'This is a final chance to change': Burnham wins Makerfield and warns Labour MPs after crushing Reform

Andy Burnham has said Labour has a "final chance to change" after his emphatic Makerfield by-election victory paved the way for him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the party leadership.

Burnham won nearly 55% of the vote, holding off Reform UK by more than 9,000 votes. He told supporters at the count: "Everyone knows that politics isn't working. Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be a turning point."

He pledged not to treat the seat as a stepping stone. "It will never be a stepping stone to me but instead will be my touchstone," he said.

What did Burnham tell Labour MPs?

In a direct message to his party, Burnham said: "I do say to my own party: this is a final chance to change. This is what people said directly to me on the hundreds of doorsteps that I stood on. We must hear it, we must act upon it and we must get it right. There will be no second chance."

At a victory rally at Ashton Town FC on Friday morning, he spoke about the need to "make life more affordable," saying: "We do need to bring down water bills, energy bills, rail fares, just as we brought down bus fares in Greater Manchester."

He also called for a "new drive of reindustrialisation" and raised concerns about the "unfairness of the immigration system."

What has Starmer said?

The Prime Minister rejected calls to step aside, telling broadcasters: "I'm not going to walk away." He defended his government's record and claimed "the tide is turning on Reform," adding: "They've reached probably the peak of their support, it's going down."

In a lunchtime call with Labour staff, Starmer said the party needs to "pull together" and warned that a leadership contest could end up "tearing apart our party and our movement."

What are Labour MPs saying?

Former transport secretary Louise Haigh said she hoped the PM and Burnham can "speak and agree a managed way forward." She told the BBC: "It's quite clear the prime minister can't take us into another set of elections."

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "It is clear that there now needs to be an orderly timetable for a leadership election."

Polly Billington, MP for East Thanet, said she was "disappointed" to hear the PM talk of "fighting on." She said: "We need something that's both dignified for him, gives him the opportunity for a legacy, and gives us the opportunity to serve the people."

Wes Streeting wrote on X that the victory "gives us all hope that Labour can still win. But Andy's campaign is proof that to do so we need to change."

How did Reform react?

Richard Tice said voters had "voted Burnham to guarantee that the prime minister is ousted." Nigel Farage described it as an "emphatic win" and said Reform was "slightly hoist with our own petard" after campaigning on a "get Starmer out" message.

Restore Britain, the rival right-wing party led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, finished third with 3,111 votes.