VOTERS in Makerfield are heading to the polls in a by-election that could reshape the future of British politics.
It has been a for more than 40 years, with the party first being elected in 1983.
Polling stations open for the Makerfield by-election at 7am on Thursday, June 18 Credit: PA
The Makerfield by-election could trigger a Labour leadership contest Credit: Getty
When is the Makerfield by-election result?
open at 7am on Thursday, June 18.
The count gets under way after polls close at 10pm.
According to Wigan Council, the result is expected on Friday, June 19.
The announcement is likely to come in the early hours of the morning, somewhere between 2am and 5am.
The seat covers the eight wards lying wholly inside the Wigan metropolitan borough – Ashton-in-Makerfield, Bryn, Hindley, Hindley Green, Abram, Orrell, Winstanley and Worsley Mesnes – with small parts of Leigh West, Ince, and Golborne and Lowton West also falling within the constituency.
Why is the Makerfield by-election happening?
The was triggered when Josh Simons announced his resignation as Labour MP for Makerfield on May 14.
This cleared the way for Greater Manchester Mayor to seek a return to Westminster.
Mr Simons, who won the seat at the 2024 general election with a majority of 5,399 over Reform UK, previously left his ministerial role as Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office at the end of February.
It is shaping up to be a in a seismic contest that could change the UK’s political landscape.
Reform won all eight wards lying wholly inside the Makerfield constituency at the May 2026 local elections, picking up roughly 50% of the vote compared to Labour’s 27%.
Who is standing in the Makerfield by-election?
The full list of candidates is as follows:
- , and Co-operative Party: Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017 and former MP for Leigh from 2001 to 2017, holding senior cabinet roles including Secretary of State for Health under Gordon Brown. Burnham confirmed he would if he wins the seat.
- , : Self-employed plumber and gas engineer born in Makerfield. A former army reservist, he was elected as a Reform councillor for Bryn with Ashton-in-Makerfield North on Wigan Council in May 2026. Finished second to Simons in 2024 with 31.8% of the vote.
- , : Manchester City councillor standing after the party’s hours after selection, later apologising following reports about social media posts.
- Michael Winstanley, : Former Wigan councillor campaigning on high-street regeneration and antisocial behaviour.
- Jake Austin, : Councillor born and raised in Hindley who previously stood in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election.
- Rebecca Shepherd, Restore Britain: Local businesswoman standing in the party’s first parliamentary contest.
- Peter Ward, Rejoin EU Bring In PR: Barrister campaigning for the UK to rejoin the European Union.
- Ed Gemmell, Climate Party: Leader of party, which he describes as the only pro-business, pro-climate political party.
- Dan Clarke, Libertarian Party: North-West co-ordinator for the party, who also stood in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February 2026.
- Howling Laud Hope, Official Monster Raving Loony Party: Veteran novelty candidate and party leader who has stood in more than 30 by-elections. A publican, he served as Mayor of Ashburton in Devon and later joined Fleet Town Council in Hampshire.
- Count Binface, Count Binface Party: Self-described intergalactic space warrior campaigning on the message of “Makerfield great again”. Previously stood against Rishi Sunak in Richmond and Northallerton at the 2024 general election.
- Robert Pownall, Independent: Standing as an independent candidate campaigning to strengthen the ban on hunting with hounds.
- John Dyer, Independent: Standing as an independent candidate.
- Paul Gould, Independent: Standing as an independent candidate.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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