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I am proud to announce local businesswoman Rebecca Shepherd as our Restore Britain candidate for the Makerfield constituency.Rebecca has spent most of her adult life living and working in the Wigan borough, where she has built and run her own small business. Through that… pic.twitter.com/3bZ6B1BfrD— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) May 18, 2026
The stakes could hardly be higher for Labour – or the country – at the Makerfield by-election. The constituency now finds itself in the bizarre position of picking the next prime minister of the UK, and if Andy Burnham fails to win over the seat with his alleged ‘King of the North’ act, it could prove almost existential for his party.
So be in no doubt: lefties far and wide will be celebrating this morning’s announcement by Rupert Lowe that his party Restore Britain will be fielding a candidate at the by-election. Despite warnings that entering the race could damage Reform’s chances by splitting the right-wing or anti-mass migration vote, Lowe has pressed ahead and announced that ‘local businesswoman’ Rebecca Shepherd will be throwing her hat in the ring.
According to Restore Britain, Shepherd has spent ‘most of her adult life living and working in the Wigan borough’ and understands ‘first-hand the pressures facing local businesses and working people’. Making the announcement on X, Lowe said:
