Despite the Makerfield by-election not even having been officially announced, and despite the fact Andy Burnham is not yet officially standing, the campaign has begun and Labour figures are already kicking lumps out of each other.

In a soft launch of his own leadership campaign,Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, announced he wanted Britain to rejoin the EU. Mr Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has now backtracked on his support for the idea two days after saying that “one day” Britain should indeed be a part of the bloc again. Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, is pretending nothing is happening.

Camilla Tominey and Tim Stanley speak to Matt Goodwin, Reform’s candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, who says this is an absolute gift for his party. He says that Labour is “self-indulgent and self-absorbed” with “no serious interest in its heartlands” and is heading for electoral disaster in Makerfield.

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Producer: Georgia Coan

Social Media Producer: Conor Clark

Senior Producer: John Cadigan

Executive Producer: Charlotte Seligman

Video Producer: Will Walters

Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

Editor: Camilla Tominey

Highlights

• Matt Goodwin says Labour are "self-indulgent and self-absorbed"
• The Makerfield by-election is on a knife-edge for Reform

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