The impending by-election in Makerfield, in the north of the UK, is clearly of much more than mere local significance.
Should Andy Burnham retain the seat for Labour on 18 June, he is likely to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer in fairly short order; last month’s atrocious local election results and growing discontent with Starmer’s leadership of both the party and the country have left him in a very vulnerable position.
Many Labour MPs and grassroots members are placing their faith in Burnham to turn the party’s fortunes around, and to steer the country in a more positive direction.
It takes a charitable reading of Burnham’s political track record to sustain these hopes, but the old saying “any port in a storm” does come to mind. What is certain is that victory for Burnham in Makerfield would leave Starmer’s coat on a very wobbly peg indeed.
Burnham is the clear bookies’ favourite, but winning the Makerfield by-election is by no means a shoo-in. Although Labour has held the seat since its creation in 1983, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK won every council ward that was contested within the constituency boundaries in May’s local elections and almost swept the board across Wigan.
