Makerfield - today's the day.

[Kayemm]

Having lived in this constituency all my life I used to want to live somewhere where I felt my vote mattered rather than in a very safe labour seat.

Now I'm here and living with the reality, I'm so very nervous.

It does absolutely amaze me that I know so many people who won't vote today.

Snooty. Bloody creepy is what it is!

I'm also in Makerfield and we have just returned from voting. It was busy at the polling station and has been all day apparently. I've never seen it like that in my near 30yrs of living here. There were dogs aplenty and the mood was good. The police were there, chatting and keeping an eye, but it was peaceful.

I'd like to see Burham and Labour get an absolute kicking tbh.

I'm also in the constituency. I've voted Labour, and for Andy Burnham as I'd like him as PM thank you very much 😁.
Polling stations have been the busiest I've ever seen. I think the turn out will be really quite high.
I work in the NHS and only know 2 colleagues who are voting reform or restore. The rest of us are all voting for Labour.
I was also in the audience for question time and the general feeling was Burnham was very much wanted. When he walked on set he got a loud cheer. The rest of the candidates got polite applause.
Anyway, here is a photo of Farage outside my house when I returned home at 5pm after voting today. We refrained ourselves from speaking. Our Labour placard and window posters spoke for themselves.
It's been a crazy 4 weeks. Today, out and about for work on the roads has been even crazier. Just hoping it will be worth it. I am very nervous. But I believe that there are too many good people out there who won't let the far right in.

Thanks to Makerfield voters for the updates: really interesting to hear first hand accounts.

I fully agree with you that it is highly highly likely that Burnham will win. The split vote on the right for Restore will destroy the slim chance that Reform ever had of winning the by election.

However I can see this outcome being a "win" for Reform:

1. There will be a leadership battle within the Labour Party which whatever the result will create a disgruntled losing side, dividing the Party.
2. Assuming Andy Burnham wins then economically there is very little that he can do differently to Starmer. He can't increase debt because it's already at record levels and the interest payments are already more than the education budget, he can't increase taxes because this will further slow the economy and he can't cut spending because the Labour backbenchers will block. To be fair this predicament would apply regardless of who was in power whether it be Conservative, Labour or, LibDem or Reform. The only one different is the Greens who plan to solve this predicament by simply printing money, which didn't turn out too well in Weimar Germany, Zimbabwe or Venezuela. As a result die hard Labour voters who have got their hopes up on Burnham saving the day will be even more disillusioned.
3. A leadership battle smacks of the Tory chaos of Johnson, Truss and Sunak.
4. Political uncertainty on PM and Chancellor will damage the economy and cause bond rates to rise, making the national debt interest payments go even higher meaning less money to spend elsewhere (eg defence).

Lastly in the unlikely event Reform were to win then they would obviously pass this off as a victory as well.

He will increase tax.

Does anyone know if there will be an exit poll?

No exit poll. I read earlier today that the result in expected around 4 or 5 am.

Sky’s Beth Rigby has just said that her sources in Labour are ‘cautiously optimistic & feeling good”. She also said that turnout is high at around 65%, which in that sort of area would usually favour Reform. (Presumably because a lot of people who don’t normally vote would do so to give the government a kicking).

Then the economy will slow even further and the job market will get tougher especially for younger people.

Its all quite predictable.

Sadly yes, but Labour, particularly Andy Burnham and many of the backbenchers, do not seem to have received the memo.

As for young people, the party that claims to represent working people seems determined to make employing young people who have not gone to university more expensive, while simultaneously making it harder for graduates to live on what they earn, if they can even get a job!

Burnham has won.

Won decisively too. Now for the horror of a Labour leadership election.

I think Reform winning would have been better as it would have made Labour change direction.
All this will do is cause chaos with another PM change.

Looks like it's your side that's been give a kicking and been rejected by the decent people of Makerfield.

Makerfield have let us down .

Andy Burhmam won decisively in the end with almost 25,000 votes, beating Reform by more than 9,000 votes.

In the end Robert Kenyon (Reform) was a liability once it came out about his obnoxious opinions on women.

Burnham now needs the backing of 81 Labour MPs to formally challenge Keir Starmer.

The same goes for any other contender. Labour Party and affiliate members then vote via a postal ballot, and candidates are ranked in order of preference.

The people of Makerfield have done nothing of the sort. Regardless of your politics they were asked to vote for their representative in parliament, they have done that. Anything beyond that is not their burden to bear.

Turnout was 59% and Labour won 55% of the vote.

Reform and Restore votes put together wouldn't have got more votes than Labour so it was a decisive victory for Burnham.

It was a bad day for democracy and for taxpayers.

I'd argue that voting for Count Binface would have sent a stronger message. That would have told Labour that this isn't just about Keir Starmer; it's about Labour in general.

Another chapter in the Emperor's New Clothes story begins. Let's see if there will be any more credit to steal for the King of the North in this new role...

Kenyon didn't even have the guts to make a speech. Sore loser.

Thank you Makerfield voters.

Fuck me, 55%! Many thanks for a decisive result Makerfield.

I’m the last remaining Starmer fan in the country but am still immensely relieved that Kenyon won’t be in parliament. MPs matter.

Well done Makerfield. A Reform win would have been awful.

Regained some faith in voters.

No, there are at least two of us.

I'm relieved that Reform didn't succeed, but it doesn't give me any faith that they won't get in comes to a General Election.
This by election was all about tactical voting. Virtually no-one voted Tory, Green or LibDem. Only 3% of the vote shared between then. Which would be unheard of normally.

Good result Makerfield.

I wonder how much that was driven by women.