Is this Labour’s last chance? Tomorrow a by-election will pit the most popular politician in the country against its most popular political party. The outcome will reshape Britain.
‘The most important by-election in history’
Political paradox: While Andy Burnham pitches his successful regional economic model as the blueprint for a failing nation, the Makerfield by-election will test whether his brand of public investment can actually rescue Labour from its polling slump. Glossary
Members of Parliament - A Member of Parliament (or MP) is somebody who has been elected - chosen by the people - to represent their part of the country in Parliament. This is where politicians debate and make laws.
House of Commons - The democratically elected house of the UK Parliament. It consists of 650 Members of Parliament.
By-election - An election held outside a general election to replace an MP who has resigned or otherwise left office.
Metropolis - A very large and busy city.
Reform Party - A right-wing British political party that wants strict rules on immigration, lower taxes, and big changes to how the government is run.
Green Party - A centre-left party largely focused on environmental politics. It formed part of a coalition government with the Social Democrats between 1998 and 2005.
Informal British Constitution - An unwritten collection of historical documents, laws, and traditional political rules that the United Kingdom follows instead of having a single official handbook.
Neoliberal - Favouring policies that promote free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending.
Peripheral - Here, means not the main or important thing.
Restore Britain - A small, right-wing political party that shares similar ideas with the Reform Party and competes with them for far-right voters.