Topzle Topzle

2026 Makerfield by-election

Updated: Wikipedia source

2026 Makerfield by-election

A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Makerfield is due to be held on 18 June 2026 following the resignation of Josh Simons, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labour Party. Simons resigned amid the ongoing Labour leadership crisis to allow Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, to stand for a seat in Parliament, which would then allow Burnham to stand for the leadership of the Labour Party. It is the first time that a by-election has been triggered specifically to provide a seat for a figure not currently in parliament since the 1965 Leyton by-election.

Tables

2026 Makerfield by-election · Candidates
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal Democrats
Jake Austin
Count Binface Party
Count Binface
Labour Co-op
Andy Burnham
Libertarian
Dan Clarke
Independent
John Dyer
Climate
Ed Gemmell
Independent
Paul Gould
Monster Raving Loony
Howling Laud Hope
Reform
Robert Kenyon
Independent
Robert Pownall
Restore Britain
Rebecca Shepherd
Green
Sarah Wakefield
Rejoin EU
Peter Ward
Conservative
Michael Winstanley
· Opinion polls
18–22 May 2026
18–22 May 2026
Date(s) conducted
18–22 May 2026
Pollster
Survation
Client
Election Data Ltd
Sample size
504
Lab
43%
Ref
40%
Con
2%
LD
4%
Grn
3%
Res
7%
Others
1%
Lead
3
4 Jul 2024
4 Jul 2024
Date(s) conducted
4 Jul 2024
Pollster
2024 general election
Client
45 %
Sample size
31 %
Lab
10 %
Ref
6 %
Con
4 %
LD
–
Grn
0 % ED 0 %
Res
13
Date(s) conducted
Pollster
Client
Sample size
Lab
Ref
Con
LD
Grn
Res
Others
Lead
18–22 May 2026
Survation
Election Data Ltd
504
43%
40%
2%
4%
3%
7%
1%
3
4 Jul 2024
2024 general election
45 %
31 %
10 %
6 %
4 %
–
0 % ED 0 %
13
General election 2024: Makerfield · Previous result
Majority
Majority
Party
Majority
Party
5,399
Candidate
13
Votes
+2
Turnout
Turnout
Party
Turnout
Party
40,263
Candidate
52
Votes
−6
Registered electors
Registered electors
Party
Registered electors
Party
76,641
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Josh Simons
18,202
45
−0
Reform
Robert Kenyon
12,803
31
+18
Conservative
Simon Finkelstein
4,379
10
−23
Liberal Democrats
John Skipworth
2,735
6
+2
Green
Maria Deery
1,776
4
+1
English Democrat
Thomas Bryer
368
0
N/A
Majority
5,399
13
+2
Turnout
40,263
52
−6
Registered electors
76,641
Labour hold
Swing
−9

References

  1. Using the description Rejoin EU Bring In PR
  2. As of May 2026, Rupert Lowe sits as a Restore Britain MP; however, he was originally elected for Reform UK and later sat as an independent before Restore was registered in February 2026.
  3. Excluding those who would not vote or answered "Don't know", there were 369 respondents who gave an answer.
  4. LabourList
    2026
    https://labourlist.org/2026/05/labourlist-labour-mp-starmer-resignation-tracker/
  5. ITV News
    2026
    https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2026-02-28/cabinet-office-minister-josh-simons-resigns-over-labour-together-distraction
  6. LabourList
    2026
    https://labourlist.org/2026/02/josh-simons-resignation-as-minister/
  7. The Guardian
    2026
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/28/minister-josh-simons-resigns-labour-together
  8. LabourList
    2026
    https://labourlist.org/2026/05/josh-simons-resigns-andy-burnham-makerfield-by-election/
  9. The i Paper
    2026
    https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/five-stages-labour-leadership-challenge-favours-keir-starmer-4416982
  10. The Guardian
    2026
    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/may/18/keir-starmer-labour-leadership-wes-streeting-andy-burnham-david-lammy-brexit-eu-latest-news-updates
  11. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
    2026
    https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-05-19/debates/F3E1DB41-353A-45A9-AD6B-CC5866F99E14/BusinessBeforeQuestions
  12. "Notice of Election – UK Parliamentary Election for the Borough Constituency of Makerfield"
    2026
    https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Council/Voting-and-Elections/2026/Notice-of-Election-Makerfield-18-JUNE-2026.pdf
Image
Source: —
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.