Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election by a landslide and now takes on Starmer
The mayor of Manchester, a rising star in the Labour Party, is, according to many, the left’s only hope of defeating Farage in 2028
The ‘King of the North’ sets out to conquer Westminster. Andy Burnham, the hugely popular mayor of Manchester, has won by a landslide in yesterday’s Makerfield by-election and is preparing to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the party leadership and the helm of the Government.
Burnham’s victory exceeded the poll predictions: he secured 54 per cent of the vote compared with the 35 per cent won by Robert Kenyon, the candidate for Reform UK. This is an extraordinary success, given that the right-wing party founded by Nigel Farage had secured over 50 per cent of the vote in the local elections in Makerfield last month.
“This is a vote for change,” said Burnham. “A vote for hope for the North and for all the places forgotten by Westminster.” The former Labour minister, who left Westminster ten years ago to focus on local politics, has enjoyed great popularity during his ten years as mayor of Manchester. In an England dominated economically and politically by London, Burnham has fought to revitalise the northern city, bringing sectors such as public transport back under public control and successfully promoting an urban regeneration project.
Restore Britain, the far-right party founded by Rupert Lowe – who had been expelled from Reform UK following a row with Farage – secured 7 per cent of the vote, as predicted by the polls. However, the divisions within the right-wing opposition were not decisive, given Burnham’s lead; he secured more votes than Reform and Restore combined. Voter turnout stood at 59 per cent, higher than in the last election, demonstrating the engagement of Makerfield’s residents in an election they knew would have significance far beyond the constituency’s borders.
With such a decisive victory, the mayor of Manchester has therefore achieved his aim of proving that he is the only Labour politician with the charisma and popular support needed to revitalise the party at a national level as well. Labour is falling sharply in the polls, which for months have shown Reform with a substantial lead, and Starmer is the most unpopular prime minister in history. Burnham’s supporters argue that only he can prevent a Labour defeat in the next general election, scheduled for 2028, and stop Farage from becoming prime minister.
