It is thought that Mr Lowe's party could split the right wing vote in Makerfield and hand victory to Andy Burnham.

At major sports matches, there is the main event, then sometimes the reserve or junior sides are invited to compete. There’s a bit of a kickabout, for which the bulk of the crowd don’t hang around.

Military action alone cannot win the hearts and minds of the people, and the government must realise that the causes of the Maoist insurgency must be addressed at its very roots. The insurgency spread ...