Andy Burnham wins Makerfield by-election, clearing path for challenge against Starmer
Labour's Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has won a decisive by-election in Makerfield, clearing the path for a potential challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership amid growing discontent within the party.
By-election victory
Andy Burnham won the Makerfield parliamentary by-election on 19 June 2026 with 24,927 votes (54.8 per cent), defeating Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon by a margin of 9,231. The victory returns Burnham to Westminster, where he previously served as MP from 2001 to 2017, and fulfills the requirement to stand in a Labour leadership election. Addressing supporters in Wigan, Burnham declared that politics is not working and that the country is not where it should be.
This is a final chance to change. There will be no second chance.
Starmer's fragile position
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who led Labour to a landslide national election win two years ago, is now one of the least popular premiers since polling records began. About a quarter of Labour MPs have called for his resignation after the party suffered heavy losses in last month's local elections. Senior colleagues, including the defence and health ministers, resigned in recent weeks over his leadership. Starmer has insisted he will fight any challenge and warned of the "chaos" a divisive leadership election could bring.
The path to a leadership contest
Under Labour rules, a single challenger needs the support of 81 MPs (20 per cent of the parliamentary party) to trigger a leadership contest. Burnham, a left-wing figure critical of Starmer's centrist approach, said during his campaign that he would "take the fight as high as I can possibly take it." His ally, former transport secretary Louise Haigh, urged the prime minister to set out an "orderly and managed transition" of power. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy called the result "history in the making" and said Burnham deserved to be heard "loud and clear at the top of politics."
Burnham's political vision
Often nicknamed the "King of the North," Burnham governed Greater Manchester from 2017. He advocates "Manchesterism," a platform combining devolution of power to regional leaders with the nationalisation of key public services, progressive taxation, and greater public investment. Manchester's annual economic growth of 3.1 per cent since 2015 is cited as evidence that devolved control works. The city's Bee Network, which brought bus and tram routes under public ownership, is held up as a model. Burnham previously contested Labour leadership in 2010 and 2015.
Allies and rivals
Allies like Louise Haigh and several members of the Tribune group of Labour MPs have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the government's direction. In January, a group including Haigh, Debbie Abrahams and others wrote that Labour "must challenge the failing status quo." Burnham's likely rivals include former health minister Wes Streeting, who has said he would force a leadership contest unless Starmer announces a timetable to stand down. With Burnham now in Parliament, the question is when, not if, the challenge begins.
