Andy Burnham has hailed his landslide victory over Reform UK in the crucial Makerfield by-election as a “turning point” and insisted Labour has a “final chance to change”.
The now-former Greater Manchester mayor is set to return to Westminster and is likely to officially challenge Sir Keir Starmer, with allies of Mr Burnham calling on the prime minister to hand over the keys to No 10.
Sir Keir has congratulated his political rival, but has repeatedly insisted he has no intention of walking away and will fight any leadership challenge.
It is said that the prime minister has been building up a “war chest” of funds to fight any campaign, as he also faces a looming threat from former health secretary Wes Streeting.
Nigel Farage has also been dealt a blow with Mr Burnham winning the by-election by 9,231 votes, despite Reform UK performing best in last month’s local elections.
In his victory speech, Mr Burnham 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.”
Read MoreAndy Burnham wins Makerfield by-election landslide to pave way for challenge to Keir Starmer
Andy Burnham: The ‘King of the North’ who could be the next prime minister
Who are Andy Burnham’s key allies in Westminster?
Makerfield by-election key points
- Andy Burnham wins landslide victory in Makerfield by-election
- Burnham: Labour has a “final chance to change”
- Nigel Farage says he is 'disappointed' with result as voters turned to Restore
- Starmer congratulates Burnham over Makerfield win
- All eyes on No 10 as Burnham victory heats up Labour leadership crisis
- Burnham win triggers mayoral by-election with vote likely at end of July
Calls growing for a quick Burnham ‘coronation’ and for Starmer to step down
09:24 , Holly EvansOur political editor David Maddox says:
The size of Andy Burnham’s victory margin in Makerfield has put to bed talk of the need for a Labour leadership contest in the minds of many Labour MPs and figures who are now calling for a “coronation.”
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson said: “There definitely needs to be a coronation now.”
Karl Turner said: “Keir Starmer just isn’t up to it. There needs to be a coronation.”
A senior Scottish Labour MP said: “I expect there will be a coronation now.”
A Labour MP on the right of the party who had planned to be part of a different candidate’s leadership team conceded: “I think a coronation is looking very likely now but I am not sure what it will look like.”
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell was in tears on LBC listening to Mr Burnham’s victory speech.He said: “Keir [Starmer] has to recognise that it is time to move on. Let’s plan it properly, let’s not divide the party, let’s try and do it with a bit of dignity and what we describe in the party as comradeship.”
Another MP told The Independent: “It has been over for Keir for some time now we need to make a change with a minimum of fuss. Andy’s win and the margin makes it inevitable that he becomes leader now.”
Another said: “Wes [Streeting] should just cut a deal with Burnham so we don’t have to have a long drawn out contest and get on with governing.”
Tony Blair’s former director of communication Alastair Campbell added: “These are not normal times and this was not a normal by-election. Pressure on Keir Starmer grows because MPs see in Burnham the possibility of stopping Reform and reversing sense of pessimism.
“A 23 per cent swing since May locals, and the biggest by-election turnout differential since 1958! Not to be sniffed at. Boldness has been rewarded.”
Watch: Nigel Farage responds to Makerfield by-election result
09:19 , Millie CookeStarmer pictured leaving Downing Street
09:08 , Millie CookeSir Keir Starmer has been pictured leaving the back of Downing Street, hours after his political rival Andy Burnham announced victory in the Makerfield by-election.
Labour MP calls on Starmer to 'read the room' and resign
09:05 , Millie CookeSir Keir Starmer needs to "read the room" and resign following Andy Burnham's dramatic victory in Makerfield, an ally of the Manchester politician has said.
Labour MP for York Outer Luke Charters urged the PM to step down after Mr Burnham won a majority of 9,231.
Speaking to LBC, he said: “I think it’d be good this weekend for the PM to take heed of what was an absolutely seismic and colossal message here... I think the prime minister should look at that.
“If he thinks he could have delivered that, I’m afraid the electoral arithmetic shows he didn’t deliver that. The PM’s got to really quickly reflect on and read the room here on what’s happening here in Makerfield.”
Labour MP calls on Starmer to 'read the room' and resign
09:05 , Millie CookeSir Keir Starmer needs to "read the room" and resign following Andy Burnham's dramatic victory in Makerfield, an ally of the Manchester politician has said.
Labour MP for York Outer Luke Charters urged the PM to step down after Mr Burnham won a majority of 9,231.
Speaking to LBC, he said: “I think it’d be good this weekend for the PM to take heed of what was an absolutely seismic and colossal message here... I think the prime minister should look at that.
“If he thinks he could have delivered that, I’m afraid the electoral arithmetic shows he didn’t deliver that. The PM’s got to really quickly reflect on and read the room here on what’s happening here in Makerfield.”
Gilt yields climb after Burnham election and rise in state borrowing
08:57 , Holly EvansThe cost of Government borrowing has ticked slightly higher on Friday morning, following Andy Burnham’s win in the Makerfield by-election.
The 10-year yield on UK gilts – Government bonds – rose by 0.05 percentage points to 4.81 per cent shortly after the market opened.
The move is largely similar to changes in the value of European bonds, which have been impacted by a fresh rise in oil prices overnight.
On Friday morning, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reported higher-than-expected Government borrowing figures for May.
The rise in monthly borrowing, which was driven by record May debt interest costs, is also likely to have contributed to the increase in gilt yields.
Gilts yields move counter to the value of the bonds, meaning they have dipped in value during earlier trading.
Meanwhile, the value of the pound was roughly flat for the day at 1.320 versus the dollar.
It had fallen by as much as 0.5 per cent following Mr Burnham’s election but has seen these losses pull back entirely within two hours.
Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 opened marginally lower, dipping by 0.02 per cent to 10,397.68 points.
Former Starmer ally calls for 'transition to something new'
08:48 , Holly EvansAnother Labour MP has called on Sir Keir Starmer to stand aside, after Andy Burnham’s sweeping victory in Makerfield.
Patrick Hurley, the Labour MP for Southport, had been loyal to the prime minister until Friday.
Seaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Hurley said: “Right now, we need a transition to something new.”
He said: “I’ve spent many weeks campaigning in the local elections and in this by-election, and people are telling me over and over again that Keir’s strengths is not what the country needs now.”
He added: “He’ll go down in history as a monumental figure in Labour Party politics. He absolutely changed the party from top to bottom after the defeat in 2019 which was a historic defeat and within five years he’d taken us a historic victory”.
Could Keir Starmer resign and who are the top contenders to replace him as prime minister?
08:37 , Holly EvansAndy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election has paved the way for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer, amid mounting calls for him to resign as prime minister.
His victory has been seen by some as proof that the former Greater Manchester mayor can beat Reform, with Mr Burnham’s allies calling on the prime minister to now hand over power.
Yet Wes Streeting has voiced his own intention to launch a leadership bids, while other MPs are said to be rallying support in previous weeks.
Here, The Independent looks at each of the potential leadership candidates, while readers can also share their thoughts:
When might Starmer resign and who could replace him as prime minister?
Nigel Farage says he is 'disappointed' with result as voters turned to Restore
08:23 , Holly EvansReform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was “disappointed” with the party’s vote share as it came second to Labour in the Makerfield by-election and urged people who voted for Restore Britain to “think again”.
He said the by-election had been an “emphatic” win for Andy Burnham, and said the campaign for many had been a “Get Starmer Out” vote.
In a direct appeal to Restore voters, he said: “I thought we’d get 18,000 votes. We got just shy of 16,000 so I’m disappointed by that, no question about it.
“But I would say this, there’s a couple thousand voters there who normally have gone out and voted Reform that voted Restore, and I will say directly to them ‘What do you want?’.
“We are the challenger party to the Left in this country, and I would urge you to think again. I really, really would.”
Who is Andy Burnham, the so-called 'King of the North?'
08:22 , Holly EvansAndy Burnham is the state-educated son of a BT engineer and receptionist. He joined the Labour Party aged 15 and subsequently attended Cambridge University, rising up the political ranks to become one of the most senior and successful elected Labour politicians outside Parliament.
A former special adviser to Mr Blair’s culture secretary Chris Smith, Mr Burnham was one of New Labour’s rising stars.
Shortly after his election in 2001, he was made a parliamentary aide to the then-home secretary David Blunkett, a sign he was being groomed for bigger things.
Ministerial jobs followed, first as a junior minister in the Home Office, and then in the Department of Health, before Mr Brown’s move into Number 10 brought him into the cabinet as chief secretary to the Treasury.
But it was as culture secretary that he took on an issue that has become a cornerstone of his career – the fight for justice for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
Labour was defeated in the 2010 general election and, after Mr Brown’s resignation, Mr Burnham made his first bid for the leadership – losing to Mr Miliband.
In 2015 he was again beaten in a leadership contest – this time by Mr Corbyn, who later promoted him to shadow home secretary.
Mr Burnham stood down as an MP in 2017 after finding himself at odds with the Westminster establishment, and was elected as the first metro mayor of Greater Manchester.
His prominent dispute with then-prime minister Boris Johnson over Covid-19 pandemic funding famously earned him the moniker “King of the North”.
He is married with three children and is known to be a lifelong supporter of Everton FC and is an avid runner.
Why Starmer’s allies still think he could win a Labour leadership election against Burnham
08:16 , Holly EvansAnalysis by Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
As Keir Starmer wakes up to Andy Burnham’s resounding victory, the question for his supporters now is will he take part in a Labour leadership contest against the new MP for Makerfield.
For weeks they have been wargaming what that might look like - and believe they have found a pathway that would allow him to win.
For starters, unlike Burnham, he would not need the support of 80-odd Labour MPs to get on the ballot paper.
Instead, as the serving party leader, he would have an automatic place. That means Sir Keir could effectively bypass his disaffected MPs and direct his message straight to the Labour membership – who, alongside affiliated supporters, would have the final say.
“Labour members are not Corbynistas any more, many of them joined because of Keir. They like him”, one ally recently told The Independent.
And then there is the third reason - that Burnham has lost two Labour leadership contests, already.
“If he loses a third time do we get to keep him?” one Labour minister joked.
But those losses were in very different circumstances and before Mr Burnham became a hugely popular Labour mayor. The scale of his win in Makerfield means that narrow path to victory for Sir Keir looks even more difficult this morning.
“I’m just glad to see him back in. I'm made up” - Ashton-in-Makerfield wakes up to a new MP
08:14 , Dan HaygarthThe Makerfield constituency is waking up to the news that Andy Burnham is its new MP.
On the walk into Ashton-in-Makerfield, the market town at the heart of this parliamentary seat, plenty of Mr Burnham’s posters and signs were on display, with a smattering of support for Reform and Restore - reflected in the storming win in this by-election for the soon to be former Greater Manchester mayor.
One man delighted by the result is Stephen Tilley, 60.
As he waits for a bus in the town centre, when asked who got his vote, Mr Tilley is clear - “I voted for Andy”.
The lifelong Labour voter tells The Independent that he was worried that this seat could have been lost to Reform if Mr Burnham had not been on the ballot, but he believes his new MP has an ability to connect with voters here.
He added: “I've had my picture taken with him, and he came over [as] a lovely person. Well, he's local, isn't he? He's local and I think that's partly why people voted for him, because he lives in Leigh, he was MP there for years.
“And he’s done well as [Greater Manchester] mayor, he's got the buses, the Bee Network buses.”
Though Mr Tilley says he is a fan of Keir Starmer and would never vote for any other party than Labour, he is excited by the prospect of his new MP taking the keys to Downing Street, if (or when) he does mount a challenge to Sir Keir.
“He’d solve problems in places like this”, Mr Tilley says. “He’d make it a better place with investment. I’m just glad to see him back in. I'm made up.”
Greens vow to 'campaign hard' in upcoming Manchester mayor by-election
08:04 , Holly EvansThe Green Party said it would be “campaigning hard” to win the Greater Manchester mayoralty to succeed Andy Burnham in the wake of his victory in the Makerfield by-election.
A Green Party spokesperson said: “We welcome the defeat of Reform’s divisive and misogynist campaign, and congratulations to Andy Burnham.
“Our candidate Sarah Wakefield ran a brilliant campaign highlighting the positive change the Green Party brings to our communities and that we are an island of belonging, not strangers.
“Keir Starmer now needs to go as Prime Minister. But if Andy Burnham replaces him, we don’t really know what we are going to get.
“His U-turns on a range of issues from his pledge to stick to the failed fiscal rules, to his denial of genocide in Gaza, raises the real prospect he will turn out to be just more Keir Starmer with a northern accent. This should ring alarm bells for anyone crying out for real hope and change.
“The Greens will be campaigning hard to win the by-election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty and, as we showed in the Gorton and Denton by-election and local elections in the area, it is going to be a clear Greens vs Reform race in this election.”
Badenoch says Aberdeen victory shows people care about North Sea oil
08:00 , Holly EvansKemi Badenoch said the Conservative victory in Aberdeen South demonstrated people in the constituency cared about jobs in the North Sea and energy security.
The Tory leader sought to contrast the win with Andy Burnham’s overnight by-election victory in a post on social media, writing: “Makerfield was about one man’s job. Aberdeen South was about thousands of jobs in oil and gas across our country, and the future of an entire city.
“Yesterday, the people of Aberdeen sent a message on behalf of the whole country. Energy security is national security. They know it is common sense to use our own oil and gas rather than importing it from overseas.
“They know it is madness to make ourselves poorer, weaker and more dependent at a time when even the Government’s own intelligence says we are under threat.
“The first duty of any Government is to keep its people safe. The Conservative Party will always put Britain’s security first.”
This is a significant result, and I want to start by congratulating @DLumsden_MSP on becoming the new Member of Parliament for Aberdeen South and the newest Conservative MP!
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) June 19, 2026
Makerfield was about one man’s job.
Aberdeen South was about thousands of jobs in oil and gas across our… pic.twitter.com/1ODGVLtmp8
'Andy smashed it, I'm so delighted', says Cabinet minister
07:58 , Holly EvansA Cabinet minister has insisted he is delighted that Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election, saying the Greater Manchester mayor "smashed it".
Housing secretary Steve Reed - a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer - told Sky News: "I woke up and I looked at my phone to see what the result was and Andy smashed it. Congratulations to Andy."
He added: "I was up there on Wednesday. There was a real energy in the campaign, there were loads of Labour Party members and activists out there knocking on doors. But you're never quite sure whether thats going to translate into a win until you actually see how people have voted.
"So I'm so delighted that Andy's won in this way. I've known Andy for years by the way, right back from when he used to work for the local MP where I was a councillor. Tessa Jowell, if people remember her. He's a great guy and I'm looking forward to welcoming him back to Parliament on Monday."
Wes Streeting congratulates Burnham's 'astonishing victory'
07:55 , Holly EvansFormer health secretary Wes Streeting has congratulated Andy Burnham on his “astonishing victory” in the Makerfield by-election.
He added that his campaign was “proof” that the Labour party needed change.
Both Mr Streeting and Mr Burnham are likely to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership.
Huge congratulations to @AndyBurnhamGM on an astonishing victory in Makerfield, where Labour lost badly only weeks ago.
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) June 19, 2026
It gives us all hope that Labour can still win, but Andy’s campaign is proof that to do so we need to change.
Enormous thanks to everyone involved.
Angela Rayner congratulates Burnham result
07:38 , Holly EvansFormer deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has congratulated Andy Burnham on winning the Makerfield by-election.
"The people of Makerfield voted for hope," the Ashton-under-Lyne MP writes on X.
A former close ally of Sir Keir Starmer, there has been widespread speculation that Ms Rayner could also launch a leadership bid or throw her support behind another candidate.
Congratulations @AndyBurnhamGM 🌹
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) June 19, 2026
The people of Makerfield voted for hope. pic.twitter.com/iHzPGw4RwO
Watch: Andy Burnham calls for political change after by-election victory
07:35 , Holly EvansPM ally calls for focus on mayoral by-election over leadership challenge
07:27 , Holly EvansCommunities secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer, welcomed Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election but said Labour should now be focused on replacing him as mayor of Greater Manchester, rather than a leadership fight.
Mr Reed said he was “delighted” by the Labour candidate’s victory in Makerfield.
Asked by Times Radio what would happen next, the Communities Secretary replied: “First of all, I think Andy’s going to need a bit of family time because by-elections are incredibly stressful and intense, but what will happen next is Andy is no longer the mayor of Greater Manchester, so there will be a by-election for that position.
“We saw from the result in Makerfield this is going to be a straight Labour-Reform fight. We cannot risk the biggest regional politician in England going over to Reform because of all the division that they would want to sow across the north-west of England, all the damage that they will want to do.
“So all of us in the party celebrate Andy’s victory now, but we need to come together and make sure we win that by-election for the next mayor of Greater Manchester.”
Asked if he believed Mr Burnham would be better at delivering Labour’s agenda in Government than Sir Keir, Mr Reed said: “There is no one person that can make the challenges of Government easier. We’ve got to get the balance right between growing the economy and investing in our public services that were broken.”
Former Labour chair says party cannot have 'protracted period of instability'
07:25 , Holly EvansThe former Labour chairwoman, Harriet Harman, said the party should not enter a “protracted period of instability” with a leadership challenge.
She called on there to be a process in which the three contenders for the top role in No10 secure the support of Labour MPs.
She said: “I think the three contenders, Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting, should get into the room by the deputy leader Lucy Powell to agree a process in which the Labour MPs choose who they want.
“You can’t govern without the support of Labour MPs.”
She added: “I was going to say there must be a woman in the contest, we cannot have a male beauty parade again. There are a number of women in the cabinet who could put themselves forward.”
Trade union leader says Burnham win is a 'glimmer of hope' for workers
07:07 , Holly EvansUnite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is absolutely no doubt that over the last two years workers and the working-class have fallen out of love with Labour.
“The win for Andy Burnham in Makerfield is a glimmer of hope but it must not be taken as a business-as-usual mandate.
“It is clear that there now needs to be an orderly timetable for a leadership election and Keir Starmer must do the right thing and step down.
“The inevitable leadership election must be fought on real change and policies. Not personalities or better speeches.
“This result does paper over the cracks that workers feel abandoned by Labour and they will continue to abandon Labour in droves if there is not a significant change in economic and political direction.
“Rearranging the deckchairs and incremental reforms just won’t cut it.”
What would Burnham's policies be if he became prime minister?
07:04 , Holly EvansAndy Burnham has won the decisive by-election in Makerfield, becoming the constituency’s latest MP and prompting questions of what the UK might look like with the popular former mayor as the next leader of the Labour Party.
The veteran politician has previously confirmed his intention to compete in any Labour leadership election, challenging Sir Keir Starmer, following his return to Westminster.
An MP from 2001 to 2017, and holding three ministerial positions in that time, the move to London won’t be unfamiliar for the Liverpool-born politician – but the circumstances felt very novel.
Read the full analysis from our reporter Albert Toth here:
What would Andy Burnham’s policies be if he became UK prime minister?
Recap: What has happened so far?
07:00 , Holly EvansIt has been a busy night in Makerfield and will be a busier morning in Westminster, as Sir Keir Starmer is likely to face a looming leadership challenge. Here’s a look at what’s happened overnight:
- Andy Burnham said Labour had a “final chance to change” after his decisive win in the Makerfield by-election
- The former Greater Manchester mayor defeated Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon by 9,231 votes, up from 5,399 in 2024, and Labour’s vote share increased by 9.61%.
- The prime minister, who has insisted he will not quit and will fight any leadership challenge, praised his rival’s victory on social media.
- Mr Burnham has indicated he will not accept a job in Sir Keir’s Government. He is not expected to launch a leadership challenge immediately and hopes Sir Keir will conclude he has to stand down.
- Scottish Conservatives have won a Westminster by-election for the first time in more than 50 years, taking Aberdeen South from the SNP in a resounding victory for Kemi Badenoch.
Leading pollster says Makerfield result makes Burnham ‘inevitable’ as Labour leader
06:42 , David MaddoxThe leading polling expert Lord Robert Haywood has told The Independent that it is now “inevitable” that Andy Burnham replaces Keir Starmer as PM following his thumping victory in Makerfield.
He said: “The sheer scale of Burnham’s victory makes Keir Starmer’s departure soon utterly inevitable.
“Many Labour MPs in the North and Midlands will adopt an SOS policy. Burnham can Save our Seats which they believed were lost.”
He noted: “To my surprise Reform also lost two council seats in by-elections in Essex/ Rochford. Reform will need to ask why they lose Parliamentary by-elections. Probably partly tactical voting but have Reform peaked?”
Suspended Labour MP calls for a coronation for Burnham
06:33 , David MaddoxIndependent Hull MP Karl Turner, who has been suspended from Labour over his outspoken criticism of Keir Starmer’s plans to water down the right to a jury trial, has called for a coronation for Andy Burnham as Labour leader.
He told Talk TV: “What we need now is a coronation.”
Mr Turner has been promised a return t the Labour ranks by Mr Burnham.
He said: “Keir Starmer is just not up to it it.”
Take a look at our front page
06:26 , Holly Evans
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Key numbers from the by-election result
06:20 , Holly EvansThe now-former Greater Manchester mayor won 54.8 per cent of the votes cast, outperforming all the opinion polls published during the campaign, none of which placed him above 50 per cent.
Reform candidate Rob Kenyon won 34.5 per cent of the vote, while Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd won 6.8 per cent, which together come to 41.3 per cent.
Mr Burnham’s vote share was also higher than the figure achieved by his predecessor Josh Simons at the 2024 general election, which was 45.2 per cent, and ranks as Labour’s best performance in the seat since 2017.
Mr Kenyon’s 34.5 per cent of the vote represents Reform’s second best performance at a Westminster by-election to date, behind only the contest in Runcorn and Helsby in 2025, where his party got 38.7 per cent – which was enough to win the seat from Labour.
Both Labour and Reform finished well ahead of all other parties in Makerfield.
Ms Shepherd was the only other candidate to get more than 5 per cent of the votes cast – the threshold needed to avoid losing the £500 deposit that all candidates have to pay to stand for election to parliament in the UK.
The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens, along with eight other candidates, all got less than 5 per cent of the vote and lost their deposit.
Conservative candidate Michael Winstanley finished in fourth place with just 2.2 per cent of the vote.
PM has 'amassed a war chest' to fight leadership challenge, reports say
06:15 , Holly EvansWith Andy Burnham’s win, Sir Keir Starmer is facing the greatest threat of his premiership as it becomes increasingly likely that he will face a leadership challenge.
The prime minister has repeatedly insisted he has no intention of walking away from No 10 and is understood to have amassed a war chest to fund his campaign to fight any leadership challenge, as first reported by The Times.
He has the backing of a group of private donors, with fundraising having ramped up in the last two days and total pledges running into six figures, sources said.
Mr Burnham has indicated he would join a leadership contest if one was triggered, something that would require 81 MPs to line up behind a candidate.
Former health secretary Wes Streeting has suggested he would be willing to fire the starting gun for a contest if Sir Keir does not stand down.
Analysis: Kemi Badenoch has scored her first shock victory and it is bad news for Farage
06:12 , Holly EvansOur political editor David Maddox writes:
While most eyes were on Makerfield there were two by-elections going on in Scotland to replace SNP MPs who had quit to take seats in the Scottish Parliament.
One of them, Aberdeen South, has produced a stunning victory out of nowhere for the Tories, defying their continued poor polling nationally.
It is a significant boost for Kemi Badenoch who has been seen to be performing well as Tory leader but so far has failed to translate that with any electoral success or boost in the polls.
Aberdeen South, where the former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn had vacated the seat, could be a turning point for Ms Badenoch and the Tories.
But it means that the one national leader with nothing to show for his bluster is Nigel Farage as Reform failed to win a seat.
The polling showing Reform ahead is increasingly looking like a sugar rush with very little substance while Ms Badenoch now will be eyeing the gap and hoping to close it on Farage’s party.
Starmer congratulates Burnham over Makerfield win
06:08 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has congratulated Andy Burnham on his win in Makerfield, saying “voters chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate”.
Congratulations, @AndyBurnhamGM, Labour’s new MP for Makerfield.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 19, 2026
Voters chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.
Analysis: Andy Burnham’s huge victory shows he can save Labour
06:05 , Holly EvansOur political editor David Maddox says:
Andy Burnham did not just win in Makerfield, he absolutely crushed Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
After months of Labour floundering in the polls under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership and Reform appearing to be untouchable, Mr Burnham has not only shown how to beat this populist rightwing party but done it with an increased share of the vote.
In winning more than 50 per cent of the votes, Mr Burnham has shown Labour MPs what a winner looks like but also burst the bubble that a Reform victory is somehow inevitable.
The clamour now for the Greater Manchester mayor to become Labour leader and prime minister will now become impossible to resist.
Sir Keir has come nowhere near achieving any level of popularity close to this since winning a landslide at the 2024 election.
He may wish to fight to save his position but it will be difficult to argue against the evidence that Mr Burnham can turn things around for Labour.
Burnham win triggers mayoral by-election with vote likely at end of July
05:56 , Holly EvansMore than two million people will be able to vote for Andy Burnham’s successor as Greater Manchester Mayor, with the by-election likely to take place at the end of July.
The post of mayor automatically fell vacant when Mr Burnham was named as the new MP for Makerfield.
Electoral law does not allow the mayor of Greater Manchester to also be a member of parliament.
The rule takes effect “immediately” the mayor is declared the winner of a seat at Westminster, according to guidance published by the House of Commons library.
The law also states that a mayoral by-election must be held within 35 working days of the post becoming vacant.
This means the poll will need to take place before August 6, with Thursday July 30 a possible date.
Some 2.1 million people were eligible to vote at the most recent election for Greater Manchester Mayor in May 2024.
Fewer than a third of voters actually cast a ballot, however, with turnout of just 32 per cent.
The by-election is likely to cost several million pounds.
Analysis: Landslide victory for Burnham in by-election for the history books
05:52 , Athena StavrouLabour MPs line up to congratulate Burnham
05:29 , Athena StavrouIt may still be the early hours of the morning, but plenty of Labour MPs have already publicly congratulated Andy Burnham on his by-election win.
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell congratulated the now-former Manchester mayor on X, while MP Rupa Huq wrote: “Look forward to seeing you at work on Monday!”
Kate Osborne MP hailed Mr Burnham’s “brilliant campaign”, writing: “I look forward to welcoming Andy to Parliament.”
How much did Restore impact Reform's vote?
05:12 , Athena StavrouIn the last few weeks, Restore Britain’s campaign in Makerfield was looking like it could swing the result.
Polls suggested Restore was splitting Reform’s vote enough to prevent them from beating Andy Burnham in the contest.
However, even if Reform had won their share of the vote, it still would not have been enough to prevent Mr Burnham’s landslide victory.
Reform candidate Rob Kenyon won 34.5 per cent of the vote, while Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd won 6.8 per cent, which together come to 41.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, the now-former Greater Manchester mayor won 54.8 per cent of the votes cast, outperforming all the opinion polls published during the campaign.
Top pollster warns Burnham victory won't boost Labour nationwide
04:54 , Athena StavrouPolling expert Sir John Curtice said Andy Burnham’s Makerfield victory was not likely to lead to a nationwide surge in Labour’s popularity.
Speaking on the BBC, he said: “Can this be replicated elsewhere? First thing to note, between them the Conservatives, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats got no more than 3 per cent of the vote.
“I think one has to say that there are two crucial elements to Mr Burnham’s success. The first is the apparent readiness of those who are minded to vote for parties other than Reform, or indeed Restore Britain, their readiness to fall in and vote for Mr Burnham.
“The second element of Mr Burnham’s success is that in a sense he was riding two horses at once. He was both riding as the person who was trying to appeal to the traditional Labour vote … and he was also able to appeal to those who wanted to see the back of Keir Starmer.
“The question you have to ask yourself is when Mr Burnham becomes prime minister, how easy will that trick be to repeat? Because once he’s his own man, he’s not going to be able to campaign against himself in the way he’s campaigned against Keir Starmer.
“Bear in mind the fact that because he is so popular within Manchester, the extent to which his popularity can be extended across the whole of the country. All of this is for Mr Burnham to prove – it looks as if he will get the opportunity to prove it but I don’t think we should assume that there is going to be suddenly a dramatic change in the standing of the Labour party in the national opinion polls.”
The real contest begins now...
04:34 , Athena StavrouAndy Burnham has just secured victory in Makerfield, in a by-election certain to have repercussions far beyond the constituency itself.
The contest was triggered for the sole reason of returning Andy Burnham to Parliament, allowing him to launch an official leadership challenge.
Now, Mr Burnham will be able to go ahead with his bid, and could be the prime minister within weeks.
However, Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly vowed he would fight in any leadership contest, meaning Labour’s civil war could wage on for months to come.
Graph: Makerfield by-election
04:21 , Athena StavrouMinister hails Burnham victory as 'history in the making'
04:11 , Athena StavrouCabinet minister Lisa Nandy said it was “history in the making” after Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election.
She 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.”
Another by-election loss in major blow for Reform
03:53 , Athena StavrouTonight’s results will be a major blow for Nigel Farage’s Reform party, as it marks yet another by-election loss in a target constituency.
The party performed exceptionally well at last month’s local elections, which saw them win every council ward in the Makerfield constituency, securing around half the vote. Labour was left trailing behind, having secured little more than a quarter of the ballots.
Tonight’s result will raise questions as to whether Reform have reached their political peak, after they lost another by-election in Gorton and Denton in February.
Burnham leaves count after major victory
03:47 , Athena StavrouAndy Burnham left the count almost immediately after his speech.
As he got into a car with his his wife and daughter he said he was going for a “pint”.
Burnham tells Labour: This is a final chance to change.
03:39 , Athena StavrouAndy Burnham warned Labour that it has a “final chance to change” as he won the Makerfield by-election.
Speaking after his victory was declared, he said Makerfield “made a loud cry for change” when it went to the polls last month.
“In this campaign we have begun to answer that,” he said.
“But 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.”
He added: “But there is a chance now from this result tonight to build a new politics based on unity and hope. Turning away from the path that takes us to a divided, dark politics of the kind we see in the United States.
“We must now take this path and put this country back on the right path and bring people back together and get things working properly again.”
Burnham wins landslide victory over Reform UK
03:29 , Athena StavrouAndy Burnham has won a landslide victory over Reform UK in a major boost for Labour.
The contest had long been considered a two-horse race between Mr Burnham and Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon.
But Mr Burnham won a decisive majority of almost 10,000 over Reform, despite the party doing incredibly well in last month’s local elections.
The win only boosts Mr Burnham’s chances to become Labour’s next leader, as he proves he could lead the party to victor over reform in the next general election.
Burnham wins Makerfield by-election by 9,231 votes
03:20 , Adam WithnallAndy Burnham has taken this by-election by a landslide, beating Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon by 9,231 votes.
Here is the breakdown of votes in full:
Andy Burnham - Labour - 24,927
Robert Kenyon - Reform UK - 15,696
Rebecca Shepherd - Restore Britain - 3,111
Michael Winstanley - Conservative - 997
Sarah Wakefield - Green - 308
Jake Austin - Lib Dem - 163
Burnham says victory could be ‘turning point’
03:16 , Athena StavrouAndy Burnham is delivering his victory speech after he was declared Makerfield’s new MP.
“Everyone knows that politics isn't working,” he said.
“Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be.
“Tonight, could, just could, be the turning point.”
Breaking: Andy Burnham wins landslide in Makerfield by-election
03:10 , Athena StavrouAndy Burnham has triumphed over Reform and won the Makerfield by-election.
In a boost for his leadership chances, Mr Burnham won a decisive majority of almost 10,000 over Reform, despite Nigel Farage’s party doing incredibly well in last month’s local elections.
The result was met with cheers and applause from Labour campaigners as Mr Burnham broke out in a smile.
Mr Burnham will now finally return to Westminster, where he is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
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