The fight to save Labour and stop Reform UK has become the focus of what is being described as the most important by-election in 50 years, following a week of leadership chaos. The Mirror's Sophie Huskisson reports on the turmoil and the upcoming contest in Makerfield, which could determine the party's direction.
Leadership Turmoil
Many Labour MPs are despairing at the way last week played out. One left-leaning MP branded it a "circus," telling The Mirror: "I'm fed up with how this looks. We're finally in government and we're less than two years in. We've not been in for 14 years and now this is the way to go. Seriously, guys?" A Labour staffer admitted the week was "the exact psychodrama we went in on the Tories for, so it's not great for the party's brand."
As the week spiralled, calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down mounted. Leadership rivals Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham made their ambitions clear, while Angela Rayner was cleared of deliberate wrongdoing over her tax affairs. Some Labour MPs blame Starmer for not stepping aside after catastrophic local election results, while others fault colleagues who demanded his resignation without a clear successor. Others point to leadership hopefuls putting "personal ambition" above the party.
The Makerfield By-Election
With no official challenge to Starmer yet, focus shifts to the Makerfield by-election, triggered by Josh Simons stepping down as MP. Pollster Luke Tryl called it the "most important by-election contest in the past 50 years." Burnham has permission from Labour's ruling body to stand, but candidate selection is ongoing. If selected, the by-election will be a personal test of his ability to beat Reform UK and a pathway to challenging Starmer.
A senior Labour source said: "While we are impartial, our job is to defend the leader and work of the Labour government. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster for everyone. The party now has a responsibility to win a by-election. We will throw everything at it as we would with every election."
Battle Against Reform
Burnham described the contest as a battle for the "soul of the Labour party and country," focusing on defeating Nigel Farage, who has sent activists to campaign in the area. Reform UK came second in the Greater Manchester constituency during the general election and made gains in local elections earlier this month. A Labour loss could be devastating, wiping out hopes of a Burnham return and solidifying an image of Reform as unstoppable.
One Labour MP, an ally of Streeting, told The Mirror: "What's motivating this contest, most Labour MPs and me personally, is that this is about keeping Nigel Farage out of No10 and it's about winning the next election." A left-wing MP leaning towards Burnham added: "We've got to win this by-election. We're all going to have to make sure we win. Speed is of the essence so we can rebuild. All I'm thinking about selfishly is my seat. It's going to be a huge challenge if we carry on like this."
