Veteran UK Labour politician Andy Burnham won a historic by-election on Friday, securing a parliamentary seat and clearing the way for a widely expected leadership challenge against beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The 56-year-old longtime figure in centre-left Labour has indicated he will challenge Starmer for the party's leadership, and to be prime minister, and needed to win the high-stakes vote to be in a position to trigger such a contest. pdh-jj/mjw

Britain holds a crucial by-election today. The vote could trigger a leadership challenge against Labour's Keir Starmer. Andy Burnham, a popular mayor, aims to win the seat to run…

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has tried to ward off an expected leadership challenge by saying he wants would-be rival Andy Burnham to play "a big role" in his Labour government.