Andy Burnham may have a route back to Westminster – and a path to the Labour leadership. But can he defeat Reform UK in Makerfield? Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s north of England correspondent Hannah al-Othman, who has been talking to voters in the constituency

Greater Manchester mayor would need to win byelection to launch leadership challenge against Starmer

This is a high-stakes gamble for everyone involved. But then, in Labour politics right now, everything is