UKICE Lunch Hour: The Makerfield by election and the future of Labour
16 June 2026, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: Online
Think tank: UK in a Changing Europe
This event hosted by UK think tank UKICE discusses the by election campaign and the future of the Labour government.
On Thursday 19 June, voters in Makerfield head to the polls in a critical by election. Despite being the country’s most popular political figure, Manchester Mayor and leadership hopeful Andy Burnham’s prospective seat will be hotly contested by both Reform UK and Restore Britain.
Will Andy Burnham be able to secure his seat as an MP? Can his campaign reconcile national priorities with those in the local area? How will the battle between Restore Britain and Reform affect campaigns? And, win or lose, what could the result mean for the Labour government?
In the days before the vote, join our experts as they discuss the by election campaign, the leadership contest in all but name, and the future of the Labour government.
Speakers
Jill Rutter – Institute for Government (Chair)
Andrew Fisher – The i Paper
Sophie Stowers – More in Common
Rob Ford – University of Manchester
