LONDON (AP) — Andy Burnham ’s resounding victory Friday in a special U.K. election is going to set in motion a chain of events that could lead to end of the premiership of Keir Starmer, who less than two years ago led the Labour Party back to power after 14 years.Burnham is widely tipped to be the lead candidate to replace Starmer, especially as his victory in the seat of Makerfield in northwest England was so decisive. Despite Labour’s dismal poll ratings and recent hefty losses in local elections, Burnham defied electoral gravity — and some.Burnham, 56, was able to not only see off the challenge of the candidate from anti-immigration Reform UK, but substantially increase the party’s share of the vote to nearly 55%. At local elections last month, Reform UK won virtually every seat that make up the constituency of Makerfield.Now that Burnham is heading back to Parliament after nearly a decade away, during which time he was the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, he is now in a position to challenge the embattled Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party and of the country. He hasn’t openly said he will do so but everything he says shows that he has his eyes firmly fixed on the top job.