ROBERT HARDMAN: I’ve spent the week in Makerfield – and here’s why I believe the vital by-election will be closer than everyone expects
ROBERT HARDMAN: I’ve spent the week in Makerfield – and here’s why I believe the vital by-election will be closer than everyone expects
-8
politics
Reform Party
Frames Reform Party as internally divided, inauthentic, and compromised by its candidate's past
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Reform Party
Frames Reform Party as internally divided, inauthentic, and compromised by its candidate's past
The article emphasizes internal conflict with Restore, highlights Kenyon's controversial social media history using selective quotes, and questions the party's grassroots legitimacy despite its local presence, portraying it as reactive and unstable.
"Among the remnants of Mr Kenyon's pre-political past were one or two underwhelming links to far-Right 'influencers' but it was a string of sexist remarks that hit home, notably his endorsement of a sordid tweet about former TV presenter Carol Vorderman."
+7
politics
Andy Burnham
Portrays Andy Burnham as a charismatic, relatable, and inevitable political saviour
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Andy Burnham
Portrays Andy Burnham as a charismatic, relatable, and inevitable political saviour
The article uses celebrity and messianic imagery (e.g., Obama/Messiah comparison, 'rock star-cum-saviour', 'Vote Hope', 'Keep The Faith' record-shaped leaflets) to elevate Burnham beyond standard political framing, while downplaying his party affiliation and controversial positions.
"a new line of posters is going up this weekend, straight out of the Barack Obama/Messiah playbook: 'Vote Andy. Vote Hope.'"
-7
migration
Asylum System
Links asylum seekers to violent crime and frames the system as a national security threat
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Asylum System
Links asylum seekers to violent crime and frames the system as a national security threat
The article references the Belfast beheading with loaded phrasing ('apparently by a no-questions-asked asylum seeker on taxpayer benefits') to stoke fear and associate asylum policy with danger, benefiting right-wing parties.
"This week's attempted beheading in Belfast – apparently by a no-questions-asked asylum seeker on taxpayer benefits – is catnip for Reform and for Restore"
-6
politics
Rupert Lowe
Depicts Rupert Lowe and Restore Britain as unserious, online-only, and politically opportunistic
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Rupert Lowe
Depicts Rupert Lowe and Restore Britain as unserious, online-only, and politically opportunistic
The framing emphasizes Lowe's absence from the ground, the candidate's elusiveness, and reliance on Elon Musk for amplification, while dismissing their polling surge as suspect and Labour-backed.
"I twice visited her makeshift campaign headquarters at a community club in Bryn this week to be told no one was in all day."
+5
society
White Van Men
Romanticises a working-class, anti-woke, patriotic male identity as the authentic backbone of Britain
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White Van Men
Romanticises a working-class, anti-woke, patriotic male identity as the authentic backbone of Britain
The phrase 'alarm clock Britain – yes there are still people left in Britain that do actually go to work!' is used uncritically to valorise a specific demographic, aligning them with Reform’s base while implying others are idle or out of touch.
"he is showing support for 'alarm clock Britain – yes there are still people left in Britain that do actually go to work!'"
The article adopts a highly opinionated, dramatised tone, framing the by-election as a moral and cultural battle rather than a policy contest. It relies on loaded language, selective anecdotes, and unchallenged characterisations to favour a narrative of Labour momentum and Right-wing fragmentation. The author's voice dominates, undermining journalistic neutrality.
Makerfield or Breakerfield? Andy Burnham faces defining test in Reform stronghold
Average for all sources over the last 60 days for 'POLITICS — ELECTIONS'.