In the end, it wasn't even close. Andy Burnham took well over 50% of the vote, and Rob Kenyon of Reform departed the stage without a murmur, never to be heard from again. Rob will probably be happier that way; he never seemed to enjoy the attention of being the Reform candidate in Makerfield.
A Surreal Byelection with General Election Vibes
After a brief acceptance speech at the count, Burnham reappeared six hours later at Ashton Town FC for the celebration rally. Flanked by several MPs waving 'Andy for Us' placards and one notable ex-MP, Josh Simons, who had vacated the seat for the coronation, Andy beamed in the sunshine. He had even swapped his slightly too tight black T-shirt for a slightly too tight white polo shirt. This was him dressing up for the occasion; he can do formal when he tries.
It was all rather surreal—a byelection that felt more like a general election. And that was certainly Burnham's vibe. His speech could have been delivered by a new incoming Labour prime minister who had just ousted a hated Tory government. In fact, he might have lifted large chunks from the one Keir Starmer gave outside Downing Street less than two years earlier. You could be forgiven for wondering which parallel universe you were now living in.
Burnham's Messianic Speech
'What a scene, what a campaign,' he began, thanking volunteers and the people of Makerfield who had helped elect him to Westminster. Then a special thanks to Simons for making way, who understood the message—the instruction—for change given by voters at the May local elections and made the ultimate sacrifice for the once and future king. Not just king of the north, but king of the whole UK. Move over, Charlie. There's a new kid in town. He made it sound like a grail quest.
This was the last chance to change. The country had been given a bonus shot at redemption. The previous government had failed, letting down the very people who placed their trust in it. He was speaking of Starmer, not Rishi Sunak or any of the four Tory prime ministers before him. Andy was the outsider: the mystic with a sacred mission. And he sounded the part: an economy that works for everyone, not just the few. If a policy wasn't good for Makerfield, it wasn't good enough for the country. Industry, education, and the NHS would flourish anew.
The Communion of Hope
Then came the communion, the most sacred part of the speech. Tory, Lib Dem, and Reform supporters had lent him their votes. Hope triumphed over darkness. There would be no more division. Today would go down in history as the moment that changed the nation. No more sadness, no more despair. A change was coming, and Andy would work relentlessly to make it happen. All you needed was a bit of faith. Only glory days lay ahead.
Burnham fell back, overwhelmed with emotion, wondering if he had oversold his victory. These were promises heard before from other prime minister-designates, yet time and again broken on the wheel of incompetence, party politics, and reality. Andy sounded different. But the new kid on the block often does, because deep down we all need a reason to believe. When hope is this high, so too are the depths of possible disappointment. Saying you will do your best is not enough; we all need a promised land.
Keir Starmer's Absence Speaks Volumes
There was just one thing missing—or rather, one person missing. Normally, after a party wins a landmark byelection, the leader airlifts himself to the constituency for a photo op with the new MP, to bask in reflected glory. But Keir was nowhere to be seen. His first reaction was a curt 'congrats' on X, along with the message that voters responded to 'Labour's message of hope.' Only they hadn't; they responded to Burnham's message of hope—the hope that Andy would be the next prime minister. No one in Makerfield doubted the stakes.
Shortly before Andy appeared at Ashton FC, Keir did a TV clip in Barnet, 200 miles south, insisting the real news was his scheme to make housebuying more transparent. 'We've done incredible things,' he said, things people thought impossible. 'I will stand in any leadership contest.' Sometimes it feels as if Labour is set on replicating the chaos of the Tory years. There was sadness in Keir's refusal to read the room. It may not be fair, but his time is over. There is no coming back. Even his most loyal MPs now realize the game is up. Maybe over the weekend, sense will prevail; his wife will have a word. He deserves better than to preside over his own humiliation.
Steve Reed's Denial
Yet Keir still had one supporter: Steve Reed. 'I'm not in denial,' Steve denied during the morning media round. For Steve, Burnham's success was a triumph for Brand Starmer. What was needed was calm reflection: Andy to settle as a backbench MP while Keir ran the country. Besides, Andy was most needed as the man to win the vacant Manchester mayoralty. In ReedWorld, Burnham is trapped in a never-ending Escher etching: forever resigning either the mayoralty or his constituency to fight whichever victory in the other left vacant. Poor Steve. This hasn't been a great year for him.
Nigel Farage's Disappointment
Another person not much in evidence was Nigel Farage. This was a terrible night for Reform. If Makerfield had voted as it did in the May local elections, Kenyon would have won with a majority of 8,000. Burnham's victory showed the country was not hellbent on putting Reform in Downing Street. Still, at least Nige hadn't spent any of his £5m handout on the campaign, so things weren't all bad.
Instead, Farage made do with a sulky video, yet again made in a field. He's always in a field these days, the only place he can be sure no one will ask awkward questions about his slush funds. He had expected a disappointing night, he said, but not this disappointing. 'Reform is still the leading party of the centre right,' he added. Except it isn't. There is nothing centre-right about Reform; they are much further from the middle. Something more than half of Makerfield voters understood only too well.
