Work & Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told broadcasters this morning:
“Any unnecessary by-election is always a risk. Uh, it’s the voters who have their say, but like any by-election that is called for whatever reason, I want Labour to win. Uh, I want to see a Labour MP for that seat, and that’s what we’ll all be working for between now and polling day and the by-election…
The sitting MP chose to resign. That’s always a risk to do. But now that it’s been called, we will fight to win the by-election for Labour.”
Burnham and his fans have spent the last few days saying the Makerfield by-election ‘isn’t about him’ and so on and so forth. Hilariously one Labour MP said Burnham “represents our best chance of keeping the seat.” Pure guff slapped down by McFadden…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”