British politician Andy Burnham has won a landslide victory in the Makerfield parliamentary election and could challenge British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the ruling Labor Party and the country.
Thursday’s by-election, the US equivalent of a special election, was called for the sole purpose of providing a path to No. 10 Downing Street for Greater Manchester Mayor Burnham, who is widely seen as the best Labor politician to unseat the embattled prime minister.
Early Friday morning, with all the votes counted, the risk paid off and the British government entered a new period of uncertainty as Mr Burnham plots his next move.
“We all know that politics is not working. We all feel that this country is not where it needs to be. Tonight could be the tipping point,” Burnham said after the results were announced, adding: “We have a chance to build a new politics, one based on unity and hope.”
“This outcome will result in a country that works fairly for everyone, everywhere,” he said.
Mr Burnham, a former cabinet minister, is now returning to parliament at a pivotal time for the party. Since winning a landslide victory in 2024 to bring Britain to power for the first time in 14 years, Starmer’s centre-left party has suffered a sharp decline in popularity. This led to a crushing defeat in local council elections in early May, with the populist right-wing Reform UK Party making a significant leap forward.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
