Andy Burnham Wins Makerfield By-Election, Pressures Keir Starmer to Set Exit Timetable

Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election and used the result to signal he would challenge British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for Labour leadership and the prime ministership.

“- Pollsters predict Burnham will win the landmark by-election, but he has faced a tough fight from the hard-right Reform UK party ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD, United Kingdom: Counting was under way late Thursday in a historic UK by-election which could determine embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s future, as a Labour rival eyeing a leadership bid vies for a parliamentary seat”

Arab News

The BBC said Starmer faced calls from Labour MPs and ministers to set a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, while Starmer insisted he would not "walk away" from the job.

BBC

Starmer told the BBC, "I was elected to serve my country with a mandate that we secured at a general election two years ago," as he pointed to economic stability and getting immigration "back under control."

The BBC reported that Burnham will be formally sworn in as an MP in Parliament on Monday, after a victory that increased Labour’s share of the vote by 10% and beat the Reform UK candidate by more than 9,000 votes.

In the same BBC account, Burnham’s allies urged Starmer to reflect over the weekend and listen to cabinet ministers, MPs and family, with Burnham’s team and another potential challenger, Wes Streeting, saying they would not give media interviews over the weekend.

Burnham framed the by-election as a chance to turn Britain’s politics, telling supporters, "This now is the change moment," and saying, "We have an opportunity to turn the tide, to make the country feel like it’s working again."

The BBC reported that Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander suggested Starmer set out a timetable to leave office, and Alexander’s spokesperson said, "It was a private conversation and I am not going to reveal what was said."

BBC

Starmer, meanwhile, told reporters, "If there is a contest, yes I will run. I will stand and I have said repeatedly I am not going to walk away from that."

NBC News said the special election result cleared the path for Burnham to bring a challenge he had every chance of winning, and it cited the by-election margin as Burnham defeating Reform opponent Robert Kenyon by 24,927 votes to 15,696.

Under Labour rules described by the BBC, a leadership contest requires the backing of 81 Labour MPs, and the BBC said Burnham is expected to meet that threshold with ease.

As the leadership fight takes shape, the BBC said Burnham’s return to Westminster as an MP after a gap of nine years means he can now stand to be Labour leader, something he could not do as Greater Manchester mayor.

“PM under pressure from Labour MPs and ministers to set timetable for exit Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to set a timetable for his departure from Downing Street after Andy Burnham won a resounding victory in the Makerfield by-election, paving the way for a leadership challenge”

BBC

The BBC reported that Labour MP for Bassetlaw Jo White said Starmer needed "to consider his position very, very carefully and he has the weekend," and she said she wanted a smooth transition so Burnham could become the next prime minister for the United Kingdom.

In contrast, Justice Minister Catherine Atkinson told the BBC’s Any Questions that Starmer had "grit and determination" and would not "walk away," while warning that Labour could not afford to get distracted because there was "just too much to do."

The BBC said the scale of Burnham’s victory in Makerfield, where he increased Labour’s share of the vote by 10% and beat the Reform UK candidate by more than 9,000 votes, added to the clamour from his supporters to mount a leadership challenge.

NBC News said Starmer vowed to fight any contest, and it warned that if Burnham succeeded he would be the 7th prime minister in a decade for a politically turbulent, economically stagnant country.