As Andy Burnham stood between a man dressed as a fox and one as an intergalactic bin, a seismic moment in modern British politics played out on a stage in Wigan. Mr Burnham’s gamble paid off in some style. He was swept back into Westminster on a tidal wave of votes for Labour in the Makerfield by-election, but what's his next move? Will the 'King of the North' now position himself to be the political king of the country?
The answer, according to everyone asked that question at the Makerfield count early on Friday morning, is an undoubted yes. But in his acceptance speech, Mr Burnham did not address his Prime Ministerial ambitions. Makerfield, he said, would never be a 'stepping stone' for him, but instead a 'touchstone'.
Historic By-Election Result
The people of the constituency, he added, had voted for change, but warned that it was a 'last chance' for Labour, and the party would not get another one. It was the most consequential by-election for decades, with the proud former mining community of Ashton-in-Makerfield thrust into the centre of a political storm for weeks.
Those storm clouds will now move to Westminster. The result in Makerfield, declared at around 3.15am, paves the way for Mr Burnham to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour Party leadership to become PM.
Prevented by Labour from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, the now former mayor of Greater Manchester's return as an MP - 25 years on from his first election to Parliament in Leigh - throws up another big question. Who will become our city region's new elected mayor?
Mayoral Vacancy
The result means a mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester is likely to take place in just over a month. Rules state that a mayor of a Strategic Authority who also has Police and Crime Commissioner functions - as Mr Burnham did - is disqualified from being commissioner upon being elected as a member of the House of Commons. It means his election as an MP disqualifies him from being mayor. A vacancy now arises, with a mayoral by-election likely to take place within 35 working days of the Makerfield result, with July 30 already identified.
Mr Burnham, 56, the mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017, smiled on stage at The Edge conference centre in Wigan as the result was declared. It was widely predicted as a close call between Labour and Reform UK. In the end it was nothing of the sort.
Landslide Victory
Mr Burnham increased the Labour Party majority in the constituency by almost 4,000 votes - and polled more than 9,000 more votes than Reform UK candidate Rob Kenyon in second. Mr Burnham polled 24,927 votes to Reform's 15,696. Restore polled 3,111. Combined, they would not have beaten him by some distance.
The result follows last month’s local elections, where Reform UK won 24 of the 25 seats contested on Wigan Council, including every ward in the Makerfield constituency. Mr Burnham arrived at the count at around 2.20am, to loud applause and cheers.
One Labour Party source told the Manchester Evening News in advance that a 'hero's welcome' was being planned for him. All smiles, he took to the counting floor as a man shouted: 'Next stop Downing Street, Mr Burnham.' In his speech, Mr Burnham referenced the local elections results and said the electorate 'made a loud cry for change'.
Call for Change
'Everyone knows that politics isn't working,' he said. 'Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point. From here on I will give everything I have got to ensure the name Makerfield is forever synonymous with bringing about the change this country needs. Bringing back something we have lost, hope for the future.'
Mr Burnham said he was proud that Makerfield and its people had 'shone' in the glare of national politics. 'It will never be a stepping stone to me,' he added. 'But instead it 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 do say to my own party - this is a final chance to change. There will be no second chance.'
New Politics
He spoke of 'building a new politics' and of 'bringing people back together'. And he said the result 'brought to an end my wonderful nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester'. 'It is a wrench to leave the job I love, but I am not leaving the service of Greater Manchester.'
Surrounded by a scrum of photographers, Mr Burnham was asked what he was going to do. 'I'm going to go get a pint is what I'll do,' he replied. The Reform candidate, Mr Kenyon, left the count without commenting.
Mr Burnham was surrounded by senior Labour MPs at the count. Wigan MP Lisa Nandy, who was tactfully calling the result for Labour well before the declaration, called the result 'historic'. 'He didn’t just win, he won by a significant margin,' she said. 'Only seven weeks after we lost every single ward in Makerfield and across this borough, by not just hundreds but in some cases thousands of votes. I think he is the only politician, Labour politician, in the country that could have done that. And he did it with a message of hope and positivity and change. And he saw off the hate and division that we’ve seen entering into this town and through our politics.'
Future Leadership
'I feel tremendously optimistic about the potential of having Andy back in Parliament and delivering on that change that he talked about. I’m sure there’ll be a conversation between the Prime Minister and Andy, and I’m sure they’ll want to do that as soon as possible.'
Turn-out in Makerfield was 58.7 per cent from a total of 77,478 registered voters. The turn-out at the Gorton and Denton by-election, won by the Greens, was 47.5 per cent, on a slightly higher electorate of 77,501. It means the turn-out figure in Makerfield was higher than the General Election here in 2024.
Mr Burnham has stood twice for the Labour Party leadership before - in 2010 and 2015 - but was unsuccessful on each occasion. Will it now be third time lucky?
