Keir Starmer's promise of delivering change rings hollow in Makerfield, a Labour stronghold that could soon become a battleground against the Reform party.
At the heart of the problem is the scandals that have engulfed the Labour leader, including the resignation of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and the fallout from the appointment of Lord Mandelson. The once-thriving coal-mining town has seen its share of the "red wall" collapse around it in 2019 and again in 2024.
The mood among locals is bleak, with some calling for reform within Labour itself. A former director of a pro-Starmer thinktank now under scrutiny, Josh Simons, echoed Starmer's words on the Commons floor last year but is now grappling with the consequences of his party's infighting.
Simons' own constituents are increasingly disenchanted with their MP, who won his seat just 17 months ago. "We voted Labour and we shouldn't have," said one local business owner who wished to remain anonymous. "You see it all day on the news: Keir Starmer doesn't do anything but U-turns."
The area's residents are now facing a dilemma - with Reform UK poised to challenge Labour in the next election, will they stay loyal or switch sides? For some, like builder Carl Pilling, 56, the prospect of change is overdue. "Everything's just a shambles – it's ridiculous," he said.
Others, like Callum Freeman, 29, who voted for the first time last year but refused to do so again this year, are worried about the rise of Reform. "Last time I didn't because it doesn't seem to matter," he said. "Why can't it be about making the country better?"
The consequences of Labour's infighting could be severe, with Makerfield set to play a key role in the next election. As one local business owner noted, "It's time for Reform."
At the heart of the problem is the scandals that have engulfed the Labour leader, including the resignation of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and the fallout from the appointment of Lord Mandelson. The once-thriving coal-mining town has seen its share of the "red wall" collapse around it in 2019 and again in 2024.
The mood among locals is bleak, with some calling for reform within Labour itself. A former director of a pro-Starmer thinktank now under scrutiny, Josh Simons, echoed Starmer's words on the Commons floor last year but is now grappling with the consequences of his party's infighting.
Simons' own constituents are increasingly disenchanted with their MP, who won his seat just 17 months ago. "We voted Labour and we shouldn't have," said one local business owner who wished to remain anonymous. "You see it all day on the news: Keir Starmer doesn't do anything but U-turns."
The area's residents are now facing a dilemma - with Reform UK poised to challenge Labour in the next election, will they stay loyal or switch sides? For some, like builder Carl Pilling, 56, the prospect of change is overdue. "Everything's just a shambles – it's ridiculous," he said.
Others, like Callum Freeman, 29, who voted for the first time last year but refused to do so again this year, are worried about the rise of Reform. "Last time I didn't because it doesn't seem to matter," he said. "Why can't it be about making the country better?"
The consequences of Labour's infighting could be severe, with Makerfield set to play a key role in the next election. As one local business owner noted, "It's time for Reform."
. On one hand, I'm like totally rooting for anyone who's gonna shake things up in Makerfield - those people have been through the wringer and deserve a change. But at the same time, I'm also super disappointed that it's come to this... Labour is supposed to be all about progress and helping people out, not infighting and scandals 
.
.
.
he keeps making promises but it feels like nothin ever gets done u turn after u turn is gettin old tbh 
and the scandals r just gettin bigger 
i mean i get it, everyone makes mistakes but labours got some serious issues to fix 
now reform uk is on the rise and makerfield is like a battleground 
idk if labour can turn things around or if they're gonna lose seats 
. The fact that Josh Simons' constituents are losing faith in their MP is a sad reflection of Labour's internal struggles. It's time for some real change, not just spin and empty promises 
.
. People are just getting fed up with the same old drama and infighting between our student reps 
. Like, we voted for change last year and expected more from our leaders, but it seems like they're just making promises they can't keep 
. Now we're faced with a dilemma - do we stick with what we know or take a chance on something new? It's all so uncertain 
. But others, like Callum Freeman, are worried about making the right choice 
. It's really frustrating when we can't even trust our leaders to get things done 
.
they're not buying what he's selling anymore. the scandals around him are just a symptom of a bigger problem - Labour's internal conflicts r really hurting them right now 
And then there's this thinktank Josh Simons is involved with and now he's getting heat for something... It's all just so messy 
They voted Labour, but if it's not delivering on its promises, then what? 
It's scary to think about Reform UK coming in and potentially taking their seats... Like, will the residents of Makerfield even care? 
Or are they just gonna stick with whoever shows up? 
like who is Lord Mandelson? sounds super important 
and whats up wit lord mandelson tho?? he's like the ultimate insider lol
but idk maybe hes right? maybe we do need change lol idk about the reform party tho its all new 2 me 
. I mean, have you seen the news lately? He's always making U-turns and it just looks like he's trying to placate everyone instead of actually doing something meaningful 
.
. And if that means Reform UK or someone else entirely, then so be it 
.
. The scandals surrounding him aren't helping either... it's like he's not taking the issues seriously at all 
), and I've lived through the good times and the bad. But what really gets me is that people are still holding onto party loyalty even when their MP isn't doing anything for them 
. Can't we all just try to find some common ground? 