THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Labour's Andy Burnham wins a special election, setting up a showdown with Starmer to lead Britain Labour's Andy Burnham, the current mayor of Greater Manchester, has won a special election for a seat in Parliament that puts him in a position to challenge embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership of the country.

Starmer’s future on the line as Britain holds closely watched vote Keir Starmer isn’t on the ballot, but the UK prime minister’s future is on the line in a special election on Thursday. Voters in the Makerfield district of northwest England are electing a new lawmaker, and the leading contender is Andy Burnham of the governing Labour Party, the current mayor of Greater Manchester and oddsmakers’ favourite to be the next prime minister. If Burnham defeats a candidate from the anti-immigration party Reform UK and wins the seat for Labour, he’s almost certain to...

Why UK's Makerfield by-election matters far beyond one parliamentary ... The small constituency of Makerfield in northwest England has found itself in the eye of the storm of British politics with a by-election on Thursday that will not only produce a new member of parliament but could also pave the way for a new prime minister. The by-election was triggered last month when the previous MP, Josh Simons, stood down to allow Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to contest the seat. If Burnham wins, he intends to challenge UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the ruling Labour Party. list of 4 itemsend of list Starmer is facing mounting pressure to step aside following dismal council election results last month and this week’s resignation of Secretary of State for Defence John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns over the United Kingdom’s defence budget. Seeking to derail Burham’s hopes for the Labour leadership, however, is far-right Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, whose campaign has been dogged by controversy over alleged sexist and misogynistic social media posts but who remains within striking distance in the polls. Reform came second at the last election in …

'Political drama beckons' in the UK as Starmer vows to run in any leadership contest British Prime ​Minister Keir Starmer ​urged Labour members to unite ​after ‌the Makerfield ⁠by-election victory that returned ‌rival Andy Burnham to parliament, ⁠warning against infighting as pressure ​grows over the party ‌leadership. Burnham's election clears the way for his expectede bid to oust Starmer, who has grown increasingly unpopular. FRANCE 24's Benedicte Paviot has more from London.

Polls close in Makerfield byelection as Andy Burnham eyes No 10 <p>Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor predicted to beat Reform but Keir Starmer is unlikely to easily step aside</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jun/18/makerfield-byelection-keir-starmer-andy-burnham-robert-kenyon-labour-leadership-reform-aberdeen-arbroath-uk-politics-latest-news-updates">Makerfield byelection – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Polls have closed in Makerfield, Aberdeen South, and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, with the result in the north-west of England constituency byelection poised to decide the future of UK politics.</p><p>The population of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/makerfield-byelection">Makerfield</a>, a constituency sitting just outside Wigan, has found itself at the centre of the British political world in recent weeks after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/andyburnham">Andy Burnham</a> quit as mayor of Greater Manchester to contest the seat that he hoped would lead him not only to Westminster, but to the front door of 10 Downing Street.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/18/makerfield-byelection-labo…

Polls close in historic Makerfield byelection that could see Andy Burnham elected and pave way for end of Starmer – UK politics live <p>Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor hopes a win over Reform UK will help force the prime minister to step aside</p><p>Good evening, and welcome to the Guardian’s Makerfield byelection live blog. The polls have just closed and we may have to wait until around dawn (quite early in the summer, of course) until we get a result. But, as the votes are counted, it should become clear well before then who is going to win. Andy Burnham, the Labour former cabinet minister, current mayor of Greater Manchester, and potential future prime minister, is widely expected to be the new MP, but at this point no one knows for sure.</p><p>Here is our latest story about what has been happening today, and what may unfold in the hours to come.</p><p>At the time of going to print, Op Makerfield is not a totally done deal. Two of Burnham’s top team parrot the same line: ‘It’s closer than you think.’ But those advising the Manchester mayor think the scale of any win will determine the speed of events. ‘If he wins by low single digits, Keir Starmer digs in and says: “You can’t…

Starmer’s future hangs in balance after Burnham’s Makerfield election win Ashton-in-Makerfield, a town few knew of until recently, has potentially chosen the UK&#039;s next prime minister.

What key issues will shape the Makerfield by-election outcome? Key By-Election Results Awaited in Makerfield As the political landscape shifts in the UK, the by-election in Makerfield is set to conclude early Friday morning, following a tumultuous period marked by significant resignations and party manoeuvres. Polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm, with results expected around 3am or 4am. This election is crucial for Labour and its leader, Andy Burnham, as well as for the Reform party, led by Nigel Farage. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for the future of UK politics. What We Know So Far The Makerfield by-election follows a series of political shifts, including Wes Streeting's resignation as Health Secretary and Josh Simons stepping down as MP. The election is being closely monitored, with political analysts highlighting its potential impact on party dynamics and voter sentiment. Polling stations across Makerfield opened this morning, and the counting will take place at The Edge, a local venue known for hosting various tribute acts. Why This Matters in the UK The Makerfield by-election is pivotal not only for the local constituency but also for the broader po…

What to know about Keir Starmer's successful rival, newly-elected Andy Burnham Lawmaker Andy Burnham said Britain needed ​fundamental change, from its economy to its immigration system, to education and industry, after he won a parliamentary seat ​in the Makerfield by-election. The election was under intense scrutiny as it was triggered to give Burnham the possibility of challenging PM Keir Starmer for party leadership, for which he would be the favourite. FRANCE 24's Philip Turle tells us what to expect now.

Who Is Andy Burnham, the Man Who Could Be Britain’s Next Prime Minister? Andy Burnham, Labour’s most popular politician, arriving on Friday for the results announcement for the Makerfield by-election, in which he beat the populist right-wing Reform U.K. party.

Andy Burnham, the UK’s Likely Next Prime Minister, Promises Shift of Power Out of London Andy Burnham, center, arrives to deliver a speech in Manchester, northern England, on Monday. He is expected to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister from the Labour Party.

UK’s likely next leader Andy Burnham to unveil plan to shift power from London Andy Burnham, the Labour lawmaker expected to replace Keir Starmer as British prime minister, will outline his vision for Britain on Monday, his office said, promising to change how the nation is governed with power moving from London to ‌the regions. Burnham, who returned to Westminster earlier this month after winning a parliamentary seat, is currently the only declared candidate to take over from Starmer and could be installed in Downing Street within weeks. Starmer announced last week he...

Andy Burnham wins Makerfield byelection, paving way for Starmer leadership challenge <p>Greater Manchester mayor beats Reform UK and hardline Restore Britain to return to Westminster after nine years</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jun/18/makerfield-byelection-keir-starmer-andy-burnham-robert-kenyon-labour-leadership-reform-aberdeen-arbroath-uk-politics-latest-news-updates">UK politics – live updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Andy Burnham has won the crucial Makerfield byelection by a huge majority, paving the way for a challenge to Keir Starmer’s premiership.</p><p>The Greater Manchester mayor beat the Reform UK candidate, Robert Kenyon, and the new hardline Restore Britain party.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-wins-makerfield-byelection-paving-way-labour-leadership-challenge">Continue reading...</a>

Rebel Lawmaker Set to Try a Knockout Blow to U.K.’s Starmer Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham wins by-election to enter Parliament and challenge prime minister.

Regional mayor poised to challenge UK's PM after 'circus' by-election win Andy Burnham, a British Labour lifer, is soon expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the country's top job, after re-entering the House of Commons via a by-election.

Could ‘king in the north’ become Britain’s new prime minister? <p>Makerfield victory gives Burnham a path back to Westminster and a chance to challenge Starmer for PM</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-avoids-press-queries-staff-no-doubts-makerfield">Celebrations and a swift exit after a Burnham win ‘beyond our wildest dreams’</a></p></li></ul><p>“We know no king but the King in the North”, declares the young Lady Lyanna Mormont in the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. In the early hours of Friday morning, in a nondescript conference hall in the north of England, it appeared that the electorate agreed.</p><p>About 70,000 voters in a post-industrial region of north-west England may have changed the face of British politics this week, after electing the charismatic Labour politician Andy Burnham to represent them in London.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-could-king-north-become-britain-new-prime-minister">Continue reading...</a>

Starmer rival Burnham wins Makerfield as Labour leadership speculation grows Labour's Andy Burnham won the Makerfield parliamentary by-election on Friday, defeating Reform UK candidate Rob Kenyon and returning to Westminster after years as Greater Manchester mayor. The victory strengthens Burnham's position as a potential successor to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as speculation grows over Labour's future leadership.

Why UK’s Makerfield by-election matters far beyond one parliamentary seat Thursday&#039;s contest could pave the way for Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to challenge Keir Starmer&#039;s premiership.

‘King of the North’ Burnham wins seat, setting up bid to oust UK’s Starmer Labour mayor Andy Burnham ⁠cleared a path to ⁠be able to attempt to oust ⁠British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after winning a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday in what could be the most consequential local election in more than six decades. Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor nicknamed the “King of the North”, won the contest in Makerfield in northwest England with ‌24,927 of the votes, while the candidate for Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK party came second with 15,696...

Makerfield: the local election that could change the UK Just over 75,000 people in the constituency of #Makerfield, near #Manchester, will be voting for their new representative in parliament on June 18th… possibly leading to the fall of the #UK’s prime minister.

Labour hopes for 'smooth transition' as Starmer rival wins critical election UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has congratulated Labour's Andi Burnham's win in the by-election that took place in the constituency of Makerfield on June 17, while saying he would fight any leadership challenge he is presented with. Burnham is Starmer's main rival, with many in Labour hoping that the new MP will now challenge the PM. FRANCE 24's Benedicte Paviot tells us more.

The kingmakers of Makerfield: English town braces for crucial by-election On June 18, voters will determine the fate of Andy Burnham, a possible contender to replace embattled PM Starmer.

Hot political summer ahead for Britain, Burnham MP intends to challenge PM Starmer <p> <img src="https://en.mercopress.com/data/cache/noticias/110548/100x80/andy.jpg" alt="Labor&rsquo;s former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham won with a clear majority in a special election to the British parliament" width="100" height="80" style="float:left;margin:0 12px 6px 0;border:1px solid #333" /> Andy Burnham, Labor’s former Greater Manchester mayor has won with a clear majority in a special election to the British parliament, and is ready to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the party leadership saying he wants “to lay out a new path for Britain" and Labour needs to "make life affordable" again.</p>

Andy Burnham wins crucial UK by-election, in blow to Keir Starmer Greater Manchester mayor&#039;s victory in Makerfield clears way for a bid to unseat Starmer as prime minister.

Burnham Wins Makerfield By-Election, Clearing Path to Challenge Starmer as UK Prime Minister Mayor Andy Burnham of Greater Manchester outside his campaign office on Thursday.

Starmer on the line as UK holds "most important local election in decades" Keir Starmer isn’t on the ballot, but the U.K. prime minister’s future is on the line in a special election on June 18. Voters in the Makerfield district of northwest England are electing a new lawmaker. The leading contender is Andy Burnham, the current Labour mayor of Greater Manchester and the favourite to be the next prime minister. FRANCE 24's Benedicte Paviot explains why.

Starmer's main rival wins key Makerfield election, looks to premiership Labour's Andy Burnham has won a by-election in northern England, fuelling speculation that he could mount a challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer’s popularity has cratered since he led the center-left Labour Party to a landslide election victory in July 2024. Labour is losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party, and facing a rising Reform UK, which consistently leads in nationwide opinion polls.

Why a by-election in an obscure English town suddenly matters to ... By David Williams On paper, the upcoming Makerfield by-election in the UK, set for 18 June, is officially a straightforward parliamentary vote to replace a departing MP. In practice, it has become something far more politically loaded. What is unfolding is now widely interpreted as a live test of Labour’s internal cohesion, the strength of Reform UK’s challenge, and the stability of Keir Starmer’s leadership at a sensitive point in government. The vacancy arose after Josh Simons stepped down as MP for Makerfield. While the resignation is formally a routine parliamentary change, it has been widely understood in political circles as a carefully timed move that opens the door for Andy Burnham to stand. That detail matters because it shifts the by-election from a local administrative event into a deliberate political intervention with national implications. Burnham’s potential entry into Parliament is not being viewed as neutral within Labour. It is increasingly seen as a way of placing a high-profile, regionally grounded political figure directly inside Westminster at a moment when Labour is under pressure from d…

One constituency, many power struggles: why Makerfield by-election ... Voters are heading to the polls in Makerfield today in a by-election that could have consequences far beyond the Greater Manchester constituency. While the contest was triggered by theresignation of Labour MP Josh Simons, the result could be a potential turning pointnot only for the Labour Party, but for the future leadership of Greater Manchester and, potentially, the country. At thecentre of the contest is Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who is seeking a return to Westminster after nearly a decade at the forefront of England’s devolution agenda. If Burnham wins, attention is expected to shift immediately to two further contests – a Labour leadership battle and a by-election to replace him as Mayor of Greater Manchester. Polling stations across Makerfield opened at 7am and will remain open until 10pm, with the result expected in the early hours of Friday morning. The Labour candidate faces a crowded field of 14 candidates, including Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who has emerged as his main challenger in a contest that is being closely watched. Burnham has framed his campaign as an opportunity to “cha…

‘Hugely significant’: biggest ever byelection will test nation’s mood – and Burnham’s credentials <p>With 2 million people eligible to vote, Manchester mayoralty race will give clues on whether PM-in-waiting can turn tide against Reform UK</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jul/03/andy-burnham-says-labour-manifesto-has-room-for-movement-on-tax-uk-politics-live">UK politics live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Andy Burnham was delivered to the steps of Downing Street after one of the most consequential parliamentary byelections in recent British history.</p><p>But it is the race to be his successor as Greater Manchester mayor that could reveal far more about the mood of the nation than the historic – and unique – contest in Makerfield.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/03/hugely-significant-biggest-ever-byelection-will-test-nations-mood-and-burnhams-credentials">Continue reading...</a>

Why the By-Election in Makerfield Will Have Giant Consequences for the UK Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, giving a speech in Wigan, England, on Saturday.

Has Burnham’s win in Makerfield sealed Starmer’s fate? - The Latest <p>Andy Burnham’s resounding win in the Makerfield byelection has set the stage for a leadership battle with Keir Starmer. The outgoing mayor of Greater Manchester received more votes than Reform and Restore combined, and the nature of the victory has prompted speculation he could replace Starmer as prime minister within weeks, if not days. Annie Kelly speaks to political correspondent Alexandra Topping</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://viewer.gutools.co.uk/politics/live/2026/jun/18/makerfield-byelection-keir-starmer-andy-burnham-robert-kenyon-labour-leadership-reform-aberdeen-arbroath-uk-politics-latest-news-updates">UK politics – live updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-wins-makerfield-byelection-paving-way-labour-leadership-challenge">Andy Burnham wins by huge majority</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2026/jun/19/has-burnhams-win-in-makerfield-sealed-starmers-fate-the-latest">Continue reading...</a>

After Burnham’s reign, battle begins for Greater Manchester’s mayoral crown <p>The influential role vacated by the new Makerfield MP will be fiercely contested by Labour, Reform and the Greens</p><p>As Andy Burnham maps out <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/20/burnham-allies-confident-no-10-coronation-after-surge-backers-labour-leadership">the final steps on his path to Downing Street</a>, he may feel that his future is clear. But a look back over his shoulder reveals a cloudier outlook, inviting the question: what now happens to his former role as Greater Manchester’s mayor?</p><p>An election has been set for 30 July, and with the job widely seen as having grown under Burnham’s tenure to become one of the most influential in British politics outside Westminster, Labour is desperate to cling on to it – but parties to its right and left both see an opportunity.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/22/battle-begins-for-burnham-greater-manchester-mayoral-crown">Continue reading...</a>

World: Burnham wins key UK poll, paving way for bid to chall WIGAN —Veteran UK Labour politician Andy Burnham emphatically won a crunch by-election on Friday, securing a parliamentary seat and clearing the way for a widely expected leadership challenge against beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer.Burnham, a former government minister who has been Greater Manchester mayor since 2017, ensured his return to parliament by easily beating the hard-right Reform UK party's candidate in the Makerfield constituency in northwest England.The 56-year-old longtime figure in centre-left Labour has indicated he will challenge Starmer for the party's leadership and to be prime minister, and needs to win the high-stakes vote to be in a position to trigger such a contest.If Starmer does leave office this year, then Britain will get its seventh prime minister in 10 years.

Burnham moves closer to becoming British PM, Farage runs against Count Binface Veteran politician Andy Burnham is taking another step towards becoming the UK's next prime minister o, July 9 as nominations to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader formally opened. He is the only Labour member of Parliament to have publicly said they are a candidate to succeed Starmer. Another key election is taking place in Clacton, where far-right Nigel Farage will be facing Count Binface. FRANCE 24's Benedicte Paviot tells us more.

UK: Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham wins parliament seat The by-election victory paves the way for Burnham to challenge Keir Starmer's leadership.

U.K. Special Election Could Topple Keir Starmer - Political Wire New York Times : “It would have seemed hard to imagine a few months ago that residents of Ashton-in-Makerfield, a former coal mining town in the north of England, might play a central role in toppling Britain’s prime minister.” “Yet that possibility was on just about everyone’s mind last week at the town’s main coffee shop, down the road from a sports club where Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, had set up campaign headquarters for his shot at a seat in Parliament.” “If he wins a June 18 special election, Mr. Burnham is expected to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the governing Labour Party and the country. Mr. Starmer is so unpopular that many of the town’s residents believe Mr. Burnham would have little trouble defeating him in an intraparty contest, which would also transfer control of Downing Street.” Save to Favorites Bluesky X Threads Facebook Email