Andy Burnham has described his victory in the Makerfield by-election as a potential “turning point” for British politics, telling supporters that voters had chosen “hope” and demanding change from his own party.
Speaking after being elected as Makerfield’s new Member of Parliament, the former Greater Manchester mayor said the result could mark the beginning of a new direction for the country.
Mr Burnham secured 24,927 votes, comfortably ahead of Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, who received 15,696 votes.
Addressing supporters after the declaration, Mr Burnham said many people feel politics is failing to deliver for them and argued the election result sent a clear message.
“Everyone knows that politics isn’t working. Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be,” he said. “Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.”
The newly elected MP pledged to dedicate himself to representing the constituency and said he wanted Makerfield to become known as the place that helped drive national change.
“From here on, I will give everything I have got to make it so, to ensure the name Makerfield is forever synonymous with bringing about the change this country needs, bringing back something we’ve lost: hope for the future,” he said.
Mr Burnham also thanked fellow candidates for what he described as a largely civil campaign and praised residents for the warmth and hospitality they had shown throughout the five-week contest.
He insisted Makerfield would never be a “stepping stone” for him and promised to put the constituency ahead of party politics.
“I will always take a place-first rather than a party-first approach,” he said, adding that he would focus on solving problems rather than scoring political points.
Reflecting on May’s local election results, Mr Burnham said voters had delivered a “loud cry for change” and urged Labour to listen.
“When this borough went to the polls in May, it made a loud cry for change,” he said. “But I do say to my own party this is a final chance to change.”
He warned that Labour must respond to concerns raised by voters, saying there would be “no second chance” if the party failed to act.
The result also brings to an end Mr Burnham’s nine-year tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, a role he described as “the job I love”.
“It is with some sadness that this result brings an end to my wonderful nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester,” he said. “This city region has given so much to me and it is a wrench to leave the job I love.”
Mr Burnham’s departure means Greater Manchester will now head to the polls to elect a new mayor, opening a major contest to decide who will lead the city-region and build on the work of the past nine years. The election is expected to attract significant interest from across the political spectrum, with candidates likely to focus on issues including transport, housing, policing, economic growth and the future direction of Greater Manchester.
However, Mr Burnham stressed that he was not leaving public service in Greater Manchester behind and said his return to Westminster was motivated by a desire to secure greater powers and opportunities for the North of England.
He said he had always believed that closing the north-south divide required significant national reform and argued that many communities felt overlooked by Westminster.
“I’ve always been clear that it can’t achieve everything it should be, and we can’t close the north-south divide, and we can’t make all the great English cities be what they should be without big change at the national level,” he said.
Mr Burnham concluded by saying the people of Makerfield had voted for change, greater power for northern communities and renewed optimism about the future.
“People here have voted for change, they have voted for more power for the North, and everywhere forgotten by Westminster,” he said. “They have voted for hope. Now let’s give that back to them.”
