Why has the Labour Party named Burnley as the number one target seat this General Election?

For any parties seeking votes in Burnley this General Election, the town is a tough crowd


The North West is set to play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the General Election.

The region is home to the number one target seat for Labour, Burnley, and the chief target for the Conservatives, Warrington South.

The Conservatives won the Burnley seat from Labour five years ago - electing Burnley's first Tory MP - Antony Higginbotham - in more than a century.


Burnley fact file

  • The seat was created in 1868 and currently around 65,000 people are eligible to vote

  • It is a marginal seat, with a majority of just 1,352 at the 2019 General Election

  • It has been held by Labour from the Second World War until 2010, when the Liberal Democrats held it until 2015

  • In 2019, Antony Higginbotham was elected, making him the first Conservative to represent the constituency for more than 100 years

  • In 2024 the constituency's boundaries were changed. It now includes the Borough of Burnley, as well as the Pendle wards of Brierfield East & Clover Hill, Brierfield West & Reedley


ITV Granada Reports headed to Burnley to test the pulse of public opinion - and it seems everyone wants a change.

Tariq Mahmood says 'nothing in Burnley has changed'. Credit: ITV News

Tariq Mahmood who runs an opticians in Burnley market, said nothing at all has changed in his town, apart from the MP.

He said: "Burnley is still the same.

"The NHS seems to be falling apart and nothing seems to be done about it."

I met Emari Stevens at the market, who was out having lunch with her daughter. She told me she doesn't know if she can trust any politicians.

She said: "I've got disabilities, I'm trying to bring up my child in this economy and it's hard, really hard.

"More than likely, I think I might just go for one of the other smaller parties. Just because I want to see a change, I want to see a difference and I don't think we can get that one from the big groups anymore."


Emari Stevens said she thinks she will vote for one of the smaller parties


Who is on the ballot paper in the General Election for Burnley?

  • Gordon Birtwistle - Liberal Democrats

  • Mitchell James Cryer - Independent

  • Rayyan Fiass - Independent

  • Antony Higginbotham - Conservative and Unionist Party

  • Jack Launer - Green Party

  • Nathan Thomas McCollum - Reform UK

  • David Roper - Independent

  • Oliver Ryan - Labour and Co-operative Party


Pastor Mick Fleming runs charity Church on the Street.

It provides food, advice and mental health support to anyone in Burnley who needs it.

Church on the Street in Burnley. Credit: ITV News

Sylvia Anderson works at the charity as a kitchen manager and has been taking part in a boxercise session put on for women in the town. She told me that people need to be able to "afford to live".

Sylvia said: "The government needs to wake up and see reality of what people are living with day in day out.

"Sending us to food banks isn't the answer, you know what I mean? We need to be able to afford to live."

Sylvia Anderson Credit: ITV News

Pastor Mick says the gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger. He has little faith in any political party at the moment.

He said: "It's sad.

"Politics has become the politics of the finance now, they're not politics of the people.

"It's almost heartbreaking... I don't trust the agenda. People who are voting, are voting for the basic human right and in my lifetime, I've never seen that before."


Pastor Mick Fleming said he has little faith in politics at the moment


As the Clarets look for a new manager following the departure of Vincent Kompany, parties on all sides have it all to play for.

But for anyone looking for votes this year – Burnley is a tough crowd.


One issue that everyone in Burnley we spoke to mentioned was the cost of living


Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every week Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…