Andy Burnham has warned that this is Labour's final opportunity to deliver change, stating there will be 'no second chance'. The Greater Manchester Mayor will return to Westminster as a Labour MP on Monday after his landslide win at the Makerfield by-election.
Victory Opens Leadership Challenge
His victory opens up the opportunity for him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party, something he has previously indicated he will do. Burnham described his win as a 'turning point' that 'will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody'.
In his victory speech, he said: 'I promise to lead by example from the front. I will focus on problem-solving rather than point-scoring, and I will work hard after this by-election to heal the divisions of this campaign and let it be really understood that I will be your MP, however you voted.'
Full Results
Andy Burnham gained 24,927 votes, giving him a majority of 9,231. Reform's Robert Kenyon was a distant second with 15,696. Here are the results in full:
- Andy Burnham (Lab) 24,937 (54.82%, +9.62%)
- Rob Kenyon (Reform) 15,696 (34.51%, +2.71%)
- Rebecca Shepherd (Restore) 3,111 (6.84%)
- Michael Winstanley (C) 997 (2.19%, -8.68%)
- Sarah Wakefield (Green) 308 (0.68%, -3.73%)
- Jake Austin (LD) 163 (0.36%, -6.43%)
- Count Binface (Binface) 95 (0.21%)
- Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 45 (0.10%)
- John Dyer (Ind) 37 (0.08%)
- Peter Ward (Rejoin) 35 (0.08%)
- Dan Clarke (Libertarian) 18 (0.04%)
- Ed Gemmell (Climate) 18 (0.04%)
- Robert Pownall (Ind) 18 (0.04%)
- Paul Gould (Ind) 8 (0.02%)
Labour majority: 9,241 (20.32%). Swing of 3.45% from Reform to Labour. Electorate: 77,478; Turnout: 45,486 (58.71%, +6.31%).
Comparison with 2024 General Election
In the 2024 general election, Labour's majority was 5,399 (13.41%) with a turnout of 40,263 (52.40%). The candidates then were: Simons (Lab) 18,202 (45.21%); Kenyon (Reform) 12,803 (31.80%); Finkelstein (C) 4,379 (10.88%); Skipworth (LD) 2,735 (6.79%); Deery (Green) 1,776 (4.41%); Bryer (Eng Dem) 368 (0.91%).
