The town Labour is desperate to win where one issue keeps coming up

It was a Labour town for nearly 100 years before voters rejected the party in 2019, electing a Conservative MP for the first time.

The shock result in Leigh was repeated across the North of England at the last general election. Nearly five years on, Labour is hoping to turn the tide by winning back voters they lost and convincing those who have never voted Labour before to give them a chance.

In a pitch to voters on Thursday (May 16), Sir Keir Starmer set out what Labour would do first if it wins the next election, before sending his top team across the country to relay the message in areas they need to win back if they are to form a government. Hours later, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper appeared in front of a van advertising the party leader's six pledges in Leigh town centre.

READ MORE: It was described as a 'big shock' for Labour. But others saw it coming

The 'first steps' set out by Sir Keir include bringing about 'economic stability', cracking down on anti-social behaviour and recruiting 6,500 new teachers. The party has also promised to set up a publicly-owned clean energy company and boost border security.

But in Leigh, one issue keeps coming up. Labour has promised to cut NHS waiting times - and for many voters, this is a top priority.

Anna, who turns 76 in a few weeks' time, has lived in Leigh all of her life. But she has never voted Labour.

For her, the NHS is a 'big priority'. "I went into hospital in an ambulance recently," she told the Manchester Evening News.

"I was hungry and I was cold. That's in 2022, in this area. But I can't afford to go private. I'm on pension credits."

While she usually votes Conservatives, the pensioner is not content with the current government. But she is not convinced by Labour.

"They'll tell us everything in the next few weeks," she said. "They'll give us a pot of gold. Forget it."

Anna couldn't believe the Conservatives took the 'Labour town' in 2019. But she does not think Tory MP James Grundy will win again.

"He hasn't got a hope," she said. "It's a Labour town. They gave him a chance because people were fed up."

Carole White, 67, who lives nearby in Hindley, is far more enthusiastic about the Labour Party. She has been disillusioned in the past, but now believes that a Labour government will bring 'transformation for the greater good'.

"I think it's Keir Starmer," she said "I believe he's a genuine person. I think that's the difference. I just think he's a man who has moral values."

For Carole, who lives in the neighbouring constituency of Wigan, the NHS is also the number one priority. "I think it needs restructuring," she said. "I've seen a lot of waste on every level. There's not enough staff to look after patients on the ward."

Tony, who also lives in Hindley, agreed. Asked about his top priorities, the Labour voter said: "Healthcare and the NHS."

Some are less complimentary about Labour though. One man, who did not share his name, used an expletive to sum up his view.

"They crashed the economy," he said. "Conservatives got back in and got it back up."

One issue that did not come up when the M.E.N. spoke to voters in Leigh town centre, was the question of 'Lexit'. The constituency's current MP has campaigned for Leigh to break off from Wigan council in a move that was backed by Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.

Asked about the proposal, Jo Platt, the former Labour MP for the town who is hoping to win back the seat at the next election, said 'Lexit' is not a priority for voters. "I know this was a thing that was brought up by our current MP," she said, "but I think people are more bothered about the cost of living, how much their energy bills are, if they can get a GP appointment, on the NHS waiting lists.

"That's the most important thing. But, if the people of Leigh really wanted it, obviously they would make their feelings known. But I'm not getting that on the doors. We've knocked thousands of doors over the past few months and not one has said we need a Lexit."

During her visit to Leigh, Labour's shadow home secretary said the party is working 'really hard' to 'earn back every vote'. But the party also wants to win over people who have never voted Labour before at the next election which is set to take place later this year.

"I think after 14 years of the Conservatives," she said, "we just badly need change and we need that in Leigh. We need it right across the North West.

"When you see families in Leigh who are worse off now than they were 14 years ago, who end up seeing just huge long delays getting NHS appointments, getting GP appointments or dentist appointments, and the change that Labour could bring both on the economy, on stability, having a proper industrial policy, and also things like getting neighbourhood police back in the town centre, tackling anti-social behaviour, or getting those GP appointments, getting those NHS appointments in place. It's those really practical things that I think are the most important issues."