They had to battle the conditions as they grabbed parcels from their backseat and stuffed bags of shopping in their boot. As the wind blew and the rain came pouring down, the weather seemed to match the mood amongst shoppers after the starting gun was fired on the snap General Election campaign.
Rishi Sunak yesterday announced the country would go to the polls on July 4 saying that ‘now is the moment for Britain to choose its future.’ Yet for those going about their business at Elk Mill shopping park in Oldham, there was little excitement about what is to come.
Many among the host of voters the Manchester Evening News spoke to following yesterday’s announcement, expressed anger at the Tories running of the country over the past 14 years.
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However, they seemed almost equally unenthused about the prospect of a government led by Sir Keir Starmer. Several saying they are ‘dreading’ the thought of six weeks of punch-and-Judy politics and rolling 24-hour news coverage.
Dave Tuft, 60, said: “I think he’s hoping with the current state of the interest rates, he can use that as an excuse. I’ve got a feeling he’s trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes. The cynic in me thinks it is a snidey and typically political move. But I’m not holding a great deal of confidence in the Labour Party to be truthful. I cannot see them making any major improvement.
“I haven’t got a lot of faith in any politicians in this country to be honest. We don’t have any strong leaders or anyone who is capable of seeing beyond their noses. They are mostly career politicians who are only interested in what they can get out of it.
“They’re not in touch with people’s lives. Some do have their finger on the pulse. But look at Rishi Sunak, he’s a multi- millionaire or a billionaire or whatever, and I don’t think he’s in touch at all with real people’s lives.
“It’s the arrogance of them as well, always thinking they are right rather than listening to the real experts. I am not looking forward to the next six weeks.
“I really don’t know who I’m to vote for. I’m still undecided at this stage. I will have to do a lot of reading and listening to what the talking heads are saying.”
Retired nurse Lorraine Gilder, 68, from Chadderton said: “I wasn’t surprised. In fact I thought he might have brought it a bit earlier because of the state the country is in.
“I’m thinking he’s decided to have it then because it is right in the middle of the Euros and lots of people will be abroad. So I think it might be a bit of a cynical move. But at least we’ll get a say.
“I’m one of the WASPI women so I will vote for whoever I think will look after us, because we have had a great injustice. I had to work another six years. And my husband got cancer and I couldn’t retire to look after him and we had to get family in.
“I’ve always voted Labour. But I think this time it’s going to be a difficult decision, and I might go for one of the other parties, not the main ones. I will see how it all plays out. I’m not convinced by Keir Starmer. I think they are Conservative by any other name. We need some fresh ideas.”
Jessica Stephen, 29, from Middleton, said: “I wasn’t shocked by it as so many people have been calling for it. But I don’t think anyone is going to do any better. I don’t think I can have any trust in either of the two main parties so I wouldn’t want to place my vote.
“I’m dreading it. I don’t think it’s what we need right now. Rather than point-scoring against each other they should be coming together and trying to fix things but instead, they’re just going to spend the next few weeks battling it out.”
Carol Manning, 72, from Royton, said: “I think he’s done it because he thinks he’s got a better chance. He’s had a few good things like inflation going down and payouts for those affected by the blood scandal and post office scandal.
“I’m going to be on holiday so I’m not sure I’m going to be able to vote. I would probably vote for Labour though because I always have.
“I have voted Lib Dem sometimes but they never seem to get the votes and I don’t want to waste my vote. Every 15 years or so we seem to be in the same position. It’s probably worse now because of the pandemic Why they don’t just give people a fair wage then theft and crime would go down?
“Keir Starmer seems okay to me. I suppose he needs to have a chance I think it will be an interesting campaign. I just hope if they say and promise things that they stick to them.”
Over at Chadderton Mall, the main shopping thoroughfare in the town, there was an equal amount of despondency and Kiran Mehta, 69, who moved to the UK from East Africa in 1968 and lives locally, said he believed immigration would be the biggest issue in the campaign.
“It was due this year so we knew it would be some time” he said. “But the rabble that are going tp come in are worse than the one that is in at the moment. I can’t tell the difference or see how they’re going to be governn the country any better.
“I was a shop steward and lifelong Labour voter untill 2016 and how they handled the Brexit vote and tried to thwart the wishes of the majority.
“I don’t think I will vote for anyone. Unless someone comes forward with a strong policy on immigration as I think that is the biggest issue. I think the Conservatives need to have the balls and say they will come out of all international agreements.
“I’m an immigrant myself but can see why people resent foreigners coming over when there are people sleeping on the streets and we’re not capable of looking after our own citizens. If a party had a policy I agreed with on that, then I may consider, but otherwise, I won’t be voting.”
However, Will Harris, 31, said he had ‘no time’ for the government’s Rwanda policy aimed at stopping the boats: “I wasn’t surprised, especially when I saw the article about inflation in the morning. But before that I didn’t think he’d call one now, no” he said.
“I thought it was very amusing him stood in the rain with ‘Things can only get better’ ringing out. It’s a long time coming, and it’s time to get the Tories out. But I don’t have a lot of faith in what the Labour Party are offering.
“I think Keir Starmer changes his values a lot and I don’t understand what his main principles are other than bending to promote himself.
“I just don’t have a whole lot of faith in him. If it comes down to it and it will definitely be between them and the Tories then I will likely vote Labour but I would more than open to another party making a good run. I think it’s all going to be about the cost of living crisis, and likely also this Rwanda stuff which I don’t have any time for.”
Shah Jahar, 55, from Chadderton, said: “The two leaders are not fit for this country. It’s chaos. They are funding and supporting war, in Ukraine and Gaza, when innocent people are dying and when people are struggling at home.
“There’s no humanity. Great Britain needs a nice, decent, leader and these two are definitely not that. I have not decided who to vote. I am hoping someone will come forward and take my eye.”
Mohammed Uddin, 23, said: “I haven’t got a big interest in politics to be honest. I have heard it’s going to be on July 4. But I don’t know who I’m going to vote for. I’ll to listen to what they have got to say and what they are trying to do before I make my mind up.”