Two England flags are tied to a lamppost on the way into Hindley on the A58, flying up each time a gust of wind passes by.
On a Thursday afternoon, there’s a moody grey sky over Market Street, the town’s main high street, with locals popping in and out of the mix of cafes, shops, and pubs.
It’s not yet rush hour, but Market Street is already heaving with traffic and noise.
The town of Hindley, sandwiched between Wigan and Leigh, is part of the Makerfield constituency, in the borough of Wigan.
A seat in Parliament is up for grabs here on June 18 in the Makerfield by-election, which is being watched closely around the country.
The election was called after former Labour MP Josh Simons stepped down earlier this month to make way for Andy Burnham to potentially return to Parliament.
Mr Simons said at the time: “I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for.”
Andy Burnham announced his bid to run for the seat shortly afterwards. He said at the time: “I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics.”
The Greater Manchester Mayor has been selected as Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, up against the rampant rise of Reform UK who won 24 out of 25 council seats in Wigan council’s local elections this year.
Should he win the by-election, Mr Burnham is widely expected to run in any future Labour leadership election, which could see him parachuted into Number 10.
In previous years, Makerfield would have been considered a ‘safe’ Labour seat, sitting comfortably in the party’s traditional heartlands, a place once known for coal mining and industry.
But Reform have vowed to ‘throw absolutely everything at it’ to turn Makerfield turquoise -and on the streets of Hindley, there are signs that their message is being heard.
“I won’t be voting for Andy Burnham,” said Ian Morris, 67, speaking on Market Street in Hindley – the town’s main high street. He added: “I’ll be voting Reform.”
Asked what appeals about Reform, Ian says: “It’s all the illegals coming over, all the boats, they’re doing nothing to stop them.
“When you look at Market Street here, the main road, it’s horrendous. You’ve got vape shop after vape shop, nail bars, food cafes, pizza places, but nothing for us to go shopping like we used to do in bygone times.
“There’s nothing like that now, nothing at all.
“They need to actually put some money into the buildings, look at them, there’s some beautiful buildings around here but they’re dilapidated.”
Another Hindley resident, 61-year-old Hazel Ellis, added: “I think there needs to be more housing for young families. I know people who are living with their parents and they’ve got young children because they can’t get social housing, the waiting lists are too much.
“Another thing is, there’s a big problem around here with jobs. Young people haven’t got any jobs.
“My son went to university, he’s got a history degree, but he can’t even get a foot in the door with cleaning or anything because there are just no jobs for young people around here, no opportunities, no training, they’re just left.”
Asked how she plans to vote in the Makerfield by-election, Hazel said: “Definitely, 100 per cent, Reform.
“I’m a Reform Party member, and I think that they talk common sense, they’re speaking now for Makerfield.”
Without chatting to people in Hindley, you wouldn’t know there’s a big by-election happening in the area.
There are few if any political posters displayed in shop windows, and hardly any leaflets or campaigners were seen on a typical Thursday afternoon in the town.
With a total electorate of more than 75,000 voters, the people of Hindley and Makerfield have a huge decision to make on June 18, which could have ramifications for the whole country.
There has been much speculation over whether Andy Burnham could win back voters in Labour’s traditional heartlands, partly due to his record as Greater Manchester Mayor.
After the local elections on May 7, which saw Labour lose council seats across the country, there were huge calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down.
But here in Hindley, not everyone was convinced that Andy Burnham can do enough to win voters back from Reform.
Christopher Glass, aged 80, said Reform are hitting the right notes with people in the town with their candidate, Robert Kenyon, a plumber.
“People coming into the country on these boats is a massive thing,” Christopher said.
“General crime, people being attacked, there’s so much, prices going up, that’s a major thing.
“Just generally, people seem disappointed with things, there’s so much bad news.”
Up the road, in the Market Tavern pub on Market Street, one voter was not quite as convinced by Reform.
Steven Rothwell, 53, said: “We’ve got problems with anti-social behaviour, kids causing aggro up and down the street, the scooters and electric bikes are a menace, it’s a free for all.
“People are concentrating at the moment on immigration, but to me I think that’s the least of our problems
“I’m all for certain immigration, I think the country needs it, but I think it does need to be controlled.
“But for local issues in Hindley, around here, it’s a mess, Market Street’s a mess, it’s full of vape shops, takeaways, we need to be a bit more like Westhoughton, that seems to be on the up, Atherton seems to be on the up, but Hindley seems to be forgotten between Leigh and Wigan.
“As long as I’ve lived here it’s been the same, it’s just been left to rack and ruin.”
Asked how he would vote, Steve said: “I won’t be voting Reform, that’s for sure, I am tempted to back Andy Burnham for Labour.
“But I do think we need a change, Labour’s got too comfortable in the area.”
Outside the pub, Paddy Malone, 41, pulls over in his car to chat.
He explains that he comes from a ‘Labour family’ and has never been interested in politics before – but he’s now become a Reform UK supporter.
He said: “I think we need a big change around here, a lot of bad things have been happening, and I’m all for change to get Reform in, something totally different, new ideas.
“My family has always been a Labour family, but I’m not, I know what’s going on and what I want, I’m all for the Reform guys.”
Paddy pulls a Reform campaign poster from his car, which he carries around. He pulls out his phone, showing a video of him cheering for Reform to win the Makerfield by-election, sign in hand.
He added: “Immigration for me is the biggest of the lot, it’s been rife, and it’s getting worse.”
Many people, including Paddy, said Hindley used to be a ‘proud’ area, but that it has changed in recent years.
Paddy said: “It’s all right people coming over here and doing good things, but it’s people who are not supposed to be coming over, and the government is putting them in hotels.”
Paddy added: “There’s anger and frustration.”
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