Makerfield votes are being counted overnight, with the result set to land squarely on the desk of a Prime Minister already fighting for his political life. The by-election in the Greater Manchester seat was held amid a tumultuous period of bitter infighting at the top of the Labour Party.
Starmer Under Siege
Demands have been mounting for Sir Keir Starmer to resign as Prime Minister, with a slew of Cabinet resignations deepening the crisis engulfing his Government. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting is understood to be preparing to launch a leadership bid regardless of the Makerfield result, setting the stage for a brutal battle.
The Prime Minister swept to power with a landslide just two years ago but has since been battered by a series of crises that have left his authority hanging by a thread. A wave of senior Labour figures have broken cover to question whether Sir Keir can survive, with the party's poll ratings sliding and backbenchers openly discussing his future.
Burnham's Return
The by-election was triggered when Labour MP Josh Simons stood aside barely two years into the job to clear a path for Andy Burnham to return to the Commons and go for the leadership. Mr Burnham has cast the contest as a fight to save the Labour Party. He posed for photographs in the battleground seat yesterday, just hours after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage staged his own visit.
Reform's Challenge
Mr Farage joined Robert Kenyon, the party's local candidate, for a morning photo opportunity, having fought a campaign urging voters to reject career politicians in a swipe at Mr Burnham. But Reform's hopes may have been dented by Restore Britain, with the rival outfit accused of siphoning off Mr Farage's vote and splitting the Right.
Reform, the Conservatives and the Greens have all sought to capitalise on Labour's turmoil, eating into the party's support in its traditional heartlands. Regardless of the result, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to now face a brutal fight as various members of his own party seek to oust him from Number 10.
