The British press is reporting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to resign following Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election this week. The British Prime Minister has been under heavy pressure to step down and make way for a Labour leadership contest after a major defeat for Labour in last month’s local elections.
Previously, the British Prime Minister said that he would fight any leadership challenge rather than resign voluntarily.
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor and now MP for Makerfield, has long been touted by senior Labour figures as the favoured replacement for the current Labour leader. His victory in Makerfield now gives him a seat in the House of Commons, allowing him to mount a formal leadership challenge against his party leader.
Following his victory, Burnham pledged to “lay out a new path for Britain” and described the result as a turning point for the Labour Party. Speaking to supporters at Ashton Town FC in Ashton-in-Makerfield, he pledged re-industrialisation, addressing the cost of living and reforming what he described as an unfair immigration system.
Burnham’s allies are now pushing for a swift transfer of power, with some reportedly hoping for enough support among Labour MPs to force Prime Minister Starmer out without a long and damaging leadership contest. Other Labour figures, however, are warning that a coronation would be a mistake and that Burnham should be tested in a proper contest.
Premier Starmer’s position has deteriorated rapidly. He led Labour to a landslide victory in 2024, but his authority has collapsed following the scandal of Peter Mandelson’s appointment, falling public approval and the rise of Reform UK in Labour’s traditional working-class areas. Burnham’s victory in Makerfield has now turned what was once a slow-burning internal crisis into an open fight for Downing Street.
Feature photo from AP.
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