Can Andy Burnham calm the anger in a Manchester seat Labour fears losing?

A neighbouring Labour MP said its candidate, whether Burnham or someone else, would struggle to combat the widespread disillusionment among voters. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

When leaked WhatsApp messages sent by former minister Andrew Gwynne were published last year, Stuart Beard was astonished at the scenes outside his office in Denton town square.

“There must have been about 60 pensioners with placards,” he said, referring to local anger over Gwynne’s derogatory texts, which included one saying he hoped an elderly woman who didn’t vote Labour “croaked it” before the next election.