WOW! Just Wow! The good folk of Makerfield in North West England and comeback kid himself Andy Burnham changed the course of Britain for the better with a truly sensational result.
Our country was at a fork in the road, smug Nigel Farage and his Reform Tories convinced the nation was turning Hard Right and the migrant-demonising reactionary was heading for Downing Street. Not any more after voters in an area representing battered towns everywhere took a Left turn by overwhelmingly choosing hope and togetherness over bigotry and division.
Burnham, back to a UK Parliament and almost certainly beating Farage to No 10, was the only current Labour politician who could have trounced the money-grabbing City slicker in a seat Reform considered theirs for the taking. And it was some trouncing for an increasingly tetchy Farage and nasty Reform when Burnham virtually doubled Labour's majority and beat all opponents combined by amassing 55% of the vote.
Burnham the Farage Slayer
The size of that victory and optimistic vision behind it are why Burnham is widely expected to replace as Prime Minister a Keir Starmer who, despite his UK Government's achievements, is an electoral dud. Evicting the present PM was a central plank of the comeback kid's successful pitch. Starmer is delusional should he privately believe survival is an option. Some supporters, including Ministers resigned to losing their jobs in a Burnham cull, are crossing fingers wife Lady Vic whispers to hubby the game is up.
Because Starmer will leave the easy way or the hard way. Remaining isn't a viable option when the King of the North is destined to extend his reign over the entire Kingdom. The Dignitas option, ending life as PM with dignity by resigning, would earn Starmer sympathy whereas kicking and screaming as he's dragged out of high office by resigning Cabinet Ministers and revolting MPs would reinforce the fatal inability to read a room which helped doom his turbulent Premiership.
A Northern Soul Communicates
Burnham's street-wise Northern soul enables him to communicate far more effectively than his spreadsheet likely predecessor. One of the great ironies of contemporary politics would be the assassin taking credit for Starmer pluses such as popular job and renters' rights, rescuing 500,000 kids from poverty and a higher minimum wage making work pay. Exactly what Burnham would do substantially differently other than singing a more compelling tune remains to be discovered yet attractive vibes and momentum are precious currency.
Suddenly it is Farage and Reform battered and bruised, losing a second successive Westminster byelection they thought at the start they would win before finishing licking bloodied wounds. The Cons winning Aberdeen South showed a three-way split on the Right. Wealthy Hard Right farmer and banker Rupert Lowe's vile Restore took 7% in Makerfield, further weakening Farage.
Everything is to play for but Everton fan Burnham put Labour back in the game with a fantastic win. He is now an MP again and the Premiership within grasp. What a ride, what a story, what a comeback.
