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For Andy Burnham, the people of Makerfield are just one audience - albeit the most important - he must address in the next four weeks. Labour MPs, then party members, will also matter if he wins the by-election and there is a leadership contest. And finally there is the country, if Burnham replaces Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister.
That triangulation was obvious as the Greater Manchester mayor launched his campaign today. Net migration “needs to fall further”, he told our political editor Chris Mason. But when pressed on the government’s immigration reforms - controversial for many Labour members - he stressed getting “the balance right”.
His principal opponent will be Reform UK, whose candidate Robert Kenyon has faced questions about sexist, violent and homophobic messages he allegedly shared on social media. Nigel Farage is standing by him, with a spokesperson trying to make a virtue of the fact Kenyon “isn’t a polished, professional politician and doesn’t speak like one”.
“That’s precisely why he’ll be a straight-talking, effective voice for normal working people in Makerfield,” they said. In a nine-minute video filmed in Kenyon’s van, he spoke to Farage about life as a plumber.
The Green Party is also battling issues with social media use. Chris Kennedy was announced as the party’s candidate yesterday morning, but was withdrawn yesterday afternoon. The party cited his “personal and family reasons”. But another factor was the Times’ report of his posts describing an attack on ambulances run by a Jewish charity as a “false flag”.
The Greens said that didn’t reflect the party’s views, they’d spoken to Kennedy and he had apologised. They will now try to find a new candidate. But there is a real debate in the party over how hard to fight, given worries they could be blamed for splitting the left-wing vote if Reform win.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats today announced former Greater Manchester mayoral candidate Jake Austin would stand for the party. And earlier this week the Conservatives announced that the former Mayor of Wigan Michael Winstanley will represent the Tories.
A full list of candidates is available here.
The essential: Burnham’s campaign launch highlights the different audiences he must please in the next four weeks, as some other parties battle with questions over their candidates’ use of social media.
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