Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The small-town voters deciding the UK’s future are demanding change...
politico ^ | June 12 | By Tim Ross

Posted on 06/12/2026 1:58:47 AM PDT by 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?

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Conspiracy
KEYWORDS:

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.

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.

1 posted on 06/12/2026 1:58:47 AM PDT by RandFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All

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.


2 posted on 06/12/2026 2:06:19 AM PDT by RandFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RandFan

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


3 posted on 06/12/2026 2:08:31 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComputerGuy

It’s one of the main issues


4 posted on 06/12/2026 2:09:38 AM PDT by RandFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: RandFan

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.


5 posted on 06/12/2026 2:21:39 AM PDT by FLT-bird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FLT-bird

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.


6 posted on 06/12/2026 3:14:24 AM PDT by JoeVortex (Pray that nobody gets nuked.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: JoeVortex

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

Dumb.


7 posted on 06/12/2026 3:16:34 AM PDT by RandFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: JoeVortex

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.


8 posted on 06/12/2026 3:27:18 AM PDT by FLT-bird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: RandFan
"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.

9 posted on 06/12/2026 3:43:33 AM PDT by JoeVortex (Pray that nobody gets nuked.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: RandFan

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?


10 posted on 06/12/2026 3:44:45 AM PDT by Steven Tyler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RandFan

I can see why voters want change....

Rupert Lowe MP
@RupertLowe10

It has emerged in the Telegraph that Reform’s Jenrick and Braverman’s fast-track asylum scheme meant that illegals completed a TEN PAGE ‘questionnaire’ rather than a proper face-to-face interview.

Their scheme applied to six countries.

Afghanistan.
Eritrea.
Libya.
Syria.
Yemen.

And of course, Sudan.

As we know, the Sudanese monster was handed a visa after going through the Reform MP’s asylum scheme.

These are backward countries that make medieval England look sophisticated and forward-thinking.

They treat women like dirt and are generally entirely incompatible with our standards, culture and way of life.

I will make a firm Restore Britain policy commitment here today.

Every single individual handed a visa under Jenrick and Braverman’s fast-track asylum scheme will be deported under a Restore Britain Government.

Except one. He won’t be deported. A far more permanent fate awaits him.

Not only that, we will end immigration from those six countries. Entirely.

In addition.

Afghans, Eritreans, Libyans, Syrians, Yemenis and Sudanese men currently in our country living off the taxpayer, unable to speak English, committing crime, failing to work, claiming benefits?

They will be deported.

Any of those nationalities who arrived illegally will be removed.

That will mean a vast amount of deportations. I mean vast.

Restore Britain will repair just some of the damage caused by Reform’s Jenrick and Braverman.

Evidently not all, tragically.

A Restore Britain Government will mass deport the fake asylum seekers, illegals and freeloaders that these Reform politicians welcomed into our country.

That is my pledge to you all.

7:01 AM · Jun 12, 2026 186.7K Views

https://x.com/RupertLowe10/status/2065328588627353692


11 posted on 06/12/2026 4:07:20 AM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComputerGuy; RandFan

I’m afraid it’s too late.


12 posted on 06/12/2026 5:36:05 AM PDT by devane617 (Discipline Is Reliable, Motivation Is Fleeting..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: devane617

Rearranging the deck chairs on The Titanic.


13 posted on 06/12/2026 5:38:07 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: RandFan

Much like the Rats since Bill Clinton, the Labour Party in the UK hasn’t represented the interests of workers since before the time of Tony Blair. How free traders and open borders politicians have been able to claim that they represent ordinary workers is quite a charade.


14 posted on 06/12/2026 6:48:59 AM PDT by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RandFan

Are there enough real British people left in Makerfield to win?


15 posted on 06/12/2026 7:06:55 AM PDT by libertylover (The HBM (Has Been Media) is almost all AGENDA-DRIVEN and HATE-DRIVEN, not-truth driven)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libertylover

Yes, plenty in that district but its been Labour forever and the right is spliti8ng (Reform/Restore/Conservatives all standing)

Not great


16 posted on 06/12/2026 7:33:30 AM PDT by RandFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Franklin

Correct. you’re astute.

We could do without the 3 parties on the right splitting the vote

How convenient is that? It’s the only reason Labour are favourites now.


17 posted on 06/12/2026 7:35:26 AM PDT by RandFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson