Labour politician Andy Burnham has sparked speculation about a potential challenge to Prime Minister on Friday after securing a convincing victory in a parliamentary by-election in northern England, which could contribute to continued political turbulence, Reuters reported.
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor known as the “King of the North,” secured victory in the Makerfield constituency in northwest England with 54.8% of the vote, comfortably ahead of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK candidate, who won 34.5%.
Who is Andy Burnham? A look at his political journey
Born in Liverpool in 1970, Burnham is the son of a telephone engineer and a doctor’s receptionist. He grew up in Culcheth, a Cheshire village located near Makerfield. Of Irish descent, he attended state-run Roman Catholic schools and has spoken openly about his Catholic faith, including his meeting with Pope Francis in 2023, according to a report by The New York Times.
Burnham earned a place to study English at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, he followed a well-established route into politics, working first as a researcher for Tessa Jowell, a Labour MP from south London, before serving as an adviser to then culture secretary Chris Smith, NYT reported.
After being elected to Parliament in 2001 as the representative for Leigh, a constituency near his hometown, Burnham joined Tony Blair’s New Labour government as a junior minister.
Under Gordon Brown, he rose to Cabinet rank, serving in several senior positions, including Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and later Health Secretary.
After Labour lost the general election in 2010, Burnham ran for party leader, coming in fourth. In 2015 he tried again and was the early front-runner, only to lose to the left-winger Jeremy Corbyn, on whose team he later served.
In 2017 Burnham left Parliament after deciding his future lay outside Westminster, and he was elected as mayor of Greater Manchester.
What could Burnham’s win mean?
The magnitude of Burnham’s win in what may be the most significant by-election in over 60 years strengthens his position as a potential challenger to , whose approval ratings are among the lowest for any British prime minister.
Burnham indicated he wanted to counter the rise of polarising, populist politics, saying his victory was a chance to turn “away from the path that takes us to a divided, dark politics of the kind we see in the United States”.
Attention now turns to the timing of his move, and whether he can convince the prime minister to relinquish power without a potentially disruptive leadership contest.
Burnham hails victory as a “turning point”
In his victory speech, Burnham said the result could be a “turning point”.
“We must hear it, we must act upon it, and we must get it right,” he said. “There will be no second chance.”
Starmer, who has said he will fight on, quickly congratulated Burnham, saying on X: “Voters chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.”
Here’s what opinion polls indicate
Burnham, a 56-year-old career politician who has backed the nationalisation of key public services and criticised what he called four decades of failed neo-liberal economics, has said he would stand in any contest to replace Starmer.
Opinion polls suggest that Burnham would be the favourite in a Labour leadership election decided by party members, although some Labour MPs are keen to avoid such a contest altogether.
If Burnham were to replace Starmer, Britain would have had seven prime ministers in little more than a decade, the fastest rate of leadership turnover in almost 200 years. The trend reflects growing public frustration over repeated failures by successive governments to raise living standards, improve public services, and address illegal immigration, Reuters reported.
Labour divisions deepen as pressure grows on Starmer
Two years after a landslide national election victory, Starmer, 63, is one of the least popular British premiers since polling records began. Scandals, policy U-turns and accusations of indecision have derailed delivery of the change he once promised.
About a quarter of his lawmakers have urged him to quit since Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections last month. Senior colleagues, including the defence and health ministers, have resigned over his leadership.
Starmer insisted this week he would stand in any leadership contest and warned his party about the dangers of a potentially divisive leadership campaign.
But several Labour lawmakers said the scale of Burnham’s win would force Starmer to consider stepping aside.
Culture minister Lisa Nandy, a prominent Burnham ally, told reporters she expected both men to speak soon. She ruled out quitting the cabinet but said she could not speak for others.
Burnham returns to London with momentum
Burnham will return to London, the heart of government, with the credentials of someone who can defeat the insurgent Reform party, said one Labour lawmaker.
Many Labour members of parliament fear losing their seats in the next election, due in 2029, to Farage’s party, which leads opinion polls.
Another of Starmer’s rivals, former health minister Wes Streeting, said this week he would force a contest soon unless the prime minister announced when he would stand down. He said Burnham’s victory was proof that Labour needed to change, Reuters reported.
Party rules require 20% of the parliamentary party, or 81 lawmakers, to announce they are backing a single candidate to trigger a leadership challenge.
Throughout the month-long campaign, Burnham has projected himself as a leader ready for national office, frequently outlining policies that could form the basis of a future government. At the same time, he has sought to calm investor concerns by emphasising his commitment to maintaining strict fiscal discipline.
Concerns arose after Burnham remarked last year that Britain was “at the mercy” of the bond markets, a comment that unsettled investors and sparked speculation that he might support higher levels of government borrowing. He has since argued that his remarks were taken out of context and misinterpreted.
(With inputs from agencies)
