Andy Burnham stormed back into Westminster with a landslide by-election victory in Makerfield that immediately triggered a full-blown leadership crisis for Keir Starmer, as the new MP declared it was “our last chance to change” the country.
Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, won 24,927 votes – a majority of 9,231 over Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who trailed with 15,696. He took almost 55% of the vote, outperforming Labour's 2024 general election margin in the seat. The victory, on a turnout of 58.75%, was described by Burnham as a “turning point” and a moment for “a new path for Britain.”
“Andy Burnham wins Makerfield by-election landslide, setting up a Labour leadership challenge against Keir Starmer.”
“People here have voted for change,” Burnham said on Thursday night. “They have voted for more power for the north and everywhere forgotten by Westminster. Now let's give that back to them.” After his speech, he told reporters he was going for a pint.
The result has placed Starmer in an increasingly precarious position. More than 90 Labour MPs have publicly called on the prime minister to resign or set a departure date, though more than 150 have either backed him or said now is not the time for a contest. David Blunkett, the former cabinet minister, suggested on BBC’s Newsnight that Starmer should stand aside regardless of Burnham’s win.
To force a leadership election, 20% of the party’s 403 MPs – 81 – would need to back a challenger. Burnham is believed to have already secured the necessary nominations, according to the New Statesman. Once triggered, other candidates could join if they also have 81 supporters. Starmer would be automatically on the ballot if he chooses to contest, and he insisted he will “not walk away” and “will stand” in any leadership battle. No Labour prime minister has ever faced a formal leadership challenge.
Burnham’s allies want him installed as prime minister as quickly and painlessly as possible, while those close to Starmer hope he can fight on. If Burnham succeeds, he would replace Starmer in Downing Street without a general election.
The challenge has been building for months, fuelled by Labour’s disastrous local elections in May – losing almost 1,500 councillors in England and control in Wales, and recording its worst ever Scottish Parliament result. Discontent had already mounted over Starmer’s policy U-turns and the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US, after new information emerged about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Burnham’s policy platform points to a sharp break from Starmer's agenda. His allies talk about a 10-year project to bring large parts of Britain’s water and energy sectors into public control, starting with Thames Water – after Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds this week opposed a proposed £10bn rescue deal. Other utilities, like South East Water, could follow. Some supporters want him to focus first on cost-of-living measures: a temporary rent freeze and moving levies off energy bills into general taxation, which could mean raising taxes. Burnham has already pledged not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT, and proposed cutting employers' national insurance and reducing business rates for pubs. One option to raise revenue could be increasing capital gains tax, as recently advocated by potential leadership rival Wes Streeting.
“This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and everybody,” Burnham said. Whether that vision is enough to topple a sitting prime minister will be decided in the coming days.