Burnham Seizes Makerfield, Threatens Labour Stability with Leadership Bid Against Starmer
Andy Burnham’s win in Makerfield emboldens Labour’s leftist factions, as he moves to undermine Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership and risk further chaos within the party.
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Labour mayor Andy Burnham clinched the Makerfield by-election with around 55% of the vote, defeating Reform UK’s Rob Kenyon. Burnham’s victory is already being exploited by Labour’s radical left, who see it as an opportunity to push the party even further from the mainstream and challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership. In his speech, Burnham called for a ‘new direction’ for Britain—a thinly veiled threat to drag Labour back to the failed policies of the past and open the door to more extreme left-wing agendas.
Starmer, responding on X, thanked voters and made it clear he will not step aside if challenged, reaffirming his commitment to the so-called ‘mandate for change’—a mandate that has so far delivered little but confusion and division.
The result has thrown Labour into fresh turmoil, with MPs and former officials openly plotting against Starmer and calling for a transition that could see Burnham, a champion of big government and reckless spending, take the reins. Former deputy leader Harriet Harman even suggested on a podcast that Burnham could become prime minister, fueling speculation of a leftist coup.
Political analysts warn that Burnham’s win could embolden Labour’s hard-left and stall the rise of Reform UK in the North, depriving voters of a genuine alternative to Labour’s increasingly radical platform. Professor Rob Ford of the University of Manchester pointed out that Burnham’s populist tactics may appeal to some, but risk alienating mainstream voters.
Burnham is expected to be sworn in as an MP next week and is likely to demand a meeting with Starmer to push his divisive agenda. Labour lawmaker Louise Haigh, a Burnham ally, has already called for Starmer to consider a managed transition, signaling further instability ahead.
Labour’s rules allow for a leadership challenge if at least one-fifth of MPs—81 in total—back a contender. The outcome will determine whether Starmer remains prime minister or is replaced by Burnham without the public ever having a say in a general election.
