Can Restore Britain Win Makerfield? (Connor Tomlinson)

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, will stand in the Makerfield by-election, orchestrated by the resignation of MP Josh Simons to install Burnham as Prime Minister. Keir Starmer insists he will not resign, and will not be replaced by either Burnham or Wes Streeting. In any scenario, Labour will be destroyed at the next general election.

Both Reform UK and Restore Britain are contesting the seat, with Rupert Lowe announcing local businesswoman Rebecca Shepherd as their candidate. Can she beat Nigel Farage's likely champion, councillor and army veteran Robert Kenyon, who won 32 percent of the vote at the 2024 general election?

This will be an opportunity to test Restore Britain's ground game, which won double the vote share of Reform in Great Yarmouth at the local election. Can they activate enough non-voters to replace Reform in the north? Or will Reform prove their place at the top of national polls is steadfast?



The clip also goes into the issue of the grooming gangs that will be on the minds of many voters, where Restore Britain actually held an inquiry, whereas Reform bailed out on seeking justice. The by election is on the 18th of June which gives a lot of time for Restore Britain to campaign. 

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, May 21, 2026.]