Reform UK is closing in on Labour’s Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election, potentially disrupting his bid for Prime Minister.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Survation polling data for the special Makerfield election in the United Kingdom shows Nigel Farage’s Reform UK nearly matching Labour’s Andy Burnham, with the election set for June 18. 📰 DETAIL: The by-election follows Reform UK’s significant gains in the May 7 UK elections, which have triggered a leadership contest within the Labour Party. Andy Burnham, currently the Mayor of Manchester, is running to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, necessitating a parliamentary colleague to vacate a seat for him. 🎯 IMPACT: Reform UK’s strong showing could thwart Burnham’s parliamentary entry and his Prime Ministerial ambitions. Meanwhile, Restore Britain, led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, is polling at 7%, potentially aiding Burnham’s campaign. If Burnham wins, the Labour Party increases its likelihood of governing past 2029, and potentially even until 2034, albeit in a theoretical coalition with the far-left Greens. 📈 DATA: Current polling shows Andy Burnham at 43%, Robert Kenyon of Reform UK at 40%, and Rebecca Shepherd of Restore Britain at 7%, with other candidates trailing behind. 📺 WATCH: The National Pulse’s Editor-in-Chief, Raheem Kassam, went behind the scenes with the Reform UK campaign in the run up to May 7th. |

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