Polls close in Makerfield byelection as Andy Burnham eyes No 10
Summary
Polls have closed in three UK by-elections, including Makerfield, where Andy Burnham is running to become a Member of Parliament. The result in Makerfield is seen as important for the future of UK politics, with Burnham aiming to challenge the current Labour leader and possibly become prime minister.Key Facts
- Andy Burnham quit as mayor of Greater Manchester to run for the Makerfield parliamentary seat.
- Makerfield is in north-west England and has about 70,000 voters.
- The previous MP, Josh Simons, stepped down to allow Burnham to run.
- The main competition is between Burnham (Labour) and Robert Kenyon (Reform Party).
- Reform Party has gained support in recent elections but faced challenges including controversial social media posts by Kenyon.
- Local polls showed Burnham leading by 3-12 percentage points before voting.
- Labour leader Keir Starmer is willing to offer Burnham a significant government role, but Burnham’s team says he prefers not to join the current government.
- Other by-elections are happening in Aberdeen South and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, with energy policy and party control as key issues.
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