Burnham thinks Britain should talk about Brexit -- but are his constituents keen?

Fresh from a council by-election victory for Labour, Makerfield voters give their views on the prime minister as he heads to Brussels with plans for an initial EU 'reset'

When Andy Burnham was elected as an MP in June, he promised that he would put a "Makerfield test" at the heart of British politics -- a commitment to judge policies on whether they would work for his constituency and those like it.

The UK prime minister's talk of securing closer ties with the EU has seemed to violate that test, given the north-west constituency voted heavily for Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

But in Makerfield on Thursday, Burnham's Labour Party romped to victory in a council by-election. Nigel Farage's anti-EU Reform UK had predicted it would win the Hindley Green seat on Wigan Council, but in fact its support fell from May when inhabitants of the ward last voted.

Although it was a small vote, with fewer than 2,500 people submitting a ballot, Jon Tonge, a professor of politics at the University of Liverpool, said the win was still a "resounding result" for Burnham.

"Burnham promised a 'Makerfield test' in terms of the suitability of his ideas," he said. "This result in his own back yard indicates he is passing the test so far."

Certainly, it is a small sign that Burnham is yet to feel a strong backlash for suggesting he is open to rejoining the EU, even if it means accepting free movement of people with the bloc.

Next week will intensify scrutiny of that position, as the prime minister attends a summit in Brussels where he is hoping for an initial EU "reset" deal including agreements on food and drink and a youth mobility scheme.

Despite Labour's by-election victory, views on the prime minister in Makerfield are split. Robert Duggan, a retired HGV mechanic aged 70, told the FT that he was "so angry" when Britain voted to leave the EU.

Speaking in the market town of Ashton-in-Makerfield, he said: "Maybe it is a U-turn, but sometimes you need to have enough sense to know what's right."

He added: "If it annoys Nigel [Farage], even better."

Pam Green, a 71-year-old retired supermarket worker, said of Burnham: "He's being realistic. He can see [Brexit] has not served people well in general."

But Eric Mort, a 68-year-old retiree who used to work in the energy sector, was critical of Burnham, who he said "likes being adored" and is a "big egotist".

Mort said he was "absolutely gutted" that Burnham has reopened the conversation about the EU: "Everybody I know feels let down by him."

Some of the prime minister's constituents are yet to be convinced that Makerfield is as high on his agenda as he promised during his campaign.

In the run-up to the by-election, Burnham pledged to clear an 18,000-tonne illegal tip in the village of Bickershaw.

Work began to clear the site earlier this week, about two years after illegal waste began appearing there, although it was halted on the first day after specialist teams uncovered a mineshaft.

But Chloe Humphreys, 30, who lives next door to the site, said the move to clear up the site was "not at all" solely down to Burnham. Government funding to clear the tip was announced in March 2026, as well as a local magistrates' court closure order.

Humphreys said the prime minister is not "majorly liked" in her local area. "The most that he's done is a £2 bus fare," she said.

In Hindley Green, the local branch of Reform UK had been feeling confident ahead of Thursday's council by-election.

Paul Watson, who represents Reform on Wigan council, said Burnham's stance on the EU was potentially "a betrayal of the biggest democratic vote of this nation".

But the issue did not appear to feature much in the by-election campaign. While the Labour candidate John Vickers campaigned largely on healthcare provisions for the ward, his Reform rival Bonnie Clarke focused on issues including antisocial behaviour, support for local businesses and greenbelt protection.

Among Hindley Green's residents, Paul Dootson, a 70-year-old retired consultant, said he was not bothered by his MP's position on the EU.

"I think we should be involved with it more," he added. "I agree with it."

In the end, Thursday's vote in Hindley Green proved a resounding success for Labour. Vickers, who lost his seat to Reform in May, took 49.5 per cent of the vote while Reform's Clarke received 36.6 per cent.

Tonge labelled it a "Burnham bounce", but he did warn that it could not last for ever. "Reform did still poll just about enough votes to justify the prime minister's caution regarding too early an election call," he added.