Michael Winstanley — Conservative Candidate Makerfield
Jake Austin — Liberal Democrat Candidate, Makerfield By-Election 2026
| Last updated: 27 May 2026 (new: full candidate list confirmed; new entries from MEN live blog) By-election date: Thursday 18 June 2026
Bio
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jake Austin |
| Age | ~26 (born c. 2000) |
| Born | Makerfield constituency, Greater Manchester |
| Location | Stockport |
| Occupation | Stockport Councillor |
| Party | Liberal Democrats |
How They Got Selected
Selected as Lib Dem candidate for Makerfield on 22 May 2026. Previously stood against Andy Burnham in the 2024 Greater Manchester Mayoral election (came 6th) and stood in Makerfield in the 2024 general election.
Political History
| Role | Years |
|---|---|
| Stockport Councillor (Cheadle Hulme South) | Elected 2023 |
| Lib Dem candidate for GM Mayor | 2024 (6th place) |
| Lib Dem candidate for Makerfield (GE) | 2024 |
Polling
| Date | Pollster | Austin % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 May | Survation / Sunday Times | 4% | Trailing main contenders |
Key Statements & Quotes
- Highlights his "born and raised in Makerfield" roots in campaign materials
- Campaign focus: local NHS, public transport, clean air, devolution accountability
What It Means
The Lib Dems are a minor force in Makerfield — a historically safe Labour seat in Greater Manchester. Austin's campaign focuses on local issues and offering a centrist alternative, but the race is dominated by the Labour-Reform battle.
Twitter/X Discussion
Source: Nitter search, May 2026
Jake Austin gets relatively little Twitter coverage as the race is dominated by Burnham, Kenyon, and Shepherd. Key mentions:
- Accused of ignoring local concerns: A blog post widely shared by @RestoreBritain_ claimed "Jake Austin, the LibDem candidate in Makerfield, was provided with evidence of appalling LibDem human rights abuses and planning corruption at Stockport. He wasn't bothered." — used as an attack line by right-wing accounts
- Background mention: One tweet listing all candidates included "Jake Austin-Liberal Democrats" as an also-ran, with the Loony Party candidate given the same billing
- Election prediction tweets: Consistently polled at 2-3% in amateur projections, usually mentioned in passing
- Permanent sign controversy: Newly surfaced Substack piece alleging that a permanent sign criticising Austin has been erected in Stockport by someone who paid for it — described as "a sign that has been there for years". Shared by Restore Britain-linked accounts
- Lib Dems official announcement: The party's official account announced his candidacy on 22 May, which got modest engagement
26 May Nitter search confirms: No new developments specific to Austin. The by-election race narrative remains dominated by the Labour-Reform-Restore dynamics.
Full candidate list confirmed (27 May): The MEN live blog confirmed the full slate of 10 candidates for the 18 June poll. Austin is listed alongside Burnham, Kenyon, Shepherd, Wakefield, Winstanley, Ward, Hope, Clarke, and Pownall (Protect the Wild — standing as a makeshift "fox" candidate to protest hunting laws). The Lib Dems remain a minor factor in what is a Labour-Reform-Restore dominated contest.
Reddit Discussion
Austin is barely discussed on Reddit. The Lib Dems are acknowledged as a non-factor in this race — the seat is a Labour-Reform fight. His role as Stockport councillor is occasionally mentioned but without significant comment.