Ashton-in-Makerfield has been thrust into the national spotlight after Andy Burnham announced he would be running for the seat.
The labour seat was vacated by Labour MP Josh Simons earlier in the day to make way for the Greater Manchester Mayor to find a way back into the commons – out on the streets, locals were split on the decision and the future of their town, reports the Manchester Evening News..
Burnham’s bid for the top job in the Labour Party had commenced and has already split opinions in the constituency he hopes will ultimately propel him to Downing Street. Locals in Ashton-in-Makerfield gave their views of the news on a drizzly Thursday evening.
Burnham’s announcement comes at a critical moment for the Labour party and British politics more broadly. Following turbulent local elections last week, Reform UK and the Green Party seized huge numbers of Labour wards.
Within the Labour Party, the results were deemed so catastrophic they triggered more than 90 MPs to demand the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.
Sir Keir Starmer has thus far remained steadfast that he will stay in his position, but that was shaken on Thursday, May 14 by the resignation of health secretary Wes Streeting, who said it was ‘clear the Prime Minister would not lead’ the party into the next election.
Amid the chaos, Burnham’s latest manoeuvre is widely interpreted as not merely the opening move in a return to Westminster, but a clear signal he’s positioning himself for a potential Labour leadership race.
“Excellent” was 80-year-old Ed’s response to hearing Burnham was standing. “I want a certain Labour leader out, that’s why. I have never voted Labour but I will this time. I think that’s how we stop Reform.”
Ed told Manchester Evening News he had been taken aback by departing MP Josh Simons’ choice to resign.
“He was very proactive, and viewed very positively locally,” he said. “I’m surprised it was him that stood down. It’s going to be close, definitely after the local results.
“I think people might see this as a bit more serious.”
Discussing the emergence of alternatives to the conventional big three parties, Julie Adams highlighted the topic of immigration in Ashton-in-Makerfield.
She said: “The reason Reform are popular, in my opinion, is because we have a massive immigration problem in Ashton… It’s an issue for us all. It might be that a politician who is more forthright on that can cut through.
“Andy Burnham is quite a forthright politician. If a seat is to be rescinded for him to challenge for leadership, that’s a good thing.”
Other feel the infighting within the Labour camp is not a good move.
Carl Waugh, 54, said: “For Labour to start infighting now is not a good move,” he said. “We’ve had 16 years of Tory government – turning that around in less than two years is not achievable.
“To have had four Prime Ministers in the last four years… Andy Burnham, is he going to get this seat? Around him is all Reform, they did really well in the local elections. So he’s taking a bit of a risk. But it’s the highest role in office so he’s going to take the risk.”
