Andy Burnham delivers victory speech

Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election, paving the way to challenge Sir Keir Starmer as Labor leader.

“Everyone knows politics doesn’t work,” he says in his acceptance speech.

“Tonight could be the turning point, it could be.” Burnham has previously said he would seek to enter any Labor leadership contest and would need the support of at least 81 Labor MPs to enter the race.

The newly elected MP from Makerfield, who held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, says he always knew he would try to return to Westminster to “tie up this unfinished business” so that the north of England could fulfill its “potential”.