Makerfield by-election date confirmed as Burnham prepares for contest
The date for the Makerfield by-election has been confirmed, as Andy Burnham gears up to battle for the seat, reports BritPanorama.
Voters will head to the polls on June 18 in what is shaping up to be a crunch contest between Labour and Reform UK. Burnham, who is the Greater Manchester mayor and Labour’s sole candidate for the by-election, aims to reclaim a seat that Labour has held since 1983. The announcement follows a significant poll indicating that Burnham would defeat current Labour leader Keir Starmer in a leadership contest, escalating the stakes of his candidacy.
If successful, winning the Makerfield seat would facilitate Burnham’s return to Westminster and potentially position him for a future bid for Labour leadership, intensifying pressures on Starmer. After Josh Simons announced his resignation from Parliament, the Labour party’s decision to allow Burnham to contest the Makerfield seat came swiftly after previously blocking his candidacy in February’s Gorton and Denton by-election.
Burnham is set to face off against Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who has also been officially announced as a candidate. With recent elections in the region showing Reform gaining momentum, Labour’s hold on the constituency is increasingly scrutinised. At the last General Election, Simons’ victory came by a mere 5,399 votes, a margin that may not hold in the face of Reform’s growing popularity.
Recent local elections have demonstrated a dramatic shift, with Reform UK capturing nearly half of the votes in the Makerfield constituency, leaving Labour trailing significantly at just over a quarter. “We are strong there,” a Reform source indicated, underscoring the confidence within their ranks, while acknowledging Burnham’s potential influence. Additionally, the party plans to leverage Burnham’s previous pro-EU stances against him, particularly given the constituency’s strong preference for Leave in the Brexit referendum.
Furthermore, Restore Britain, led by MP Rupert Lowe, is entering the fray with candidate Rebecca Shepherd, who has recently gained traction in polling, now seen as a serious contender. Senior Labour figures have rallied behind Burnham as their best hope for retaining the seat, even amid speculation about Wes Streeting’s own leadership ambitions.
Polling suggests a significant shift in Labour’s dynamics, with a YouGov survey revealing that Burnham commands 56 percent support among Labour members, while Starmer garners only 37 percent. This internal party discontent is compounded by Burnham’s recent policy shifts, including his stance on Brexit. Previously advocating for a reversal of Brexit, he now asserts that the UK will not rejoin the EU, stating, “I respect the referendum.”
With the Makerfield by-election approaching, Burnham’s re-emergence in a critical battleground highlights both the potential for Labour’s revitalization and the risks posed by Reform UK’s rising profile.
The by-election is now not just a test for Burnham but a reflection of the evolving political landscape within the UK, where shifts in voter sentiment could have broader implications for future elections.
