Reform UK surges to second place in Labour's Makerfield stronghold

Josh Simons held Makerfield for Labour on 4 July with 45.2% of the vote. Reform UK's Robert Kenyon finished second with 31.8%—nearly a third in a seat Labour has controlled for decades. The result suggests a significant realignment in northern English constituencies, with voters shifting to Reform rather than the Conservatives, drawn by its positions on immigration and public institutions.