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The victory that shook Labour and Starmer's foundations: Who is Andy Burnham aiming for the post of prime minister?

2026-06-19 21:04:03Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The victory that shook Labour and Starmer's foundations: Who is Andy
Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham has secured a landslide victory in the Makerfield parliamentary by-election, receiving more votes than all his rivals combined and reigniting the debate over the future of the Labour Party leadership.

The result is seen as a direct challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as Burnham has built his campaign on the argument that he is the Labour figure who can defeat Nigel Farage and Reform UK.

In his victory speech, Burnham declared that "this could be a turning point" and that the country had "one last chance to change," comments that have been widely interpreted as signals of his ambitions to take over the leadership of Labor and become prime minister.

Meanwhile, pressure on Starmer is mounting. Labour MP Patrick Hurley, previously considered an ally of the prime minister, has publicly called for his departure, saying it is “time for a transition to something new.”

If criticism of Starmer increases within the party, his position could become unstable. Otherwise, the onus will shift to potential leadership contenders, including Burnham and Wes Streeting, who must decide whether and when to launch a formal challenge for the party leadership.

Who is Andy Burnham?

Andy Burnham is no stranger to the Labour leadership race. Over a decade ago, he ran unsuccessfully for the party leadership twice.

Today, he is supported by a large number of Labour MPs as one of the figures who can help revive the party, which has endured difficult months in the polls and disappointing election results in May.

Burnham's victory in the Makerfield by-election enabled him to retain a seat in Parliament for Labour, defeating the Reform UK party, which came in second by over 9,000 votes.

This victory further increased Labour's share of the vote in the area, from 45% in the 2024 general election to almost 55%.

Beyond the numbers, this victory paved the way for Burnham to make a possible return to the leadership race, as every candidate must be a member of Parliament.

Before voting day, he declared that he would enter any possible race for the party leadership, if he won in Makerfield and if he challenged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Childhood: Everton fan and indie music lover

Born in Liverpool in 1970, Burnham grew up in Culcheth, a quiet village near Warrington in Cheshire.

His father, an engineer at the British multinational telecommunications company – BT – and mother, a medical receptionist, were both strong Labour supporters, influencing his political formation.

He has said that he was inspired to join the Labour Party at the age of 14, after being influenced by the BBC television drama "Boys from the Blackstuff", which dealt with life on the streets of Liverpool.

A lifelong Everton fan, Burnham is remembered by friends as a competitive and sports-loving child, as well as a cricketer for the Lancashire schools team.

At school, he participated in mock elections as a Labor candidate and won by a large margin.

Burnham and his two brothers were the first in their family to attend university, where he studied English at Cambridge.

In his book "Head North", he admitted that he felt like an "outsider" at university.

However, his love of music – particularly northern indie bands like The Smiths and The Stone Roses – gave him a new cultural identity.

From MP to Mayor of Greater Manchester

After graduating, Burnham began her career as a journalist in specialist magazines, before entering politics as a researcher for Tessa Jowell MP.

Later, he quickly rose through the political hierarchy, becoming an advisor to the Minister for Culture and then MP for Leigh, in 2001.

He served in several ministerial positions during the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Health and Culture.

During his tenure as Culture Minister, he faced strong criticism at a memorial for the Hillsborough tragedy, where 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives in 1989.

This episode prompted him to request a new investigation into the incident, which later led to the reopening of the case.

In 2010 he ran for the Labour leadership, coming fourth, and tried again in 2015, where he was defeated by Jeremy Corbyn.

Critics have often accused him of being a flexible political figure who changes positions according to circumstances.

He supported the pro-EU stance during the Brexit referendum and has left open the idea of ​​reunification in the future, although he has not made it a political priority.

Within the party, he has moved from the center to the left, supporting the nationalization of water and energy.

Mayor of Greater Manchester and national figure

In 2017 he left Parliament to become Mayor of Greater Manchester, a post he won with over 60% of the vote and was later re-elected by an even larger margin.

As mayor, he has received praise for reforming public transportation through the "Bee Network" project, restoring public control over buses.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a national figure after criticizing the Conservative government for its treatment of the north of England, earning the nickname "King of the North."

In 2025, Burnham displayed ambitions to run for the leadership, but faced political obstacles within the party.

However, following Labour's poor election results in May and rising support for Reform UK, pressure on Prime Minister Starmer increased.

Following the resignation of MP Josh Simons, the way was opened for the by-election in Makerfield, where Burnham returned to Parliament as a candidate and then as the winner, consolidating his political position in Westminster.


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