Andy Burnham (Labour) won the Makerfield by-election, defeating Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon in a landslide victory this week.
The result is significant as it may pave the way for Burnham to challenge Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the party.
Burnham secured 24,927 votes [1]. Depending on the source, his share of the vote was between 54% [1] and 55% [2]. This total gave him a margin of victory of more than 9,000 votes [1] over his closest opponent.
Robert Kenyon, representing Reform UK, received 15,696 votes [1], which accounted for 34% of the total vote share [1]. The contest took place in the Makerfield constituency located within Greater Manchester.
Burnham said the result could be a "turning point" for the party [2].
Sir Keir Starmer said he offered his congratulations to Andy Burnham on his win in Makerfield [3].
“The result could be a "turning point" for the party.”
The scale of Burnham's victory reinforces his standing within the Labour Party and demonstrates a strong mandate in Greater Manchester. By defeating a Reform UK challenger by a significant margin, Burnham has strengthened his political capital, potentially shifting the internal dynamics of the party and increasing the pressure on Keir Starmer's leadership.
