Andy Burnham swept to victory in the Makerfield by-election with 55% of the vote, more than 20 points ahead of his closest rival, Reform's Robert Kenyon – a result that has sent shockwaves through Westminster and left Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership hanging by a thread.
At Stubshaw Cross Community Club, supporters felt palpable hope. The New Statesman called Burnham’s campaign “a masterclass in captured hearts and captured vibes,” a reminder that “hope, marshalled well, is still a force in politics.” But the same magazine warned the mood would be “dead on arrival in Westminster without a plan to turn it into results,” pointing to an economy with debt too high, growth too low and stagnant living standards.
“Andy Burnham won Makerfield with 55% as Starmer reportedly considers resigning at Chequers.”
As Burnham’s team celebrated, the Prime Minister was reportedly “reflecting” on his position at Chequers with his wife Vic. The Sun reported that Starmer is said to be on the brink of resigning – possibly as early as tomorrow – amid rumours he is weighing whether he can muster enough support to take on the newly empowered Burnham. Publicly, Starmer has insisted he will “stay on and fight” any leadership contest, but dozens of Labour MPs have already called on him to quit.
Channel 4 News convened a debate on what happens next, featuring Keir Starmer’s former strategic communications chief James Lyons and Ipsos chief executive Kelly Beaver, underscoring the “extraordinarily turbulent politics” now gripping the party.
The New Statesman argued Makerfield “could have ended Labour” but instead handed the party “one last chance.” Yet it cautioned that “the blanket of pessimism is not immovable” – lifting it will require leadership that treats it as “its job to force Labour to face resolutely outward.” With the leader at Chequers weighing his future, and Burnham’s victory still reverberating, the question of whether Starmer will resign remains unanswered.