The Rundown by PoliticsHome
Does rugby league hold key to Andy Burnham's success?
Published: 5 June 2026 at 05:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
Two weeks out from potentially the most consequential by-election in modern British political history, The Rundown takes a look at one of the key issues for the people of Makerfield; that of rugby league.
Looking at it’s importance to local communities across the north of England, how the sport intersects with the politics of place and local pride, but also the precarious nature of the 13-man code’s finances and what that means for those who rely on it.
Joining host Alain Tolhurst to discuss how Andy Burnham might harness the power of the game to propel himself back to Westminster and into Downing Street, are two rugby league mad Labour MPs from either side of the Pennines; Warrington North’s Charlotte Nichols, and Jade Botterill, member for Ossett and Denby Dale in West Yorkshire.
Alongside them we have historian Anthony Broxton, author of the book Hope & Glory, which charts the untold story of rugby league in Thatcher's Britain, as well as PolHome's resident league fanatic, editor Adam Payne.
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Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced and edited by Ewan Cameron and Lulu Goad for Podot
