In the end, it wasn't even close. Andy Burnham took well over 50% of the vote, and Rob Kenyon departed the stage without a murmur, never to be heard from again. Rob will probably be happier that way; he never seemed to enjoy being the Reform candidate in Makerfield.
A Celebration Rally at Ashton Town FC
After a brief acceptance speech at the count, Burnham reappeared six hours later at Ashton Town FC for the proper celebration rally. Flanked by several MPs waving 'Andy for Us' placards and one notable ex-MP, Josh Simons, who had vacated the seat for the coronation, Andy was all smiles in the sunshine. He had even swapped out his slightly too tight black T-shirt for a slightly too tight white polo shirt. This was him dressing up for the occasion. He can do formal when he tries.
A Surreal Byelection
It was all rather surreal. A byelection that felt more like a general election. That was certainly Burnham's vibe. His speech could have been made by a new incoming Labour prime minister who had just ousted a much-hated Tory government. In fact, he might have lifted huge chunks from the one Keir Starmer gave outside Downing Street less than two years ago. You could be forgiven for wondering which parallel universe you were living in.
"What a scene, what a campaign," he began, thanking the volunteers and people of Makerfield who had helped elect him to Westminster. Then a special thanks to Simons for making way, who understood the message of change from the May local elections and made the ultimate sacrifice for the once and future king. Not just king of the north, but king of the whole UK. Move over, Charlie. There's a new kid in town. He made it sound like a grail quest.
A Promise of Change
This was the last chance to change. The country had been given a bonus shot at redemption. The previous government had failed and let down the people who placed their trust in it. He was talking about Starmer, not Rishi Sunak or any of the four Tory prime ministers before him. Andy was the outsider, the mystic with a sacred mission. He sounded the part: an economy that works for everyone, not just the few. If a policy wasn't good for Makerfield, it wasn't good enough for the country. Industry, education, and the NHS would flourish anew.
Then came the communion, the most sacred part of the speech. Tory, Lib Dem, and Reform supporters had lent him their votes. Hope had triumphed over darkness. There would be no more division. Today would go down in history as the moment that changed the nation. There would be no more sadness, no more despair. A change was coming, and Andy would work relentlessly to make it happen. All you needed was a bit of faith. Only glory days lay ahead.
Emotion and Overselling
Burnham fell back, overwhelmed with emotion, wondering if perhaps he had oversold his victory. These were promises we had all heard before from other prime minister-designates, yet time and again they were broken on the wheel of incompetence, party politics, and reality. Andy sounded different, but the new kid on the block often does. Deep down, we all need a reason to believe. But when hope is this high, so are the depths of possible disappointment. Saying you will do your best is not enough. We all need a promised land.
Missing Leader
There was just one thing missing: one person. Normally, after a party wins a landmark byelection, the leader airlifts to the constituency for a photo op with the new MP to bask in reflected glory. But Keir was nowhere to be seen. His first reaction was a curt "congrats" on X, along with a message that voters responded to "Labour's message of hope." Only they hadn't; they responded to Burnham's message of hope. The hope that Andy would be the next prime minister. No one in Makerfield doubted the stakes or what they were voting for.
Shortly before Andy manifested at Ashton FC, Keir did a TV clip in Barnet, about 200 miles south, insisting the real news was his scheme to make housebuying more transparent. "We've done incredible things," he said. Things people thought impossible. "I will stand in any leadership contest." Sometimes it feels as if Labour is dead set on replicating Tory chaos. There was sadness in Keir's refusal to read the room. It may not be fair, but his time is over. There is no coming back. Even his most loyal MPs now realize the game is up. Maybe over the weekend, sense will prevail. His wife will have a word. He deserves better than to preside over his own humiliation.
Support and Denial
He still had one supporter: Steve Reed. "I'm not in denial," Steve denied during the morning media round. For Steve, Burnham's success was a triumph for Brand Starmer. What was needed was a period of calm reflection, Andy settling in as a backbench MP while Keir ran the country. Besides, Andy was most needed as the man to win the vacant Manchester mayoralty. In ReedWorld, Burnham is trapped in a never-ending Escher etching: forever resigning either the mayoralty or his constituency to fight whichever victory left vacant. Poor Steve. This hasn't been a great year for him.
Farage's Absence
One other person not much in evidence was Nigel Farage. This was a terrible night for Reform. If Makerfield had voted as it did in the May local elections, Kenyon would have won with a majority of 8,000. Burnham's victory showed the country is not hellbent on putting Reform in Downing Street. Still, at least Nige hadn't spent any of his £5m handout on the campaign, so things weren't all bad.
Instead, Farage made do with a sulky video, yet again made in a field. He's always in a field these days, the only place he can be sure no one will ask awkward questions about his slush funds. He expected a disappointing night, he said. He really hadn't. Not this disappointing. "Reform is still the leading party of the centre right," he added. Except it isn't. There is nothing centre-right about Reform; they are much further from the middle than that. Something more than half of Makerfield voters understood only too well.
