WorldPublished: 19 June 2026 at 12:21

Burnham's Makerfield win fuels speculation on challenge to Starmer

Labour's Andy Burnham won a by-election in northern England, raising questions about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's future leadership.

By-election Victory

Labour Party politician Andy Burnham has won a by-election in the Makerfield constituency in northern England. The result has intensified speculation that he could mount a challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Starmer's Declining Popularity

Starmer's popularity has dropped sharply since he led the centre-left Labour Party to a landslide general election victory in July 2024. The party is losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party, while facing a rising Reform UK, which consistently leads nationwide opinion polls.

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