Andy Burnham has won a historic by-election victory and is now the newly elected MP for Makerfield, defeating his nearest rival, Reform UK's Robert Kenyon. It means Mr Burnham will return to national politics for the first time since stepping down as Leigh MP in 2017, and taking on the role of Greater Manchester Mayor.
The by-election was described as one of the most anticipated by-elections in recent British history, and was always tipped to be a tight race, but Burnham won comfortably in the end, winning with 24,927 votes, a 6,000 vote increase on the votes gained by Josh Simons in 2024.
The result was announced just after 3am this morning (June 19), with a confirmed turnout of 58.75%, a significant increase on the 52.4% turnout during the 2024 general election.
After the returning officer announced the results at The Edge conference centre in Wigan, Mr Burnham made an acceptance speech in front of his supporters. Here is the statement in full:
"I thank everybody who has worked so hard to make this election run so smoothly and so safely. Thank you very much everybody, and can I say to my fellow candidates, yes, all of you, can I say to you all, thank you for at least a civil debate between us, if not everything going on around the election, we managed that, and that is really important.
"Everyone knows that politics is not working, everyone can feel that the country is not where it should be. Tonight could just could be the turning point.
"From here on, I will give everything I have got to make it so, to ensure the name Makerfield is forever synonymous with bringing about the change this country needs, bringing back something we've lost, hope, hope for the future.
"I am proud that this place has shone in the world spotlight these last five weeks, and the warmth, humour and hospitality of its people has been on show for all to see.
"It will never be a stepping stone to me, but instead will be my touch stone. A Makerfield test at the heart of British politics will ensure the places Westminster has neglected will now get fairness.
"I spoke in the campaign about the need to change politics. I promise to lead by example from the front as your member of parliament. I know people who traditionally vote for the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and perhaps more recently in May for Reform UK, have given me their support in this election.
"I will always have respect to them for that and out of respect for them I will always take a 'place first' rather than a 'party-first' approach, and 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.
"When this borough went to the polls in May, it made a loud cry for change. In this campaign, we have begun to answer that, but I do say to my own party, this is a final chance to change.
"This is what people said directly to me on the hundreds of doorsteps that I stood on.
"We must hear it. We must act upon it and we must get it right. There will be no second chance, but it is a chance now from this result tonight to build a new politics based on unity and hope, turning away from the path that takes us to a divided, dark politics of the kind we see in the United States. We must now take this path and put this country back on the right path and bring people back together, and get things working properly again.
"It is with some sadness that this result brings an end to my wonderful nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester. This city region has given so much to me, and it is a wrench to leave the job I love, but I am not leaving the service of Greater Manchester.
"I have always been clear that it cannot achieve everything it should be and we cannot close the North-South divide, and we cannot make all the great English cities be what they should be, without big change at the national level.
"I always knew one day I would seek to go back to Westminster to complete that unfinished business, so that Makerfield and Greater Manchester and the North of England can fulfil their potential and I will forever be grateful to the people here, the people of the wonderful places that make up this constituency, the proud places that always have deserved so much more.
"I will forever be grateful to them that they have given me the chance to go back and make this country work for Makerfield and the many places, places like it across the country who have been neglected, who feel that the country works for other people in other places, but not for them and that changes tonight.
"This result changes that, this result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody.
"People here have voted for change, they have voted for more power for the North and everywhere forgotten by Westminster. They have voted for hope. Now let us give that back to them. Thank you very much indeed."
