If Andy Burnham wins this and decides to challenge Sakir Starmer for the Labour
14:57
leadership and Prime Minister, it could change the course of history. Of course, no one knows what's
15:02
going to happen in this by-election. We're now here in Salford. We've ended up here because the
15:06
candidates have finished off their day with another rival debate here in Media City. On the surface
15:14
it looks like Andy Burnham does have the momentum, that sparkle dust that people close to him talk
15:18
about, which really makes him resonate and connect with voters. As you can see, he didn't really want
15:23
to stop and talk to LBC. Let's hope that changes across the course of the last 10 days of this
15:28
election campaign. But equally, Robert Kenyon getting a lot of traction, reform, getting a lot
15:33
of support as well among people that want to give Labour a real kicking in this Makerfield
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constituency. It's clear to me that Makerfield is an area that feels a bit left behind. It feels a
15:43
little bit lost from national politics. It's not part of Wigan. It's not part of Manchester
15:47
it's not part of Liverpool it's somewhere as a mix in between and many locals feel that that in-betweenness
15:53
is led to them being left behind by Westminster politics for a long long time
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Andy Burnham obviously from the area from Lee where he was the MP for many years
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is hoping that if he gets to Westminster he can change some of that
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