Labour urged to embrace 'social club socialism' beyond election campaigns

This opinion piece analyzes Andy Burnham's successful Makerfield by-election campaign, which was run from Stubshaw Cross Community and Sports Centre, a local social club. The author argues that using the club as a campaign base allowed politicians to interact authentically with voters, building trust and credibility. The article contends that Labour should rediscover the political potential of social clubs, which historically were central to the party's formation. It warns against treating them merely as campaign props and suggests they can help reconnect formal politics with everyday life, sustain public support for structural reforms like public ownership and land value tax, and counter political distrust. The piece calls for sustained community engagement beyond election cycles.