Is Makerfield the most significant by-election this century? We are about to find out. My name is Alex Thomas,

and this is Inside Briefing, podcast from the Institute for Government. It's just a week to go

until the people of Makerfield vote in what could turn out to be the most important by-election in decades.

If, as every listener to this podcast knows, Andy Burnham wins, then a Labour leadership contest

and perhaps a change of Prime Minister could rapidly follow. So what's the mood on the ground?

And how is this peculiar by-election with both local and national consequences shaping

how voters are thinking.

Burnham is, presumably, both campaigning to win the seat and preparing for government if he makes

it to Westminster. So how should he, Kirstama and others be thinking about what a transition

of power would mean for government? And then to the official opposition, the Conservative Party

may be barely registering in the Makerfield polls, but Kemi Badenock has been making headlines

this week, and at the Institute for Government, no less, with her response to the killing of Henry Novak. We'll check in with what she had to say and where her argument goes next. All that is to come. Joining me throughout is IFG Associate Director Hannah Keenan. Hi, Hannah. Hi, Alex. And I'm delighted that Luke Trill, director of Moore in Common, is dialing in from Makerfield.

Luke, I am guessing you are pretty busy right now, so thank you very much for joining us. It's great to be with you. So, Luke, let's start with where you are. Does Makerfield feel like a place with the by-election just days away? What's the mood, as they say? I think the poor people of Makerfield will be rather glad

next Friday when the circus moves on. I've sort of taken to calling Makerfield Little Westminster

at the moment because you wander around and it's not that different to wandering around

SW1 at the moment in terms of who you bumping into. Beyond that, I mean, I think it's interesting.

I mean, we've now run a series of focus groups around Makerfield.

And one thing that comes through really strongly is that residency really feel the weight

of the decision that they are making, almost, I guess, you know, sort of on behalf of the

country.

And for some people, they see that as a real

privilege. Others see it as somewhat a burden. But it is just not like any by-election where I've

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