Makerfield: the by-election which could decide the next prime minister
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 4 June 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It’s the Makerfield by-election on June 18th and one of Keir Starmer’s key challengers - Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham - is vying for a seat. If he becomes the MP it’ll enable him to challenge Starmer for the top job. Elsewhere there’s a battle on the right as Reform and Restore Britain face off. But who's got the best chance of success, in this complicated constituency that’s more than meets the eye?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory
Guest: Darryl Morris, presenter, Times Radio.
Host: Luke Jones.
Producer: Olivia Case.
We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com
Read more: Who are the Makerfield constituents that could choose the next PM?
Further listening: Fordingbridge rape victim: “I’m the one being punished”
Clips: Restore Britain / Instagram, BBC, The Guardian, Mayor of Manchester / YouTube, @andy.burnham / TikTok, Reform UK.
Photo: Getty Images.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | From The Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story. |
| 0:05.1 | I'm Luke Jones. |
| 0:09.0 | Yeah, it's a massive, massive thing that's going on at the moment, suppose. |
| 0:12.2 | You could elect the next Prime Minister? |
| 0:13.5 | Yeah, exactly. |
| 0:15.0 | Can it be that around 75,000 voters in Lancashire might force a change of Prime Minister? |
| 0:21.1 | I think we're pawns in a chess game. Get bin them in here and it is off down to London. |
| 0:26.5 | And honestly, I don't like being a pawn in a chess game for Labour or anybody else. |
| 0:30.6 | You can't have escaped the news that Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, |
| 0:34.5 | is fighting a by-election on the 18th of June in Makerfield. |
| 0:39.3 | The now former MP there graciously resigned to try and help Burnham return to Parliament. |
| 0:45.5 | Becoming an MP would be step one in Operation Replace Kirstama. |
| 0:51.1 | But, much like the train journey from Manchester to London, Burnham's political journey |
| 0:56.7 | south is also at risk of severe disruption, perhaps sudden cancellation. In the local elections, |
| 1:05.3 | reform did very well in those parts. Despite some controversial posts by their candidate being |
| 1:10.2 | on earth, Nigel Farage is throwing |
| 1:12.1 | everything at the race. Even Elon Musk is getting involved, backing Restore Britain. So what will |
| 1:18.8 | happen? The story today, the Makerfield by-election. |
| 1:43.9 | Makerfield and the people of Makerfield are about to make a decision that could change the course of political history |
| 1:52.8 | Darrell Morris is a presenter on Times radio I am Northern he by his own admission is very northern |
| 1:59.9 | sometimes we have to sort of build up by-elections a little bit and sort of sell their importance. |
| 2:06.1 | This by-election needs no introduction. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 26 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Times, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of The Times and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.