Burnham targets Makerfield seat in contested by-election

Andy Burnham, the Labour and Co-operative party candidate, has commenced campaigning in the Wigan and Leigh areas ahead of the Makerfield by-election. The contest is scheduled to take place three weeks from 4 June 2026, with the official list of candidates now published.

Burnham was accompanied on the campaign trail by journalist Pippa Crerar, who joined him for the Guardian Politics podcast. The pair engaged with voters on their doorsteps, focusing on local issues as the election period begins.

The by-election features a diverse field of 15 candidates representing a wide spectrum of political views. Major parties including the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, and the Greens are contesting the seat, alongside numerous smaller parties and independent candidates.

The candidate list includes Jake Austin for the Liberal Democrats, Michael Winstanley for the Conservatives, Robert Kenyon for Reform UK, and Sarah Wakefield for the Green party. Other contenders represent the Climate, Libertarian, Restore Britain, Rejoin EU, and Count Binface parties, as well as The Official Monster Raving Loony party.

Several independent candidates are also in the race, including John Dyer, Paul Gould, and Robert Pownall. Dan Clarke is running for the Libertarian party, while Ed Gemmell represents the Climate party. Rebecca Shepherd is the candidate for Restore Britain, and Peter Ward stands for Rejoin EU.

Alan ‘Howling’ Laud Hope is contesting the seat for The Official Monster Raving Loony party, and Count Binface represents his eponymous party. Andy Burnham stands as the candidate for the Labour and Co-operative party.

While some commentary suggests a Burnham victory could influence the direction of the Labour party, the immediate focus remains on the electoral contest itself. The published candidate list confirms the breadth of the field as the electorate prepares to vote in three weeks’ time.