Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won a special election in Makerfield in northern England overnight Thursday to Friday, taking a parliamentary seat and sharpening expectations of a challenge to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Burnham, widely known in the British press as the “king from the north,” won with 24,927 votes, defeating the Reform UK candidate, who received 15,696 votes.
After months of political damage for Starmer, especially following Labour’s setback in May, Burnham’s victory is being read in Britain as the first concrete step toward a possible fight for the Labour leadership. The exact timing and mechanism of any move remain unclear, but some Labour figures reportedly hope Starmer can be persuaded to step aside to avoid a damaging power struggle. One Labour MP told Reuters Burnham’s win had effectively ended Starmer’s leadership, saying, “It’s over.” Starmer’s office had not commented.
In his victory speech, Burnham said the result could be a “turning point” in British politics and told party members this was their last chance to change Labour’s direction. “We have to act, we will not get another chance,” he said. Polls reportedly show the 56-year-old Burnham as the most popular possible Labour leadership contender.
Burnham has served as Greater Manchester mayor since 2017, and his nickname reflects his reputation for confronting London and championing northern England. His path to the by-election opened after a Labour member resigned to create the vacancy following the party’s May losses and internal revolt against Starmer. The article also notes Burnham’s past pro-Israel positions, alongside later criticism of Netanyahu’s government and support for recognizing a Palestinian state.
