Burnham wins Makerfield seat, intensifying pressure on Starmer
What’s next: Burnham is due to enter Parliament next week, and any Labour challenge would need backing from 81 lawmakers.
Andy Burnham won the parliamentary by-election in Makerfield on June 19, giving the Greater Manchester mayor a route back to Westminster and increasing pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Burnham took 54.8% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK on 34.5%, in a result that strengthens his standing as the leading potential successor to Starmer. Labour rules require any challenger to secure support from 20% of Labour lawmakers, or 81 MPs, to trigger a leadership contest. Burnham has said he would run in any race. Starmer has insisted he would remain in the contest, even as about a quarter of Labour lawmakers have urged him to resign after heavy local election losses in May.