Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path to be able to attempt to oust British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after winning a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday in what could be the most consequential local election in more than six decades.Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor nicknamed the “King of the North”, won the contest in Makerfield in northwest England with 24,927 of the votes, while the candidate for Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK party came second with 15,696 votes.His victory means he will now be able to trigger or at least take part in a contest to replace Starmer, struggling with some of the worst popularity ratings of any leader. But the key question is when and how Burnham will do it.“I do say to my own party, this is a final chance to change,” Burnham said in his victory speech. “There will be no second chance.”Burnham, a career politician who has expressed support for the nationalisation of key public services and criticised what he called four decades of failed neoliberal economics, has said he would seek to replace Starmer and change politics.Polls show Burnham, 56, is Labour’s most popular politician who would win a months-long leadership contest decided by party members, while some Labour lawmakers hope Starmer could be persuaded to hand over power to avoid a damaging contest.
‘King of the North’ wins seat, setting up bid to oust UK’s Starmer
Greater Manchester mayor secures a path to Parliament in Makerfield by-election, declaring ‘this is a final chance to change’.










