LONDON: Veteran UK Labour politician Andy Burnham vowed to put Britain on a new path after winning a crunch by-election on Friday as Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to fight any bid to oust him from office.
Burnham, a former government minister who has been Greater Manchester mayor since 2017, ensured his return to parliament by easily beating the far-right Reform UK party´s candidate in the Makerfield constituency in northwest England.
The 56-year-old stalwart of Labour´s centre-left is seeking to replace Starmer as party leader and prime minister, and needed to win the high-stakes vote to be in a position to trigger such a contest.
“I do say to my own party, this is a final chance to change,” Burnham said in his acceptance speech after securing nearly 55 per cent of the vote, beating Reform´s Robert Kenyon by more than 9,000 ballots.
“We´ve been on path for 40 years that simply hasn´t worked for people and places in this part of the world,” Burnham told cheering crowds on Friday.
“This is the change moment, we have an opportunity to turn the tide,” he said, adding: “We´re going to lay out a new path for Britain.”
Starmer congratulated Burnham, but pledged to fight any leadership challenge during a public appearance in London on Friday morning.
“If there is a contest then yes I will run, I will stand. I´ve said repeatedly, I´m not going to walk away from that,” he told reporters.
The 63-year-old ex-lawyer has repeatedly refused to quit despite dozens of calls from his own MPs and several ministerial resignations. He insists his landslide election victory over the Conservatives in July 2024 gave him a five-year mandate to govern.
Meanwhile, British transport minister Heidi Alexander has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to set a timetable for his departure, the Financial Times reported on Friday, as Andy Burnham’s return to parliament fuels expectations of a leadership challenge.The report said that she had told Starmer on Friday that it would be in the interests of the country and the Labour Party for him to step aside to allow an orderly transition to a new leader. Earlier on Friday he vowed to stay on and fight any leadership challenge.The Times daily reported that ministers were meeting Starmer on Friday afternoon to tell him his “time is up” and he should set out a timetable for “orderly transition”.
They reportedly included interior minister Shabana Mahmood and energy minister Ed Miliband.
If Starmer does leave office this year, then Britain will get its seventh prime minister in 10 years.
Burnham is due to be sworn in as a member of parliament on Monday. Under Labour party rules, any leadership candidate must be an MP.
From the so-called soft-left wing of the party, Burnham has been an outspoken critic of Starmer´s more centrist rule. He will easily muster the support of 81 of Labour´s 400-plus MPs -- the minimum needed to kickstart a contest.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday that Burnham´s backers were calling Labour MPs, seeking support from 200 -- almost half -- to deter Starmer from fighting on.
Former health minister Wes Streeting, from Labour´s right wing, has vowed to join any race, but could end up striking a deal with Burnham to avoid a divisive fight.
With Burnham back in parliament a replacement will need to be elected to fill his old job of mayor of Greater Manchester in northwest England, which city officials have confirmed will be on July 30.
Labour will face another fight against Reform and the Greens, which have both performed well in other recent polls.
