The small-town voters deciding the UK’s future are demanding change...

politico ^ | June 12 | By Tim Ross

[RandFan]

Voters in perhaps the most consequential special election ever held in Britain are angry, and they really want someone to feel their pain.

That’s the clear verdict from a special focus group by Public First for POLITICO of voters in Makerfield, the former mining area in northwest England whose June 18 vote could determine the next prime minister.

Some in the group said Andy Burnham, the Labour candidate who is hot favorite to succeed party leader Keir Starmer as PM if he can get himself back into Parliament, might make a difference.

But the overwhelming mood during the 90-minute conversation in the Golden Lion pub was one of deep cynicism and bitterness: Life in 2026 is unfair, miserably expensive, and only getting worse, they said.

The goal of Wednesday’s focus group was to get a deep understanding of life in Makerfield — and how voters there are thinking about next week’s by-election. The voters had a mix of political histories and leanings, with longtime Labour voters sitting with supporters of right-wing parties and people who were undecided. But all expressed remarkably similar concerns about the cost of living, immigration, public safety and frustration about an increasingly unequal society.

“These were not a group of people that were thrilled about anything that was going on in Westminster,” said Seb Wride, head of polling at Public First, who moderated the discussion.

Can Burnham overcome that deep disillusionment with the political system? Or will Nigel Farage’s hard right Reform UK party tap into the anger at “two tier” Britain and eject center-left Labour from a seat it has held for decades?

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Conspiracy
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[RandFan]

Yes. Change is needed but not the Obama type change, real change/reform and I'm afraid it won't come from existing parties.

Anyone suggesting that is deluded.

[RandFan]

That was a good/interesting read actually.

Will the voters elect a Labour politician [again] who would certainly be in a good position to become PM or will they give Labour - and the government- a bloody nose and elect Reform UK’s guy?

It’s genuinely a 50/50 call but I notice Labour and Burnham are heavy odds-on to win it.

[ComputerGuy]

Those who facilitate the importation of third world savages should be singled out for special attention.

[RandFan]

It’s one of the main issues

[FLT-bird]

Reform is hardly “far” Right. They’re more on the milquetoast right. Which is why voters should not go for them. Stopping illegal immigration and reducing legal immigration would have been a reasonable position to take 25 years go. Its well past that now. Stopping them from coming in is nowhere near enough now. Now millions of them who are already in the UK must be made to go.

[JoeVortex]

Reform UK was founded to pass BREXIT. That happened on January 31, 2020.

Reform UK’s day has come and gone. Farage does not have the courage to do what must be done regarding mass deportations and stopping the grooming/rape gangs.

There is no mention in this article of Rupert Loew’s new Restore Britain party which advocates for mass deportations and ending the two-tier justice system. That is where all the energy and momentum resides.

The election is on Thursday, June 18. Only one week from today.

Stay tuned folks.

[RandFan]

Yes it’s interesting the right are splitting the vote though which is why Labour are very much favoured to win.

Dumb.

[FLT-bird]

Yep. Restore Britain is what is needed....ie mass deportations. Rupert Lowe is the only one in British politics who has the courage to do what is needed to save Britain.

[JoeVortex]

"Yes it’s interesting the right are splitting the vote though which is why Labour are very much favoured to win."

I have a different perspective. Let's do a thought experiment:

Will anything change in Britain if Restore Britain did not exist and either Labour or Reform UK won next week's election?

I really doubt it. In fact, things would probably continue getting worse.

Britain is edging very close to outright civil insurrection against its government. Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom movement and Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain are the only hope.

[Steven Tyler]

Can loopy hard lefty Burnham overcome that deep disillusionment with the political system? Or will Nigel Farage’s sensible Reform UK party tap into the anger at “two tier” Britain and eject center-left Labour from a seat it has held for decades?