Makerfield. I wonder how it’s going!

Heck, a gigantic win

55% of the vote!

What a relief. Andy won with a good majority.

I wonder how Nigel Farage is taking the news?

Andy took more votes than all the other candidates put together. A great, emphatic win on the path to change. He also did it without any negativity and divisiveness towards his contenders including Kenyon. Great speech I thought.

ronib

I wonder how Nigel Farage is taking the news?

I think what will hurt most is the thought that the electorate there preferred somebody else to him, on a personal level. The cult of personality is what has carried Farage so far, and Burnham is his first real challenger. The next few months will be interesting

Tice was on BBC this morning saying the only reason Andy won was because people want Starmer out.
He looked as though he was eating sour grapes.

He’s right though.

nanna8

He’s right though.

How can anybody know why the people of Makerfield voted as they did. Burnham is popular in the North.

Following that logic through- if the good folk of Makerfield voted Burnham because they want Starmer out, they placed their faith in Burnham to win PM role.

Thats is likely to come to pass.

Farage is probably choking on his porridge this morning. Makerfield voted emphatically for Brexit, voted emphatically for Reform in recent local elections. Reform's vote share has fallen Restore's has gained. The world's media (including wealthy benefactors ) was watching and Reform didn't pull through.

Farage said he would throw everything at this by election and all he had to throw was Kenyon whose lack of political ability highlighted Reform's inability to pitch a winner when most needed. There is no good news whatsoever for Farage this morning.

The vote doesn’t help Keir Starmer but he isn’t the only reason Andy won. He was a good MP, great on Hillsborough and as mayor of Gtr Manchester. He’s warm and personable, he won on merit and as a message to politicians

Why doesn’t the win by Burnham help Starmer? A win by Reform would have been less helpful. This whole debate about who is prime minister might be good for the country moving forward rather than in stasis. It’s really up to the MPs to decide one way or the other? For the good of the country rather than themselves - fond hope?

Some Labour MPs while welcoming Burnham still support Starmer. It depends how many still support him.

ronib - if you’ve watched or listened to interviews by local voters, or any Labour activist you must have heard the constant complaints about Keir’s leadership. So Andy’s win further undermines Keir.

I don’t agree that Starmer is undermined by Burnham’s win simply because a win to Reform would have shown that Labour is completely lost. Iam64

Iam64

The vote doesn’t help Keir Starmer but he isn’t the only reason Andy won. He was a good MP, great on Hillsborough and as mayor of Gtr Manchester. He’s warm and personable, he won on merit and as a message to politicians

I absolutely agree- it's others who feel the vote went Burnham was soley to get Starmer - that ignores his track record and reputation in the area.

AB connected with his electorate on Gtr Manchester such that he won the mayor election three times. I agree he is personable and warm. He's not perfect- absolutely no one is. But the country has not connected with Starmer and in these challenging times this is important.

It's a good win for the Labour Party absolutely. I do feel Starmer's position is undermined by the extent of AB's vote share and that he successfully warded off Reform.

We already know Streeting has resigned and plans a leadership bid next week if Starmer does not step down.

It remains to be seen who wins the leadership contest.