Andy Burnham received more votes than the other 13 candidates combined in the Makerfield byelection, a result widely seen as the most politically consequential in recent UK history. Here are the key numbers from the overnight result.
1. 54.82%
This proportion of Makerfield voters supported Andy Burnham, exceeding the 45.2% Labour achieved in the 2024 general election and the party's 2019 share. Burnham's victory was larger than many expected, with his vote share surpassing that of all other candidates combined.
2. 9,241
Burnham's majority was healthier than anticipated, beating Labour's 2024 and 2019 majorities. While dwarfed by Ian McCartney's 26,000-plus majority in 1997, it remains a strong showing for a byelection.
3. 2.7 percentage points
Reform UK's Robert Kenyon improved his vote share from 31.8% in 2024 to 34.5% this time. However, given Reform's national poll leads and the demographic fit of Makerfield, this was a disappointment, as Nigel Farage acknowledged. Whether Reform has peaked or Kenyon's controversial social media posts deterred voters remains unclear.
4. 163
The Liberal Democrat candidate Jake Austin received 163 votes (0.36%), just 68 more than Count Binface. The Greens got 308 votes; the Conservatives 997. Combined, these three parties secured only 3.23%, well below the £500 deposit threshold. This highlights increasing tactical voting in the UK's first-past-the-post system, with voters coalescing around the Labour vs Reform contest to block Nigel Farage.
