I feel sorry for Makerfield voters – they're being treated like lab rats

I feel sorry for Makerfield voters – they're being treated like lab ratsOPINION - JUDY FINNIGAN: This by-election is all posture and preening. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Judy Finnigan 07:00, Sat, Jun 6, 2026 Judy Finnigan, left, says Burnham by-election is treating voters like lab rats (Image: Getty / Express)God, but I feel sorry for the good folk of Makerfield. The longer this circus continues, the more they must feel like lab rats in a particularly pointless experiment. Just two years ago, as the polls closed, they thought they were free of it. They’d returned that nice young Labour man, wossissname, to Westminster and they didn’t have to think about it for another five years. No Brenda from Bristol (‘What? Not ANOTHER one?!?!’) for Makerfield. window.scriptsToLoad.push({url:'https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=118222&vp_content=plembed3a6btjknzwqh&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v118222',triggeredBy:'tcfLoaded',delay:1500,containerId:'ovp-primis',title:"Primis player",beforeLoad:()=>{window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v118222"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}})},}) Alas. Now look at them. Being experimented on to the last retort by Labour, Conservative, Green, Reform, Restore, pollsters, political hacks, eccentrics et al. All swarming like mad research assistants over the constituency. Voters told portentously and pompously that they hold the future of the country in their weary hands. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can uns...