WILL NUTTING: For the future of Britain, this division on the Right - so like Monty Python's Judean People's Front vs The People's Front of Judea - cannot go onBy SAM MERRIMAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 00:45 BST, 19 May 2026 | Updated: 09:10 BST, 19 May 2026
The Conservatives are being urged to stand aside at the Makerfield by-election to give Reform UK the best chance of beating Andy Burnham.Senior Tories have called for a pact to 'unite the Right' ahead of the by-election next month to stop the Left-wing Mayor of Manchester's return to Westminster.Labour won Makerfield at the 2024 election with a majority of 5,399 over Reform, while the Tories came third with 4,379 votes - meaning the majority would be virtually wiped out if they stood aside.Several Tory MPs have called for a pact with Nigel Farage's party to avoid splitting the Right-wing vote in the Greater Manchester by-election that is expected to take place on June 18.And it is understood that a number of senior Tory MPs have been privately making it known that the party should accept it is unlikely to win, and stand aside to avoid splitting the anti-Labour vote.Former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg called for the Tories to make a quid pro quo pact with Reform for upcoming by-elections in Makerfield and Aberdeen South.Sir Jacob urged both parties to put the 'interests of the country ahead of narrower party-political interests' in order to 'fend off the very Left-wing prospect that is in sight'.He added: 'At the local elections Reform did very well, but not well enough to form a majority in Parliament, and therefore both sides should realise that to get to a majority we need to work together.'Senior Tories are calling on their party to stand aside in the Makerfield by-election to give Reform UK the best chance of beating Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy BurnhamBut Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has insisted she has ruled out 'any deals' with Reform's Nigel FarageOne senior Tory MP told the Mail: 'My view would be that given we're very unlikely to win it, it would be better if we didn't put much effort into the campaign.'It would be much better for us to have a Reform victory than a Labour victory, and given I'm hopeful the Right can unite and we can work together over the next few years it would provide some early proof.'They warned that Labour could experience a 'bounce' in the polls under a new leader and added: 'It's much better for both the Conservatives and Reform to keep Starmer because he's so unpopular. If we can stop Burnham winning the by-election, where does that leave Labour?'Tory MP Sir Edward Leigh said his party should agree not to stand in Makerfield in return for Reform doing the same in Aberdeen South, where a by-election will be held next month after SNP MP Stephen Flynn resigned to take a seat in the Scottish Parliament.'If doing some kind of deal means we can win Aberdeenshire and save the Union, it's worth doing,' Sir Edward told The Telegraph. 'If in any by-election there are two Right-wing parties fighting each other... there will be Left-wing victory.'It comes as Rupert Lowe's hard-Right party Restore Britain announced it would stand a candidate in Makerfield in a move that could eat into Reform's vote share.Announcing his party's candidate as local businesswoman Rebecca Shepherd on Monday, the former Reform MP said: 'We are in this to win it.'Meanwhile Robert Kenyon, a local plumber and former soldier who stood in Makerfield at the 2024 General Election for Reform, is said to be among the leading contenders to take on Mr Burnham.In February, Labour were embarrassed at the Gorton and Denton by-election when plumber Hannah Spencer won for the Green Party in a previously safe Labour seat.Both Reform and the Conservatives are expected to unveil their candidates for Makerfield this week with the selection processes already underway, while Mr Burnham is widely expected to be a shoo in for Labour.However, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has insisted she has ruled out 'any deals' with Mr Farage.She told GB News: 'We will be standing a candidate at this election. Everybody should compete and the people of the constituency should make their choice about who it is they want to represent them.'
