Andy Burnham left the counting hall with his wife, Marie-France Van Heel, and their daughter, Rosie, after his victory. No champagne corks popped, but a quiet pint awaited the incoming Labour MP following a seismic 3am win that signals the start of an even bigger campaign.
Landslide Victory in Makerfield
While an election count normally feels like an ending, the declaration of Andy Burnham as Makerfield's new MP felt like just the beginning. In the lead-up to polling day, all talk was about whether Burnham could beat Reform UK in a seat where Labour had lost every vote they contested in recent council elections. As Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain grew in prominence, some speculated they would help Burnham by splitting the right-wing vote. But in the end, it wasn't even close.
As Thursday night rolled into Friday morning, the mood in the Labour camp was clearly positive. Turnout exceeded 58%, significantly higher than the general election figure, boding well for Burnham. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she was "cautiously optimistic" when polls closed, but by 1am she declared, "I'm optimistic that Andy may have pulled off what may be an historic win here." She added, "I hope we can find a way to pull together and turn our gaze out to the country. It would be a tragedy if we were to descend into infighting."
By around 1:30am, Reform had apparently conceded defeat behind the scenes with a cordial handshake. Burnham arrived in the counting hall just under an hour later to loud applause from his supporters. The 14 candidates lined the stage for the declaration, with Burnham standing between Count Binface and an independent dressed as a fox. Cheers erupted from the Labour camp as the result was announced around 3am.
Burnham's Appeal to Progressive Voters
The Manchester mayor won more than 50% of the vote, securing 6,100 more votes than Reform and Restore combined. His success came largely from appealing to progressive voters, with the Lib Dems and Greens winning fewer than 500 votes between them. "This is a final chance to change," Burnham said of Labour in his victory speech, slightly delayed by unplanned microphone interventions from two independent candidates, including the fox. "People said this directly to me on hundreds of doorsteps. We must hear it, act upon it, and get it right. There will be no second chance."
Burnham struggled to contain a smile as he promised "to build a new politics based on unity and hope," a remark echoed by Monster Raving Loony candidate Howling Laud Hope: "Hope! Hope! Hope!" Throughout the campaign, Burnham faced criticism that he was using Makerfield as a stepping stone, but he addressed this head-on, saying he was using the constituency as a "touchstone, not a stepping stone." He said people in Makerfield felt neglected and lacked opportunities compared to other parts of the country. "That changes tonight," Burnham said. "This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody. People here have voted for change, for more power for the north and everywhere forgotten by Westminster."
Despite Labour's decisive victory, there were no wild celebrations or champagne corks popping. Burnham offered shy smiles rather than wide grins. As soon as he left the stage, he and his entourage slipped out the back door, presumably to get a few hours' sleep before his next challenge: attempting to win the keys to 10 Downing Street. But perhaps Makerfield's new MP was not heading home immediately; as he got into a car with his wife and daughter, Burnham said he was going for a pint.
