Andy Burnham’s landslide victory in the Makerfield by-election has transformed the political landscape overnight.The former Greater Manchester mayor swept to victory over Reform UK by 9,231 votes, immediately intensifying speculation about the future of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership and setting the stage for what could become the most consequential Labour leadership contest in a generation.Burnham has described the result as a “turning point” and said Labour has a “final chance to change”, in language that has only fuelled speculation about a potential leadership challenge.Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has congratulated his rival but insists he has no intention of stepping aside and is prepared to fight any contest for the leadership.Across a recent Ask Me Anything session, readers pressed me on everything from whether Keir Starmer could face an internal challenge, to how seriously Andy Burnham is being taken as a potential successor, and what a possible reshaping of Labour’s top team might look like.Much of the discussion centred on a simple but unresolved question – whether Labour is heading towards a managed transition of power or an increasingly chaotic internal contest. I have argued that while Starmer’s authority has weakened, the most likely outcome is still some form of managed handover rather than a full leadership battle.Here are some of your questions from the Q&A – and my answers:Q: You have criticised Andy Burnham. Now he has won the Makerfield by-election, what questions would you put to him about his next steps towards becoming prime minister?LaertesA: I disagree with a lot of Burnham’s policies. He is not a Blairite (any more). The only question that really matters, and the one I would put to him, is: “Whom will you appoint as chancellor?”If the answer is Ed Miliband, the Labour Party may as well shut up shop now. If it is Wes Streeting or Shabana Mahmood, this government may have a chance.Q: Will this lead to a managed transition rather than a contested leadership election?SteinA: I think you are right that there will not be a contested election. Keir Starmer will not be a candidate, whatever he says now to try to deter a challenge, because the polling of party members suggests he would almost certainly lose.But Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner won’t be candidates either – again because the polling suggests that Burnham is too far ahead. Streeting is brave enough to go for it anyway, because anything could happen, but I expect that both he and Rayner will be bought off by offers of big jobs in Burnham’s government.Streeting is right when he says that Burnham himself would benefit – as would the country – from having his views tested in the heat of a leadership campaign. But against that, it must be remembered that the selectorate are Labour Party members and trade union levy-payers: any contest would skew the candidates towards their unrepresentative views.I say hurrah for Harriet Harman, who said today that Labour MPs alone should choose the leader.Q: What constitutional reforms might Andy Burnham propose, and are they realistic before or after a general election?coloneloscopyA: As I understand it, Burnham wants to put a commitment to proportional representation in the next Labour manifesto, which he would argue could then be implemented without a referendum. I don’t agree with PR, but I would also be opposed to making the change without a referendum: I think fundamental issues of democracy should go to a people’s vote.In my view, the “progressive” voting bloc would be more united by a successful Labour government than by constitutional reform pledges of this kind.There have been reports that Burnham wants to get on with “abolishing” the House of Lords, possibly even before the next general election. I wish that were true, as I am in favour of abolishing the Lords as a legislative chamber, but I fear that by abolishing it, he means replacing it with an elected second chamber. That would mean two houses of Parliament with rival democratic mandates. A terrible idea.Burnham also signs up to the broader fashionable constitutional reform agenda – citizens’ assemblies, a “written constitution”, the lot – and even goes further in wanting to abolish the whipping system in parliament. That is one way to ensure that democracy cannot function, which it does only because whips organise representatives into coherent blocs.Q: If Burnham wins, who is likely to be the Labour candidate in a Manchester mayoral by-election?avidmidlandsreaderA: Michael Crick has reported that Bev Craig, the leader of Manchester City Council, is expected to be the Labour candidate. She would have a good chance of winning.Q: Where do you see the Manchester mayoral by-election going?AnonymousA: Now that the government has changed the voting system so that second preferences will be counted, Labour is more confident of beating Reform.It is quite important for Burnham that Labour wins, because his reputation as the hammer of Reform would be damaged if Nigel Farage’s candidate were to win Greater Manchester.Q: Could Keir Starmer take a role in Andy Burnham’s cabinet, for example as foreign secretary?AnonymousA: There is a strong rationale for having Keir Starmer as foreign secretary in a Burnham government – he knows many world leaders and would take a lot of pressure off No 10 by acting as a high-status international representative.But I suspect relations between Starmer and Burnham are so poor that this would not happen.Q: How does Tony Blair view Andy Burnham and the current Labour leadership debate?anonymousA: Blair set out his views on Keir Starmer in a lengthy essay, which was fairly clear in tone. Given that Andy Burnham’s positions are, in some areas, even less Blairite than Starmer’s, it is unlikely Blair would be more enthusiastic about him. He did, however, describe Burnham as “an outstanding member of my government” – before adding a qualifying “but…”.Q: Why was Andy Burnham previously blocked from standing, but now appears able to contest Makerfield?anonymousA: A key change has been the shifting balance of authority within Labour. There is also the political context in Greater Manchester – the changed electoral system for mayoral contests makes it easier for Labour to defend against Reform in a multi-round system.Q: Why didn’t Andy Burnham stand in the 2024 general election?anonymousA: The timing was not straightforward. Burnham had recently been re-elected as mayor in May 2024, and the general election timetable was not fully anticipated. Q: Who could plausibly take over senior cabinet roles in a reshuffle?anonymousA: In any transition scenario, the key post is chancellor. Shabana Mahmood and Wes Streeting are often discussed in that context. For other roles, there are fewer obvious candidates – and internal party management would be a major factor in balancing factions.These questions and answers were part of an ‘Ask Me Anything’ hosted by John Rentoul. Some responses have been edited for clarity and length.For more insight into UK politics, check out John’s weekly Commons Confidential newsletter. The email, exclusive to Independent Premium subscribers, takes you behind the curtain of Westminster. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, head here to find out more.