Updated Jun 19, 2026 – 1.29pm, first published at 1.18pmLondon | British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to step down or face a leadership challenge within days, after his rival Andy Burnham decisively won a special byelection and vowed to revive a moribund government facing defeat.Burnham, mayor of Manchester and dubbed the “King of the North”, cruised to victory with about 55 per cent of the vote, in a result that also delivers a wake-up call to the insurgent Reform UK and its populist leader Nigel Farage.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles