Sir Keir Starmer’s days in Downing Street look to be numbered as Andy Burnham comfortably won the Makerfield by-election and is poised to prompt a leadership challenge.
Declaring it a”final chance” for Labour to change Mr Burnham said there would be “no second chance” as the size of his victory was also a setback to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Mr Burnham won 55% of the vote – 9,000 more votes than Reform’s Robert Kenyon. Burnham is no longer the Greater Manchester mayor – an election to replace him is expected to take place on 30 July.
“Everyone knows politics is not workiing. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point,” he said.
Sir Keir responded by saying voters chose hope and optimism over hate.
The size of Mr Burnham’s victory came as a surprise to all but was probably as much a vote against Labour as for it, as many were voting for the removal of the Prime Minister and his unpopular policies.
In Scotland, it was a mixed night for the SNP as the Conservatives won their first by-election in Scotland since 1967. Donald Lumsden secured the Aberdeen South seat as voters expressed their anger over policies towards the oil & gas sector.
In Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, the SNP’s Lara Bird won with an increased increased majority of 5,278.
Mr Lumsden won the Aberdeen South seat thanks largely to a tactical vote, according to Tory sources, securing 14,308 votes.
He said: “the destruction of the North Sea oil and gas industry must stop now.”
The SNP vote collapsed from 15,213 in the 2024 general election to 8,258.
In Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, Ms Bird held the seat vacated by the SNP’s Stephen Gethins who, like Stephen Flynn, quit Westminster for Holyrood.
Ms Bird – a lawyer and SNP adviser – won 9,802 votes, with Reform’s Bill Reid second with 4,841.
“It was obviously the Tories’ night up in Aberdeen this evening, and obviously that’s a disappointing result for us,” she said.
First Minister John Swinney said: “I am delighted that the SNP has won the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election and that Lara Bird will take her place as the SNP’s newest MP.
“She has run a fantastic campaign focused entirely on the people’s priorities, in particular the cost of living, and she will be an excellent local champion at Westminster.
“It is clearly disappointing not to have won in Aberdeen South, and I offer my heartfelt thanks to Richard Thomson and his dedicated team of activists for their efforts.
“But while we will continue delivering on the people’s priorities, the contrast with the Westminster system could not be clearer.
“The Labour British government is about to descend into chaos and infighting yet again, in the aftermath of the Makerfield by-election result.
“Rather than supporting people with the cost of living crisis, Westminster will once again be focused on itself.”
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