Published • loading... • Updated
PM under pressure from Labour MPs and ministers to set timetable for exit
Burnham’s 55% vote share and more than 9,000-vote margin have intensified calls for a managed transition, as some ministers urge Starmer to set an exit date.
- On Friday, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, won the parliamentary seat of Makerfield in a special election, cementing his status as a top contender to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced cratering popularity since his July 2024 election victory, while the Nigel Farage-led Reform party has rapidly gained ground in post-industrial northern England areas like Makerfield.
- Burnham secured nearly 55% of the 45,510 votes, defeating Reform candidate Robert Kenyon. Nicknamed the 'King of the North,' the 56-year-old politician's decisive win ends his nine-year mayoralty, strengthening his claim as the party's biggest asset, says Rob Ford.
- Starmer insisted he would fight any leadership challenge, stating, "Yes, I will run, I will stand." Under Labour rules, a challenger requires backing from 81 members of the House of Commons to trigger a contest.
- Burnham will head to London as soon as Monday to be sworn in as a lawmaker. Supporters, including Labour lawmaker Louise Haigh, have suggested Starmer should "consider an orderly and managed transition" to do what is best for the country.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
36 Articles
36 Articles
Starmer vows he’ll fight to keep prime minister seat
ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD, England — Labour’s Andy Burnham, the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, won a special election for a seat in Parliament and signaled Friday that he will use it to challenge embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership of the country. Read more...
·Vancouver, United States
Read Full Article
Evening StandardReposted by 
perspectivemedia.com
perspectivemedia.comStarmer under pressure to quit after Burnham’s by-election win
Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have spoken to a number of Cabinet ministers on Friday.
·London, United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Father's Day SaleGet 40% off Vantage subscriptions for yourself or a friend.Get Started
Coverage Details
Total News Sources36
Leaning Left10Leaning Right7Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution37% Left, 37% Center
Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources lean Left, 37% of the sources are Center
37% Center
L 37%
C 37%
R 26%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
