Labor politician Andy Burnham won a crucial by-election on Friday, putting him in position to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer as leader of the Labor Party and ultimately the UK.
Burnham defeated the far-right Reform UK Party candidate in the Makerfield by-election in northwest England.
The veteran Labor politician polled almost 25,000 votes, while Rob Kenyon of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK came second with more than 15,600 votes.
Burnham says Labor has ‘last chance for change’
“Everyone knows politics isn’t working,” Burnham said in her victory speech. “Everyone can feel that the country is not where it should be. Tonight could be the turning point.
“I tell my party this is the last chance for change,” Burnham said. “There will be no second chance.”
He added, “But with this result tonight, there is now a chance to build a new politics based on unity and hope, moving away from a path that leads us toward the divisive, dark politics that we see in the United States.”
Possible candidates to replace Starmer
Burnham has served as mayor of Greater Manchester, one of Britain’s largest cities and a traditional Labor stronghold.
Now having won a seat in the House of Commons, he has potentially become the front-runner to unseat Starmer.
The Labor Party, under Starmer’s leadership, performed poorly in the May local elections, leading to calls for his resignation from within his own ranks.
Labor lost over 1,400 council seats across England, losing influence to both Reform UK on the populist right and the Greens on the populist left.
Burnham will travel to London on Monday to be sworn in as an MP.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico
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