Andy Burnham has secured his return to the House of Commons as his allies called on British prime minister Keir Starmer to hand over power. The Greater Manchester mayor won the Makerfield by-election by 9,231 votes, seeing off the challenge from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Mr Burnham’s victory sets up a potential leadership contest unless the prime minister agrees to step down. In his victory speech he said Labour had a “final chance to change” and “we must act upon it”. Mr Starmer has insisted
he will fight any attempt to challenge him and has been building up a war chest for a leadership campaign. Speaking on Friday morning, Mr Starmer said he “will stand” in a Labour leadership contest should one be triggered after Andy Burnham returns to Westminster, adding he will not “walk away”. But Mr Burnham’s supporters urged the prime minister to set out an “orderly and managed transition” of power. Former cabinet minister Louise Haigh said she hoped Mr Starmer will “do what’s best for both
the country and the Labour Party”. Mr Burnham increased Labour’s majority in a seat which voted for Reform in council elections last month. Following his decisive victory he said: “Everyone knows that politics isn’t working. “Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.” He added: “I do say to my own party: this is a final chance to change. “This is what people said directly to me on the hundreds of doorsteps that I
stood on. We must hear it, we must act upon it and we must get it right. There will be no second chance.” Allies of Mr Burnham called on the British prime minister to hand over power after he defied national trends to increase Labour’s share of the vote in a seat where Nigel Farage’s Reform UK made sweeping gains in last month’s local elections. The prime minister, who has insisted he will not quit and will fight any leadership challenge, praised his rival’s victory,
writing on social media: “Congratulations, @AndyBurnhamGM, Labour’s new MP for Makerfield. Voters chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.” Mr Burnham defeated Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon by 9,231 votes, up from 5,399 in 2024, and Labour’s vote share increased by 9.61pc. In his victory speech he urged his party to act now, saying there would be no second chance. He said: “Everyone knows that politics isn’t working. “Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just
could, be the turning point.” In a direct message to Labour MPs he said: “I do say to my own party: this is a final chance to change. “This is what people said directly to me on the hundreds of doorsteps that I stood on. We must hear it, we must act upon it and we must get it right. There will be no second chance.” Mr Burnham gave up the Greater Manchester mayoralty by becoming Makerfield MP, winning the seat that was vacated by
Josh Simons in order to allow him the chance of returning to Westminster and seek to become prime minister. In an attempt at addressing the assertion that he was only seeking to become Makerfield’s MP to further his own ambitions, he said: “It will never be a stepping stone to me, but instead will be my touchstone. “A Makerfield test at the heart of British politics will make sure that the places Westminster has neglected will now get fairness.” Cabinet minister Lisa Nandy said she
wanted Mr Burnham “back at the top table”. The Culture Secretary said: “What Andy’s shown here is that there is something that he brings, a willingness to go out and fight for the change that people need, to take on any system and any person who stands in the way and to be bold and to wear his heart on his sleeve, and people have responded. “I think that with him back in the top team, at the top table, helping to drive that change,
I think we’ll be in a really strong position.” Mr Burnham has indicated he will not accept a job in Mr Starmer’s government. He is not expected to launch a leadership challenge immediately, instead hoping Mr Starmer will conclude that he has to give up the keys to No 10. Mr Burnham’s supporters believe the scale of his victory will put increased pressure on Mr Starmer to stand down. Former health secretary Wes Streeting has suggested he would be willing to fire the starting gun
for a contest if Mr Starmer does not stand down. In the other Westminster by-election results the Tories secured victory in Aberdeen South, with Douglas Lumsden taking the seat vacated by the SNP’s former Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who won election to the Scottish Parliament in May. In Arbroath and Broughty Ferry the SNP’s Lara Bird held the seat vacated when Stephen Gethins became an MSP.
Andy Burnham, Makerfield by-election, Keir Starmer, Labour leadership challenge, Nigel Farage, Reform UK, Robert Kenyon, Josh Simons, Wes Streeting, Louise Haigh, Lisa Nandy, Wes Streeting, Aberdeen South, Douglas Lumsden, Lara Bird, Arbroath and Broughty Ferry