{"id":2615934,"date":"2026-06-19T03:06:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T07:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/labours-andy-burnhams-special-election-win-could-spell-doom-for-starmer-as-prime-minister\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T03:08:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T07:08:29","slug":"labours-andy-burnhams-special-election-win-could-spell-doom-for-starmer-as-prime-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/labours-andy-burnhams-special-election-win-could-spell-doom-for-starmer-as-prime-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"Labour\u2019s Andy Burnham\u2019s special election win could spell doom for Starmer as prime minister"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flabours-andy-burnhams-special-election-win-could-spell-doom-for-starmer-as-prime-minister%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2615934&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/justin-trudeau-suffers-shock-defeat-faces-avalanche-of-calls-to-resign\/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau Suffers Shock Defeat, Faces Avalanche of Calls to Resign\">special parliamentary election<\/a> in the UK for the Makerfield seat, defeating Rob Kenyon with 54.8% of the votes. His victory is seen as a potential political turning point that could challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose popularity is low. Burnham, a longtime Labor politician and former MP for Leigh, campaigned on themes of change and fairness. His win may signal voters&#8217; desire for a shift away from the current political status quo and could lead to a leadership challenge against Starmer, who faces internal calls for resignation from Labour colleagues. Despite speculation, Burnham has not yet announced plans to challenge Starmer but emphasized unity and hope for the country&#8217;s future. This election outcome is viewed as a sign of political unrest and a possible setback for Starmer&#8217;s leadership, with Burnham considered a popular figure within Labour.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won a special election in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-kingdom\/\">United Kingdom<\/a> on Thursday. The Labour Party candidate defeated Rob Kenyon of the Reform U.K. party to return to Parliament in the seat for Makerfield, a small area in Greater Manchester county in northwest England. He <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/united-kingdom\/britains-keir-starmer-imminent-challenge-key-rival-andy-burnham-rcna350511\">received<\/a> 24,927 votes to Kenyon\u2019s 15,696, earning 54.8% of all votes. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burnham\u2019s win could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/moderate-dems-break-promises-with-vote-for-reconciliation-bill\/\" title=\"\u2018Moderate\u2019 Dems Break Promises With Vote for Reconciliation Bill\">spell political doom<\/a> for British Prime Minister <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/keir-starmer\/\">Keir Starmer<\/a>, putting him on a path for a political clash with the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >immensely unpopular prime minister<\/a>. Given Starmer\u2019s political vulnerability, Burnham hinted at further political ambitions in his victory speech on Thursday.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4615490\/gavin-newsom-obama-library-opening\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Newsom says he teared up at Obama library opening, rips DOJ investigation<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4614925\/maria-bartiromo-challenges-ro-khanna-save-america-act\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Maria Bartiromo challenges Ro Khanna over the SAVE America Act: \u2018What\u2019s the problem? Get your birth certificate\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4614136\/joe-concha-waning-american-patriotism-midterm-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018We\u2019re the home of Apple, Amazon, Google, and Sydney Sweeney\u2019: Joe Concha on waning patriotism<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEveryone knows that politics isn\u2019t working,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/uk-makerfield-election-burnham-starmer-labour-434ca8a59d57e79590e9a38a31d6573e\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> Burnham. \u201cEveryone can feel that the country isn\u2019t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burnham was a member of Parliament from 2001 to 2017 for Leigh, a different part of Greater Manchester. During those years, Burnham ran as a member of the Labour and Cooperative party and held various Cabinet positions during his time in office, the most recent being secretary of state for health, doing so from 2009 to 2010. He was also previously Parliamentary private secretary, chief secretary to the treasury, and secretary of state for culture, media, and sport. He reportedly identifies as a socialist. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burnham\u2019s candidacy was built on the idea of being a catalyst for change in his country. He reiterated this theme on Thursday, asserting that his victory was a mandate to reject Britain\u2019s status quo. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/united-kingdom\/britains-keir-starmer-imminent-challenge-key-rival-andy-burnham-rcna350511\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> the longtime politician.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That vote for change could spell doom for Starmer, who has been plagued by scandals and questionable policy decisions during his time in office. The political optimism that ushered him to his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trump-sends-message-to-democrats-and-rino-republicans-thousands-pouring-into-dc-wont-stand-for-stolen-election\/\" title=\"President Trump Sends Message to Democrats and RINO Republicans: \u2018Thousands Pouring Into DC Won\u2019t Stand for Stolen Election\u2019\">landslide election victory<\/a> in 2024 has evaporated. Starmer is extremely unpopular in Britain, with <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/yougov.com\/en-gb\/articles\/54772-political-favourability-ratings-may-2026\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">69% viewing him \u201cunfavorably\u201d<\/a> according to a YouGov poll from May. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, in the same poll, Burnham is considered the \u201cmost popular Labour figure among the public,\u201d holding a net positivity score of +4. He is the only Labour political candidate that voters \u201cview positively,\u201d according to YouGov.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4615253\/uk-sentencing-two-chinese-spies\/\"><strong>UK SENTENCES TWO CHINESE BRITISH NATIONALS FOR SPYING ON BEIJING\u2019S BEHALF<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burnham\u2019s ascension to Parliament could be the beginning of the end for Starmer. Labour MPs have been demanding a change in leadership in Britain for months, NBC News reported. His own colleagues have called for Starmer to step down for a variety of reasons, with 110 of them signing a letter urging his resignation. To replace Starmer, Burnham would first need to file an official leadership challenge by earning support from 81 Labour colleagues. He would then have to defeat Starmer in a political faceoff in Parliament to become Britain\u2019s next prime minister.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And while Burnham repeatedly touted his election victory as a sign that voters want change, he has not yet announced any plans to challenge Starmer. Instead, he promoted a vision of an optimistic future for his country, built on unity, and to avoid the bitter political contentiousness witnessed in other countries, particularly in one of Britain\u2019s strongest allies over the years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut it is a chance now, from this result tonight, to build a new politics based on unity and hope, turning away from the path that takes us to a divided, dark politics of the kind we see in the United States,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/uk-makerfield-election-burnham-starmer-labour-434ca8a59d57e79590e9a38a31d6573e\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> Burnham.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Andy Burnham wins UK by-election in Makerfield seat<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2615935,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Andy-Burnham-e1781851231581.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[81422,3728,19512],"class_list":["post-2615934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-andy-burnham","tag-election","tag-labour"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Andy-Burnham-e1781851231581.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2615934"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2615938,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615934\/revisions\/2615938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2615935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2615934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2615934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2615934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}