Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election has paved the way for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or…

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.

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…