Voters in Makerfield in northwest England are going to the polls in a by-election whose outcome could determine whether Sir Keir Starmer remains as prime minister.
Politicians have been at polling stations and greeting supporters in the Wigan constituency, where the result has long been forecast to be a close contest between Labour’s Andy Burnham and Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage arrived at a polling station alongside Mr Kenyon on Thursday, while Mr Burnham urged voters to “for ever associate this area with having brought a change to British politics”.
If former health secretary Mr Burnham wins, he is expected to challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership.
But Mr Kenyon also has had strong support in polls since the by-election was announced. Reform is worried about losing voters to Rupert Lowe’s party, Restore Britain, which takes a harder line on migration.
Wes Streeting, also an ex-health secretary, says if Mr Burnham stands against Sir Keir, he will join the contest.
The list of candidates is here. Polls will close at 10pm.
Read MoreLabour MPs urge Burnham not to delay challenge to Starmer if he wins Makerfield by-election
Starmer’s G7 performance overshadowed by looming leadership challenge at home
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Makerfield by-election key points
- Voting under way in Makerfield
- Burnham rules out accepting job from Starmer
- Burnham has 'made things difficult' for Reform, insider says
- What time is the Makerfield by-election result announced and is there an exit poll?
- Who are the Makerfield candidates and why is the by-election so important?
What will happen in this week’s ‘other’ by-elections in Aberdeen South and in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry?
19:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMakerfield is one of only three by-elections on the same night. Sean O’Grady looks at the other two contests, and what other political upsets might be in store.
What will happen in this week’s ‘other’ by-elections?
City red tape also risks Dartmoor pony cull, Badenoch says
18:30 , Jane DaltonThe burden of government red tape that is tying up the City of London is also responsible for a potential cull of Dartmoor’s hill ponies, Kemi Badenoch claims.
The Conservative leader set out an overhaul of rules governing the financial sector, saying the burden of regulations has become too high and created a risk-averse culture in financial industries.
She said she wanted to see the whole of society mobilised in a “war effort” to turn around Britain’s “economic decline”.
As she took questions after her speech, the Tory leader called on business leaders to publicly speak out about regulations and government actions they did not like.
Mrs Badenoch added: “Not enough people know, and not enough people understand just how bad it’s got.
“I don’t know how many people have heard of the Dartmoor ponies being culled because of some weird regulation that came out of Natural England.”
A row is growing over a potential cull on Dartmoor, with campaigners claiming requirements to cut livestock grazing on the moor’s commons under new contracts from government agency Natural England could lead to the removal of up to 90% of its hill ponies.
Dartmoor ponies declared ‘safe’ by Starmer ally amid cull fears
Starmer refuses to say whether he wants Britain to rejoin EU
18:00 , Jane DaltonSir Keir Starmer has refused to say whether he would like to see Britain rejoin the EU in his lifetime amid growing pressure on the prime minister to carve out closer ties with the bloc.
It comes after Andy Burnham, who is widely expected to challenge the prime minister for the Labour leadership, previously said he hopes he sees Britain rejoin the bloc during his lifetime.
Asked whether he would like the same, Sir Keir told reporters at the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, that “we shouldn’t spend the whole time looking backwards to Brexit”.
You can read more below:
Starmer refuses to say whether he wants to see Britain rejoin the EU in his lifetime
Opinion: Things would be so different if we’d stayed in the EU
17:40 , Jane DaltonLiberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey writes: We have witnessed a terrible waste of British influence, a severe cost-of-living crisis, and a tragic degradation of our collective security. We cannot afford another decade of isolation and economic stagnation:
A decade after Brexit, things would be so different if we’d stayed in
Watch: Makerfield by-election live
17:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneEvent: 'I’ve covered Labour for decades – ask me anything about by-election'
17:00 , Jane Dalton
I’ve covered Labour for decades – join me for a Makerfield Q&A
Green leader Polanski cleared over council tax ‘mistake’
16:40 , Jane DaltonGreens leader Zack Polanski has been cleared of allegations that he breached the Greater London Authority (GLA) Code of Conduct amid concerns that he may have failed to pay the correct council tax while living on a houseboat.
Mr Polanski, who is a London Assembly member, explained in a witness statement that he believed council tax fees were being managed through the mooring fees he regularly paid for the boat.
He faced questions last month over whether the houseboat was his primary residence and therefore liable for council tax.
The party originally said he only stayed on the boat occasionally, but then issued an apology from him for what it called an “unintentional mistake”.
City Hall looked into whether Mr Polanski had breached conduct rules.
The monitoring officer for the GLA says Mr Polanski’s council tax position arose “solely from his personal living arrangements” and bore no “sufficient link to the member’s public role”.
“I have decided that no further action needs to be taken with this complaint,” monitoring officer Rory McKenna wrote.
Profile: The ‘King of the North’ who could be the next PM
16:31 , Jane Dalton
Andy Burnham: The ‘King of the North’ who could be the next prime minister
Rape-gang justice too slow and superficial, Tory claims
16:20 , Jane DaltonHome Office resignations have raised serious concerns about the government delivering justice for rape-gang victims, the shadow equalities minister has said.
Mims Davies said one year on from Baroness Louise Casey’s review of group-based sexual exploitation, ministers were still being too slow and, in some areas, “simply superficial”.
The shadow minister called on the Government to step up and protect women and girls during an urgent question to the Commons, raising concerns about recent resignations.
Labour MP Jess Phillips quit as safeguarding minister earlier this year, accusing the Government of failing to be bold, saying any real actionto tackle violence against women and girls came “in the light of catastrophic mistakes”.
Crime and Policing minister Sarah Jones said Baroness Casey had been right to push the government to go faster but insisted they were “pushing to get all of this work done as quickly as possible”.
Baroness Casey led an investigation into Rotherham Council after a separate report found more than 1,400 children were sexually exploited by gangs of mainly Asian males in the South Yorkshire town between 1997 and 2013. Her report was published a year ago.
Ms Davies told MPs on Thursday: “Deep concerns remain that progress on justice has been too slow and that, in some areas, is simply superficial.”
Heathrow runway consultation branded 'sham'
15:59 , Jane DaltonThe government has published a blueprint for a third runway at Heathrow - but opponents have branded the consultation a sham and warned of repeating the mistakes of HS2.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander launched a consultation on the renamed Heathrow expansion national policy statement (HENPS), setting out the conditions needed if the project is to be given the go-ahead.
One proposal, by Heathrow Airport Limited, is for a full-length, 3,500m runway, which would require moving the M25. But hotel tycoon Surinder Arora wants his company to install a 2,800m runway which would not involve moving the motorway.
The government says expansion of the airport is “critical to national growth”.
But Paul McGuinness, of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: “This proposal, which Heathrow’s CEO has equated to building a whole new airport next to the current Heathrow operation, is lurching towards a pig-headed, Catch 22-style farce.
“It would be the world’s most expensive expansion ever, mainly because the land is already in use and its users will need to relocated before any construction can commence.
“How is it possible that government has learnt so little from HS2 that it’s now committing to repetition of similar mistakes?”
He slammed the decision to run the consultation over the summer when many people in areas affected will be away.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said today she was determined to get “spades in the ground” for the third runway this year and for it to be built by 2035.
She argued that Heathrow was “the perfect example of the problem in the UK in being able to get stuff done”.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves were rushing airport expansion.
Reform UK MP urges England footballers to keep winning to avoid domestic violence
15:39 , Jane DaltonA Reform UK MP has prompted fury by saying England’s footballers should keep winning games to reduce men’s violence against women.
Sarah Pochin said in a social media video: “England won the football last night, and thank goodness they did, because on the occasions that England lose their football matches, incidences of domestic violence go through the roof. So, boys, keep winning.”
Angry critics said levels of violence should not depend on the outcome of football matches.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson wrote: “Men should not beat up women. Full stop. No excuses.”
Other commenters branded the statement “horrendous” and “tone-deaf”.
One wrote: “Imagine placing that kind of false weight of responsibility on the England boys who have no control over such evil… it is not on them.”
Others pointed out how, two years ago, Reform UK MP James McMurdock was jailed for repeatedly kicking his girlfriend 18 years earlier.
For the sake of women’s safety we need England to keep winning 🏴 pic.twitter.com/Art8B5gzaf
— Sarah Pochin MP (@SarahForRuncorn) June 18, 2026
‘No answers, no substance’: Reform’s woes make life easy for Burnham on streets of Makerfield
15:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAs arguably the most consequential by-election in British political history enters its final hours, Colin Drury speaks to voters for whom Nigel Farage’s party represents change but lacks the charm of Labour’s local hero, whom everyone seems to know.
‘No answers, no substance’: Reform makes life easy for Burnham in Makerfield
Brexit has cut trade in almost every sector, study finds
15:00 , Jane Dalton
Brexit has cut trade in almost every sector of the UK economy, study warns
I’ve covered Labour for decades – ask me anything as polls open in Makerfield by-election
14:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneWith Andy Burnham’s return to frontline politics, Nigel Farage’s Reform threat and Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership all under scrutiny, chief political commentator John Rentoul is here to answer your questions and offer his insight from Westminster.
You can ask him your questions below:
I’ve covered Labour for decades – join me for a Makerfield Q&A
What is Andy Burnham’s path to No 10 – and what stands in his way?
14:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneResidents of Makerfield are heading to the polls to vote in a contest that will determine the country’s next prime minister.
Labour candidate Andy Burnham has made it clear he will challenge the prime minister if he wins the by-election and returns to parliament.
Speculation about the mayor of Greater Manchester’s leadership bid has been building for months, with many in the Labour Party believing that if he takes the Makerfield seat, it will be a matter of when, not if, he becomes prime minister.
The timescale of his potential premiership depends on several key factors, including which other candidates decide to run in a leadership race.
You can read more below:
What is Andy Burnham’s path to No 10 – and what stands in his way?
In pictures: Burnham campaigns on polling day
14:13 , Jane Dalton
Brexit helps send UK plummeting down list of world’s strongest economies
14:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBritain’s global economic position has has been hit by Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis, a study into rankings of the world’s most competitive economies has suggested.
The latest World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR) has placed the UK as the 24th most competitive global economy in 2026, with Brexit serving as one major factor in its position.
The rankings, published annually by the IMD Business School in Switzerland, assess countries based on their economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.
The report’s lead author, professor of finance Arturo Bris, told The Independent the UK’s performance in the rankings had dropped since leaving the EU.
You can read the full report below:
Brexit helps send UK plummeting down list of world’s strongest economies
Comment: Rupert Lowe is rapidly becoming the most dangerous man you’ve never heard of
13:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe massively outsized online reach of the Restore leader’s micro-party – boosted by Elon Musk – is cannibalising the right. For those concerned about the resurgence of the politics of Enoch Powell, Lowe’s success is alarming, says John Rentoul.
Rupert Lowe is rapidly becoming the most dangerous man you’ve never heard of
Watch: Burnham confirms he will challenge Starmer in Labour leadership bid
13:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRob Kenyon makes snipe at Burnham as he casts vote
13:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneReform UK’s Robert Kenyon directed a swipe at rival Andy Burnham as he cast his vote in the Makerfield by-election earlier today.
Local plumber reminded voters Mr Burnham is not from Makerfield, writing on X: “Just arrived to cast my vote in the by-election. Something Andy Burnham cannot do.”
Mr Burnham lives in Golborne, a town in Wigan, which is the Greater Manchester borough Makerfield also falls in.
Just arrived to cast my vote in the by-election.
— Cllr Rob Kenyon (@RobKenyonReform) June 18, 2026
Something Andy Burnham cannot do. pic.twitter.com/LEwXARoQ2U
Rupert Lowe campaigns for Restore Britain in Makerfield
12:41 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRestore Britain leader Rupert Lowe has been speaking to voters in Makerfield during today’s by-election.
The party are hoping to offer an alternative to Reform UK, but have been seen by many to be splitting the right-wing vote in the area.
‘Degrading’ comments and conspiracies: The unearthed posts from Reform’s Makerfield candidate
12:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneReform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election has faced backlash in recent weeks after a number of offensive comments made on social media were unearthed.
Robert Kenyon, a plumber and local councillor who stood as Reform’s candidate in the constituency at the 2024 general election, is taking on Labour’s Andy Burnham in Thursday’s by-election in the Greater Manchester seat.
A series of now-deleted social media posts and comments made on rugby league forums by accounts linked to Mr Kenyon have seen him dubbed “not fit to be an MP” and accused of sharing transphobic slurs, Covid misinformation and objectifying women.
However, Nigel Farage has said Reform UK is “unapologetic” about its candidate, telling a press conference earlier this month that the comments were “a few laddish things”.
You can read more below:
The unearthed social media posts from Reform’s Makerfield candidate
Rayner appears at camp Burnham ahead of crucial vote
12:11 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAngela Rayner has been spotted at Andy Burnham’s campaign hub as voting continues in Makerfield.
The former deputy prime minister has thrown her weight behind Mr Burnham at the polls. While she has not publicly backed him in any potential leadership challenge, many have suggested her allegiances would lie with her Greater Manchester contemporary over Sir Keir Starmer, despite her stint as deputy prime minister under him.
Ms Rayner has also previously been floated as a contender for the leadership herself, but this looks considerably less likely now Mr Burnham could be in the picture.
In pictures: Labour MPs arrive to campaign in Makerfield
12:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneLabour MPs have been spotted in Makerfield today as voters go to the polls.
Former House Speaker John Bercow spotted campaigning for Burnham
11:44 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe former speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has been spotted in Makerfield this morning campaigning for Labour’s Andy Burnham.
Once a Tory MP, Mr Bercow joined the Labour Party in June 2021. He was later suspended from the party in 2022.
What time is the Makerfield by-election result announced and is there an exit poll?
11:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneYou can read everything you need to know about the high-stakes vote that could determine the UK’s next prime minister below:
What time is the Makerfield by-election results announced and is there an exit poll?
Farage attacks 'open borders Burnham' as he urges voters to support Reform
11:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNigel Farage has criticised Andy Burnham over immigration as he urged voters to get out and vote for Reform UK in Makerfield.
In a post on X, he wrote: “The only way to beat Open Borders Burnham today is by voting for Reform”.
The only way to beat Open Borders Burnham today is by voting for Reform. pic.twitter.com/qfroL85lDj
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) June 18, 2026
Nigel Farage joins candidate Rob Kenyon at the polls
11:04 , Nicole Wootton-CaneReform UK leader Nigel Farage has joined the party’s candidate Rob Kenyon at the polls this morning.
Plumber Mr Kenyon, wearing an England football shirt, drove to the venue in his white van, with Mr Farage in the passenger seat.
About 20 members of the press were outside the polling station to capture photos and footage of their arrival.
Mr Farage joked “it’s not a rugby game” as photographers shouted for his attention.
'Let's forever associate this area with having brought a change to British politics' Burnham says in final campaign update
11:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAndy Burnham has called on Makerfield voters to make the area “forever associated with having brought a chance to British politics” in his final campaign update.
The Labour mayor said his team is out and about and will be knocking on doors - but promised it would be for the “last time”.
“It’s polling day everyone, as you know,” he said in a video. “It’s just a great thing that the power is now where it should be, it’s in your hands. It’s in the hands of the people of this area.”
In a nod to the potential of a future leadership contest he added: “It’s up to you what you decide today. But of course I would say let’s vote for positive change that this country needs.
“Let’s forever associate this area, this constituency, with having brought a change to British politics that it’s long needed.”
My final campaign update.
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) June 18, 2026
It’s going to be close so please get out and vote hope today! 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/J0EYyhRU4j
Celebrity endorsements can help politicians woo voters - but can also backfire
10:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Andy Burnham’s decision to bring Hugh Grant to a pub in Wigan brought some Hollywood glamour to the Makerfield by-election.
But the Labour mayor will also be mindful that British political history is littered with celebrity endorsements that have backfired.
In 1983 Margaret Thatcher was forced to watch as the comedian Kenny Everett, at that stage one of TV’s biggest names, appeared at a Young Conservatives youth rally, wearing a pair of giant foam hands, and yelling "let's bomb Russia!".
In 1997 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher had drinks with the then PM Tony Blair in Downing Street, at the height of what was dubbed ‘Cool Britannia’.
But two years later he suggested he had misjudged Blair's politics, adding “You live and learn don't you?”.
Andy Burnham attracts celebrity as Hugh Grant lends Hollywood glamour to Makerfield
10:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
The Notting Hill star made a surprise visit to a pub in Wigan yesterday to lend his support to Andy Burnham ahead of the Makerfield by-election.
But he is not the first celebrity to offer his backing in this race.
Mr Burnham also appeared in a video with another British actor, Steve Coogan.
In the footage Alan Partridge star Coogan, who is from Greater Manchester, joked: “Andy wanted a slightly classier celebrity to endorse his campaign, but he had to put up with me instead.”
Elbow’s Guy Garvey has also talked about why his band had decided to approve the use of their song One Day Like This for a Burnham campaign video, saying “these aren’t ordinary times and Andy isn’t an ordinary man.”
Farage accused of under-declaring value of private jet loan
10:20 , Jane DaltonNigel Farage has been accused of significantly under-declaring a donation from his billionaire crypto backer Christopher Harborne, potentially worth hundreds of thousands.
Labour chair Anna Turley has written to the Reform UK leader asking for an explanation over the value of a private jet he was lent to travel to Mauritius as part of a failed stunt to visit the Chagos Islands.
Mr Farage has declared the gift from Thailand-based businessman Mr Harborne as £25,000 – double his original declaration of £12,500.
But Ms Turley claims the commercial market rate for private jet hire is $11,500 (£8,575) per hour and, as the flight was 23 hours and the plane was at Mr Farage’s disposal for two and a half days, the true value could be between $250,000 (£186,411) and $700,000 (£521,951).
You can read the full story below:
Farage accused of under-declaring private jet loan from crypto billionaire
Rayner blasts Reform UK candidate Rob Kenyon as Farage’s ‘sexist puppet’
10:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAngela Rayner has warned Andy Burnham “must” win this week’s by-election in Makerfield as she accused Reform UK’s candidate of being “Nigel Farage’s sexist puppet”.
Labour and Reform are fighting to win the crucial contest on Thursday, which could see Mr Burnham return to parliament and launch his attempt to oust Sir Keir Starmer from No 10.
Reform’s candidate Robert Kenyon has faced major backlash in recent weeks, after a series of now-deleted comments he made about women online resurfaced.
Two days before voters head to the polls, Mr Rayner hit out at Mr Kenyon’s comments, which included a suggestion women can’t “ref, drive or give directions”.
You can read more below:
Rayner blasts Reform UK candidate as Farage’s ‘sexist puppet’
In pictures: Dogs at polling stations in Makerfield
09:40 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Starmer lashes out at those ‘trying to tear our country apart’
09:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSir Keir Starmer has lashed out at political leaders at home and abroad for “trying to tear our country apart” after his home was targeted in an arson attack last year.
It comes after two men were found guilty of plotting to damage property by an Old Bailey jury this week. The court heard that a Russian-speaking mastermind known as “El Money” paid the two men to set fire to homes and a car linked to Sir Keir to spark fear and “unrest” in Britain.
The arson incidents and the arrests of the suspects triggered a wave of false online speculation about the possible motive, including one conspiracy theory which falsely claimed that the arsonists were male prostitutes seeking revenge on the PM.
You can read more below:
Starmer lashes out at those ‘trying to tear our country apart’ after arson attack
Who are the Makerfield candidates and why is the by-election so important?
09:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe people of Makerfield are heading to the polls today to vote in what could be the most important by-election in recent history.
The outcome of the contest – triggered by the resignation of Labour MP and former minister Josh Simons – will likely determine who will be Britain’s prime minister in the years to come.
Polls suggest it will be a tight race between Labour candidate Andy Burnham and Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon.
If the mayor of Greater Manchester wins, it is widely believed he’ll return to parliament to launch an official challenge for Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
If Nigel Farage’s party wins however, the leadership contest may be triggered by those already in parliament, such as former health secretary Wes Streeting or Angela Rayner.
You can read about all the candidates below:
Who are the Makerfield candidates and why is the by-election so important?
Analysis: Starmer’s G7 performance overshadowed by looming leadership challenge at home
08:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe awkward fact that a huge faction of Sir Keir Starmer’s own party is publicly moving against him was the elephant in the room at a summit that could be his last, writes Political Correspondent Millie Cooke from Evian-les-Bains.
Starmer’s G7 performance overshadowed by looming leadership challenge at home
Police to take 'no further action' on Reform claim Burnham may have breached lockdown rules
08:32 , Nicole Wootton-CanePolice have confirmed they will not pursue a report alleging Andy Burnham may have breached lockdown rules in June 2021.
It comes after Reform reported the mayor to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) over the claim. It said Mr Burnham could have breached the rules by holding a gathering at his Warrington home.
But speaking to The Telegraph, sources close to Mr Burnham said the allegations were baseless and a “desperate” smear on the eve of the Makerfield by-election.
On Thursday morning, GMP confirmed it would not take any further action on the report.
“Following correspondence received relating to a claim that COVID 19 restrictions had been breached, work has been undertaken to review the contents by a senior investigating officer,” the force said.
“As a result of this assessment, Greater Manchester Police has concluded that no further police action will be taken.
“The correspondent has been written to and advised of this outcome.”
Full list of candidates in the Makerfield by-election
08:25 , Nicole Wootton-CanePolls have opened in Makerfield in what could be one of the most consequential by-elections in British history.
The fight is widely tipped to be between Labour’s Andy Burnham, who is currently Greater Manchester mayor, and Reform’s Robert Kenyon.
It is believed if Mr Burnham wins and returns to Westminster he would challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the premiership.
Here is the full list of candidates running for election:
- Jake Austin, Liberal Democrats
- Count Binface, Count Binface Party
- Andy Burnham, Labour Party
- Dan Clarke, Libertarian Party
- John Alfred Dyer, Independent
- Ed Gemmell, Climate Party
- Paul Richard Gould, Independent
- Alan 'Howlin' Laud Hope, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party
- Robert Kenyon, Reform UK
- Robert Pownall, Independent (Protect The Wild)
- Rebecca Shepherd, Restore Britain
- Sarah Wakefield, Green Party
- Peter Ward, Rejoin EU
- Michael Winstanley, Conservative Party
Tory leader to set out plans to axe Financial Ombudsman
08:15 , Jane DaltonThe City of London should be freed of regulatory constraints to help boost growth, Kemi Badenoch is to argue.
The Conservative leader will call for the Financial Ombudsman Service to be replaced in an overhaul of financial-sector regulation.
In a speech today at the CityUK annual conference, Mrs Badenoch will say the burden of red tape has grown too high and has created a risk-averse culture in financial industries.
She will say: “If you eliminate risk, you also eliminate reward, you eliminate opportunity, you eliminate innovation, you eliminate growth. This is one of the reasons why the UK has become a low-growth economy.”
She wants to scrap the ombudsman, which the Tories said had become unfit for purpose.
She also wants to abolish the ring-fencing regime, which separates banks’ retail and investment arms, and which the Conservatives said prevented them from investing in the real economy.
The Tory leader also wants to adjust capital requirements for banks – the amount of cash they hold – with the aim of releasing £450bn for investment.
Streeting urges support for Burnham in crucial by-election
08:05 , Nicole Wootton-CaneWes Streeting has urged voters to get out in Makerfield and vote for Andy Burnham.
The former health secretary, who resigned amid wild speculation he would mount a leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer, has since said he believes Mr Burnham would be most likely to win a leadership challenge.
In a post on X on Thursday, he wrote: “Good luck to @AndyBurnhamGM today! Make sure you use your vote in Makerfield today - it’s a two horse race between Andy and Reform.
“Vote Labour.”
Good luck to @AndyBurnhamGM today!
— Wes Streeting (@wesstreeting) June 18, 2026
Make sure you use your vote in Makerfield today - it’s a two horse race between Andy and Reform.
Vote Labour 🌹 https://t.co/5Ir879dQul
Unemployment and growth figures give Labour gentle boost on by-election morning
07:55 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe latest unemployment and earnings growth figures will come as a gentle boost for Labour as voters go to the polls in Makerfield.
UK average regular earnings growth remained unchanged at 3.4 per cent in the three months to April and was 0.3 per cent higher after taking Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation into account, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.
The rate of UK unemployment fell to 4.9 per cent in the three months to April, from 5 per cent in the three months to March, according to the ONS.
Watch: Starmer warns any challenge to him would not be good for UK
07:45 , Jane DaltonBurnham has 'made things difficult' for Reform, insider says
07:35 , Nicole Wootton-CaneA Reform UK board member has admitted Andy Burnham “has made things very difficult” for the party in the crucial Makerfield by-election, as internal data suggests Nigel Farage’s party is heading for a comfortable defeat.
Gawain Towler, a long-time ally of Reform leader Mr Farage, told Times Radio that Mr Burnham “does change the weather”, adding that it will be a “very, very hard task” beating him in Thursday’s crucial vote.
His comments come as data, collated by a separate source in Reform UK and seen by The Independent, appears to confirm that Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain is set to split the right-wing vote and make a big enough dent in Reform’s support to end their chances of claiming victory over Labour.
The data, collated by an experienced election campaigner who has spent significant time in the constituency since the by-election was announced, estimated that Mr Burnham is set to win by five points.
Polls will close at 10pm this evening.
In pictures: Voting begins in Makerfield
07:25 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Burnham rules out accepting job from Starmer
07:16 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSir Keir Starmer has indicated he would give Andy Burnham a cabinet job if he wins the Makerfield by-election, saying he wants the leadership rival to “play a big part in the Labour government”.
Speaking on the fringes of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, the prime minister said he would talk to Mr Burnham “after the weekend” once the results from Makerfield are in, as well as saying there are no circumstances under which he would walk away from his job.
If the Greater Manchester mayor wins today’s vote, it is expected he will return to Westminster to challenge the prime minister for his job.
But sources close to the Greater Manchester mayor have already made it clear he will not accept a job from the prime minister, in a sign that he is ready to move against Sir Keir for the top job.
Analysis: Is Rachel Reeves actually getting things right?
07:10 , Jane Dalton
Is Rachel Reeves actually getting things right?
Voting begins in Makerfield
07:01 , Jane DaltonPolling stations have just opened in the crunch by-election in Makerfield, which is between Manchester and Liverpool in northwest England.
It is illegal to publish the results of any opinion poll on voting day until polling stations close.
Six candidates are standing for election:
