Burnham wins by-election, sets stage for challenge to Starmer
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has won a decisive by-election victory in Makerfield, positioning himself to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for Labour leadership.
Landslide in Makerfield
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, secured a commanding win in the Makerfield by-election on Friday, gaining the House of Commons seat needed to mount a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Burnham received 24,927 votes, defeating his closest rival Robert Kenyon of the anti-immigration Reform UK by more than 9,000 votes. Other candidates included Rebecca Shepherd (Restore Britain), Michael Winstanley (Conservative), Sarah Wakefield (Green), and Jake Austin (Liberal Democrats), who trailed far behind.
Turnout and Context
Voter turnout stood at 58.75%, up from 52.4% in the 2024 general election. Approximately 75,000 people were eligible to vote in the constituency, located about 320 km (200 miles) northwest of London.
Political Ramifications
Burnham's victory is likely to force Starmer's resignation or trigger a leadership contest involving Burnham, Starmer, and former health secretary Wes Streeting. Under UK rules, MPs can elect a new prime minister without a general election.
An Ipsos poll released this week showed Burnham as the preferred prime minister for 25% of British adults, compared to 12% for Starmer. Burnham is widely seen as the strong favourite should he challenge.
Burnham's Vision
Burnham, nicknamed "King of the North" for his grassroots appeal, used his victory speech to declare that "politics is not working" and that the country is not where it should be. He promised to make Makerfield a "touchstone" for his politics, ensuring fairness for neglected regions.
First elected mayor in 2017 and re-elected twice, Burnham has criticised Westminster as too London-centric and attacked neoliberal economics. He served as a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Starmer Under Siege
Starmer has faced growing calls to step down after Labour's heavy losses in local elections in May. Twenty ministers have resigned from his government in less than two years, many citing loss of confidence or policy clashes. Starmer has rebuffed resignation demands, vowing to fight any challenge, calling it "a bad thing for the country."
The by-election was triggered by Labour MP Josh Simons, who resigned his seat to allow Burnham to run.
