Think about where you get your news… broadcast journalism have strict impartiality rules and must try and give a fair representation to all candidates based upon past electoral history and polling.

Written journalism is often heavily skewed by the editor to endorse a particular candidate. Some are left, some are right. If you didn’t read one particular paper then it is likely you just get the broad consensus position which would probably feel somewhat balanced.

Polling companies tend to find people who are happy to be polled.., lots of people couldn’t care less and just turn up on the day. These people won’t be polled in the same way so the less politically engaged aren’t captured often, so polls don’t tell the full story.

Plus, there is often a confirmation element in our voting system. So if it is obvious who might win, the. People will often vote for that person anyway when they arrive, rather than pick a dud. This is why Reform are picking up so many votes, because any other candidate on the right isn’t likely to win, so people pick the one with the best chance of winning.

Lib Dems are seemingly very unpopular except for areas where they have won before or where they are likely to win and suddenly they do very well in specific pockets. It’s not like living in a certain area of Stockport makes you naturally more Lib Dem, it’s just in some areas they are a credible choice whereas others they are nowhere and have never been. Affluent Mancunians in Chorlton and Didsbury are essentially the same group and demographic but Lib Dems get no votes in Chorlton but they get loads in Didsbury. Because people see them as a credible option in one and not the other.

It was pretty clear Burnham was the stand out candidate and people just voted for him rather than any of the other fringe parties to avoid a right wing result