‘Astonishing’ win for Andy Burnham puts pressure on Starmer to step aside

Speaking hours before polls closed in Makerfield, a Downing Street source acknowledged a rare moment of doubt about the prime minister’s future. “Keir will fight on,” the source said, repeating the message to which Keir Starmer has stuck for several weeks. “Although, that might depend on the size of the majority.” In the end, Andy Burnham’s majority was so convincing that allies hope he can be installed in No 10 within days. Louise Haigh, the Labour MP who helped run Burnham’s campaign, said on Thursday night: “I hope that [Starmer] will consider an orderly and managed transition. “We have said that the party is in an existential crisis and things cannot continue. It was quite clear after the local elections, unfortunately, that he considered that business as usual would suffice. “Andy has potentially shown tonight what change the Labour party can bring.” Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said Burnham was the “only Labour politician in the country that could have pulled off that result”, adding: “That wasn’t just a win, that was an emphatic win … It was an astonishing share of the votes, and I think it shows that you can beat hate and division and anger and despair.” Lisa Nandy attends the vote counting for the Makerfield byelection. …