‘His time has come’: Makerfield voters want Burnham to become prime minister – as long as he doesn’t forget them
A statement win in Makerfield has given Andy Burnham a chance to take on Sir Keir Starmer and become prime minister. What do voters now expect from their new MP? Dan Haygarth finds out:
It’s a sunny Friday morning in Ashton-in-Makerfield, a market town four miles south of Wigan which has spent the past month as the unlikely epicentre of British politics.
This town’s constituency, Makerfield, sent a decisive political message overnight which means that Mr Miller is likely correct – in many ways.
“We really feared that if Andy Burnham hadn’t won yesterday, then the Labour Party would have gone into meltdown”, the retired health worker adds.
“And that would have just fed into Reform.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 June 2026 16:05
Cabinet to tell Starmer his ‘time is up’
Members of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet are set to tell him his “time is up” and urge him to set out a timeline for his departure, it has been reported.
The Independent has spoken to ministers who have confirmed they will be urging him to quit, and to hand the keys to No10 to the Greater Manchester mayor.
Several key figures of his top team, including Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, have already done so.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 June 2026 15:57
PM’s spokesperson denies there is a vacancy in No 10 Downing Street
The prime minister’s official spokesperson denied that there is a vacancy for the prime minister’s job amid pressure on him to step down following Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election.
He also reiterated that Sir Keir Starmer would fight any leadership challenge, saying he has “been crystal clear about that for some time now”.
It is understood the prime minister has passed his congratulations to Andy Burnham, but has not spoken to him directly.
Asked whether there is a vacancy for the PM’s job, his spokesperson said: “No, I think the prime minister has been very clear this morning. There’s more to do.”
And asked whether there are any preparations in the civil service for change at the top of government, the spokesperson added: “The civil service, as you would expect, is working on the delivery business of government, and that continues”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 June 2026 15:37
Labour MPs demand Burnham ‘coronation’ as PM with ministers set to urge Starmer to quit
Labour MPs are clamouring for a coronation of Andy Burnham as prime minister, after his stunning victory in the Makerfield by-election, to prevent a drawn-out leadership battle that could crush the party’s general election hopes.
But a defiant Keir Starmer has refused to step down and made it clear he will fight any leadership contest, calling on the party “to pull together” and “avoid plunging the country into chaos”.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain19 June 2026 15:12
Cabinet to tell Starmer his ‘time is up’
Members of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet are set to tell him his “time is up” and urge him to set out a timeline for his departure, it has been reported.
The Times reports that the prime minister will hold meetings and calls with cabinet members and backbenchers, as he attempts to convince MPs that he should remain in No10.
However, ministers will tell him that his “time is up” during face-to-face talks and urge him to set out a timetable for an “orderly transition”.
Several key figures of his top team, including Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, have already done so.
Holly Evans19 June 2026 14:52
Taking Manchesterism to Westminster
At the heart of Mr Burnham’s plan for Britain is “Manchesterism”, a political vision that, in short, brings together elements of devolution and nationalisation.
Informed by his time as mayor of Manchester, Mr Burnham has called for greater powers and funding decisions to be given to regional leaders who are best-placed to understand the needs of their community.
This often includes the power to control public services, as characterised by Manchester’s successful “Bee Network”. Comprising bus and tram routes across the city, the development of the scheme saw ownership of the infrastructure wrested from several private companies in a move that gave local decision-makers full control.
Andy Burnham’s policies will be shaped by his time as Greater Manchester mayor (Getty)
More widely, the city’s combined authority has also pledged a £1bn “good growth fund” to regeneration, employment, housing and homelessness projects. The city’s devolved powers are “pioneering”, Mr Burnham said earlier this year, and are thought to be a key part in Manchester’s 3.1 per cent annual economic growth since 2015, making it the leading UK city.
This approach could be expanded on the national stage, Mr Burnham has indicated, through both the nationalisation of public services and the decentralisation of political decision-making. In effect, the latter means taking some decisions away from Westminster, and giving councils and combined authorities “the control [they] need”.
Speaking to Channel 4 News in May, Mr Burnham said “deindustrialisation and privatisation” of Britain had left areas like Makerfield “without good jobs and people unable to afford the basics”.
Holly Evans19 June 2026 14:49
How celebrities threw support behind Andy Burnham
Actors Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan were among the voices to champion Andy Burnham, who until recently had served as the mayor of Greater Manchester.
Grant, known for roles in the films Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral, appeared at a campaign rally on Wednesday night held in Stubshaw Cross Club in Ashton-in-Makerfield.
Coogan, meanwhile, best known for his long-running comedy persona Alan Partridge, appeared alongside Andy Burnham in a campaign video earlier this week.
In the clip, shared on social media last Saturday, the politician said he was “losing the poster war” and had been told that other campaigners had celebrity endorsements.
Read the full article here:
Holly Evans19 June 2026 14:29
Lib Dem leader says result shows ‘Reform can be beaten’
Sir Ed Davey said the Makerfield by-election showed “Reform can be beaten” as he accused Labour of engaging in a “fight over the keys to No 10” while people are struggling.
The Liberal Democrat leader said: “Yesterday’s result shows that Reform can be beaten, just as the Liberal Democrats have done in local elections across the country.
“But while Labour fight over the keys to No 10, people are struggling.
“We need real change, not more chaos, starting with a new deal with Europe.”
Holly Evans19 June 2026 14:11
What Andy Burnham as prime minister might mean for your mortgage, taxes and more
We’ve all seen politicians say they plan to do one thing, and ultimately be incapable or unwilling to make it happen – so it remains to be seen if Mr Burnham in No 10 would be able replicate the success he has seen as mayor of Greater Manchester.
But, based on what he has previously said on the economy, The Independent takes a look at how your pocket might be impacted in the event of a change in leadership.
Read the full article here:
Holly Evans19 June 2026 14:01
Watch: Starmer insists he will stand in any leadership contest after Burnham winStarmer insists he will stand in any leadership contest after Burnham win
Holly Evans19 June 2026 13:44