Andy Burnham has stormed back into Westminster with a landslide by-election victory in Makerfield, securing 55% of the vote and a majority of 9,231 over Reform UK – a margin bigger than Labour’s 2024 general election landslide. In his victory speech, the new MP declared the result “a final chance to change” for a Labour government crippled by poor polling, adding: “Everyone knows that politics isn’t working. Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be a turning point.”
Burnham’s win was built on a broad coalition. The Liberal Democrat and Green vote collapsed from 11% in 2024 to just 1%, as voters leant their support to stop Reform. Three friends at Orrell waterpark – Mal, 64, Peta, 48, and Barb, 64 – told the Guardian they were Green supporters but backed Burnham because they believed he had the best chance of defeating “divisive” rightwing politics. Meanwhile, some former Reform voters also switched: Joseph, 50, a heavy goods driver, said: “I’m not a Labour fan but I like Burnham.”
“Andy Burnham wins Makerfield by-election with 55% of vote, majority of 9,231, and challenges Starmer's leadership.”
Reform’s Robert Kenyon won 35% of the vote, while hard-right party Restore Britain took 7% with 3,111 votes – lower than the BNP’s peak in 2010. Turnout rose to 59%, up six points on the general election. Reform deputy leader Richard Tice told BBC Breakfast that people had “voted Burnham to guarantee that the prime minister is ousted”. Sir Keir Starmer insisted “the tide is turning on Reform” and said he would stand in any leadership contest, adding: “I’m not going to walk away.”
But the pressure on Starmer intensified overnight. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander urged the Prime Minister to set a timetable for his departure during a private conversation, and other Cabinet members reportedly told him to announce a timeline by the end of the weekend. Labour grandee Harriet Harman warned the party not to be “in a state of paralysis all through the summer”.
The by-election drama was matched by two other results: the Scottish Conservatives won the Aberdeen South Westminster seat for the first time in more than 50 years, taking it from the SNP, while the SNP held Arbroath and Broughty Ferry.
Burnham, who left Parliament nine years ago to become Greater Manchester mayor, told supporters: “It [Makerfield] will never be a stepping stone to me but instead will be my touchstone.” His next move is expected to be resigning as mayor, triggering a swift mayoral by-election. Speaking at a victory rally on Friday morning, former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said the mayor “could hardly have found a more difficult seat to challenge”. For now, the King in the North has reanimated the corpse of Labour – and the question is how long the current occupant of No 10 can hold on.