Key facts
- Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is campaigning in the Makerfield by-election.
- Burnham is utilizing hyper-local online advertising, spending around £8,000 on Meta platforms.
- The digital ads focus on specific local concerns such as infrastructure, healthcare, and development.
- This strategy marks a shift from his previous national-level campaign messaging.
- Burnham aims to counter the challenge from Reform UK's Robert Kenyon.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is focusing on hyper-local issues in his campaign for the Makerfield by-election, a strategy shift that comes as he seeks to challenge for the Labour leadership. In the week leading up to the June 18 vote, Burnham's campaign has invested approximately £8,000 in online advertisements across Meta's platforms, targeting potential voters with messages centered on specific constituency concerns.
These digital ads feature pledges to address local infrastructure needs, improve healthcare access through new pharmacies and doctor's surgeries, clean up a local dump, and block controversial developments. One advertisement highlights Burnham's alleged success in securing funds for a local library. His campaign team has also published lengthy blog posts detailing his awareness of specific ward-level issues within the constituency.
This approach contrasts with Burnham's earlier campaign messaging, which emphasized his national ambitions and his vow to "change Labour." His media team has also exercised tight control over national interviews, prioritizing left-leaning outlets like The Guardian and the Mirror, likely to appeal to Labour Party members. The campaign has also allocated a significant portion of its budget, between £2,000 and £2,500 for a single ad, to promote a collage of positive testimonials from Makerfield residents, portraying him as a genuine local figure.