Andy Burnham needed a big win. The Makerfield result means Labour might have reason to hope

By Martin Farr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History, Newcastle University

The possible nominative determinism of the Makerfield constituency may prove as significant to political historians as it has been a blessing to newspaper sub-editors crafting puns on “Makerfield or Breakerfield”.

The immediate futures of Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer were decided in the historic happening of the first UK byelection to effectively elect a prime minister. It was a battle of our times.

Burnham’s success will make a new administration as it breaks the present one. Prime Minister Starmer’s…

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