Burnham's allies say he could replace Starmer 'within weeks' as Harman proposes three-way leadership meeting

The scale of Andy Burnham's Makerfield victory has prompted talk among his allies that he could replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister within weeks, if not days, as senior Labour figures push for a rapid resolution to the leadership question.

Burnham won 55% of the vote with a majority of 9,231 over Reform's Robert Kenyon, bigger than that enjoyed by his predecessor Josh Simons. Turnout was 59%, six points up on the general election, with 45,510 votes cast. Burnham won more votes than Reform and Restore Britain combined.

What is Harriet Harman proposing?

Former deputy leader Harriet Harman, who was appointed by Starmer as his adviser on women and girls just weeks ago, has called for the three potential leadership contenders to be brought together.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What should happen is that the three contenders, which is obviously Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham, and Wes Streeting, should be got in a room by the deputy leader of the Labour party, Lucy Powell, and the chair of the parliamentary Labour party, Jess Morden, to agree a process whereby Labour MPs choose who they want."

What are other Labour figures saying?

Patrick Hurley, an MP who had been loyal to Starmer until now, said: "The will of the parliamentary Labour party is obvious and I think we really need to now see the prime minister set out a transition process."

Lisa Nandy said on Thursday night: "I'm sure there'll be a conversation with the prime minister, but that's not for tonight."

Wes Streeting posted that the result "gives us all hope that Labour can still win, but Andy's campaign is proof that to do so we need to change."

Is there resistance?

Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a close Starmer ally, cautioned against a leadership fight. "We need to focus on making sure that Reform do not take Greater Manchester," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "The damage they would cause to the whole of the north-west of England if they did that would be incalculable."

He also pushed back against Harman's proposal, telling the Today programme: "If somebody wants to challenge, then there's a clear process that they need to go through. You can't just change the rules."

What has Burnham said?

Addressing hundreds of supporters at the Life convention centre in Wigan, Burnham said Makerfield would "never be a stepping stone to me but instead will be my touchstone; a Makerfield test at the heart of British politics will ensure the places that Westminster has neglected will now get fairness."

He warned Labour: "This is a final chance to change. There will be no second chance, but 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 politics of the kind we see in the United States."

What is the wider context?

Starmer has faced calls for his resignation over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador and elections in May in which Labour lost more than 1,200 local councillors and control of the Welsh Senedd.

A Greater Manchester mayoral by-election is expected on July 30, with an electorate of two million people.