On the 14 June 2026 episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the host turned his attention to the upcoming UK byelections, focusing on the pivotal role of Makerfield, a small constituency in northern England. Located between Manchester and Liverpool, Makerfield is rarely in the global spotlight, except for its association with the Wallace and Gromit films set in Wigan.
Labour's Struggles Under Starmer
Since Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer's 2024 victory ended 14 years of Conservative rule, his tenure has been rocky. Oliver noted, "He's been in office less than two years, but has failed to kickstart Britain's sluggish economy." Starmer also faced criticism for appointing Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, citing Mandelson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Donald Trump remarked, "This is not Winston Churchill that we are dealing with."
After Labour lost over 1,400 seats in local elections this May, Starmer faced resignation calls. Many within the party view Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the ideal successor, but Burnham is not a sitting MP—a requirement to become prime minister. This is where Makerfield becomes crucial.
The Makerfield Byelection
The Labour MP for Makerfield recently resigned to allow Burnham to contest the seat in a byelection on Thursday. Oliver explained, "If Burnham wins, he's already confirmed that he'll challenge Starmer to become prime minister." With 76,000 registered voters, Makerfield now holds outsized influence over the UK's political future. Oliver called the situation "fucking bonkers."
Starmer's unpopularity stems partly from his rightward shift, including classifying the pro-Palestine group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Many former Labour supporters have turned to the Green Party. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage's Reform UK gained nearly 1,500 seats in local byelections last month, driven by "bigotry and grievance," Oliver said. Farage is under investigation for accepting a £5m ($6.7m) gift from a donor.
Rise of the Far Right
A new party, Restore Britain, is challenging Reform from the far right. Elon Musk posted, "Only Restore Britain can save Britain." Oliver highlighted the party's policies, including a statement from leader Rupert Lowe about tackling the "creep of radical Islam" and reimposing "our Christian based rule of law." Oliver responded, "Oh, fucking spare me Rupert." He warned that with Reform and Restore pulling Britain rightward, the country risks a dark direction, with Labour as the only party capable of stopping the slide.
Andy Burnham: The King of the North
Burnham gained fame in 2020 for holding Boris Johnson accountable over COVID-19 policies, earning the nickname "King of the North." He is currently the UK's most popular politician. However, Makerfield, a safe Labour seat for 120 years, is now unpredictable. 65% of residents voted for Brexit, and some accuse Burnham of using the constituency as a "stepping stone to get into number 10," as he does not live there.
The Reform Candidate
Reform's candidate, Robert Kenyon, was born in Makerfield and described by Oliver as "a salt of the earth guy" with a problematic online history. Resurfaced posts include one stating, "I'm sexist, sorry but I am," and a thumbs-up emoji response to a sexually inappropriate comment about TV personality Carol Vorderman. Kenyon has not apologized, defending himself as "rough around the edges."
Conclusion
Oliver sympathized with Makerfield voters, caught in a month-long political "circus." He concluded, "A Burnham loss would be a huge success for Farage's Reform party, and a humiliation for Labour so devastating that they may never recover. If Labour loses this byelection, and what ultimately comes out of it is prime minister Farage, that is going to be hard to swallow."
