Lucy Fisher

He said that women's rights would be safest under reform than any other party.

And then you could tell he was sort of reaching for a single right of women to name.

And he sort of said, like pregnancy.

And honestly, there was a titter that ran through the audience.

I think he

Right, you're going to protect women's rights to pregnancy, are you?

And I think, in a sense maybe, that unvarnished nature is something that's a little bit appealing next to the glossiness of Andy Burnham, who's obviously a much more eloquent practice performer.

And I was interested to see them sat next to each other at the Hustings and the different reception that they got.

And Jen, you're interested in housing as a theme that really plays into that argument about who's the real local candidate.

I was struck that one of the reform ads locally has shown Andy Burnham sort of jetting off to Oman to meet luxury property developers at an annual conference enjoying this jolly as well.

I was very interested.

We know that by-elections normally see lower turnout than usual.

So people who normally vote in general elections don't manage to get to the polls, don't know what's happening or aren't as interested in by-elections.

We spoke to on Wednesday actually a handful of voters who didn't vote in 2024.

but are now going to vote next Thursday for reform.

And I think that's interesting.

It shows to me that there is a level of engagement and enthusiasm that reform have managed to engender, at least in some of their supporters, to get them to come out of the House, which I thought was interesting.

Well, I must say...

All the polling suggests that Andy Burnham is going to sweep it next week.

The bookies think Andy Burnham is on track to win.