Andy Burnham has won a decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election with more than half the overall vote.
He won the seat by a bigger majority than Labour managed in their 2024 landslide general election victory.
In his victory speech, Burnham made his most explicit statement yet about his intentions to use his new place in the House of Commons to take the reins of power.
“This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and everybody,” he said, claiming that the people of the Makerfield constituency had “voted for hope”. He called the result “a final chance to change” for the Labour government, which is cripplingly unpopular in the polls.
As polls closed on Thursday the New Statesman’s political editor, Ailbhe Rea, reported that Burnham has the nominations he needs to trigger a leadership challenge.
Will Labour’s newest MP unseat Keir Starmer to become the next prime minister?
Anoosh Chakelian and Ethan Croft were at the by-election count in Makerfield. In this episode of The Politics Show they discuss Burnham’s decisive victory, and what is likely to happen next.
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