‘There will be no second chance’: Burnham’s Makerfield victory speech sets stage for a Starmer drama

There were no wild celebrations or champagne corks popping after the byelection because the result felt like the start of a whole new campaign

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• Andy Burnham wins huge majority in Makerfield byelection, paving way for Starmer leadership challenge

While an election count normally feels like an ending, the culmination of long campaign, in Makerfield the declaration of Andy Burnham as the constituency’s new MP felt like just the beginning.

In the days and weeks leading up to polling day, all talk was of whether Burnham could beat Reform, in this seat where Labour had lost every single vote they were contesting in the council elections just weeks ago.