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  "path": "/2026/06/19/full-results-makerfield-by-election-won-historic-vote-28839458/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-19T05:51:47.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "Politics",
    "Andy Burnham",
    "British Government",
    "Labour Party",
    "Reform UK",
    "Sir Keir Starmer",
    "Parliament",
    "Manchester",
    "Keir Starmer",
    "Conservative Party",
    "Follow Metro’s live coverage of the Makerfield by-election results here.",
    "here",
    "Sky News",
    "check our news page",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
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  "textContent": "Andy Burnham swept aside his Reform UK challenger Rob Kenyon (Picture: REUTERS)\n\nAndy Burnham will return to Parliament as an MP after storming to victory in the Makerfield by-election.\n\nThe Greater Manchester Mayor won more votes than all the other parties put together, in a result that paves the way for a leadership coup against Keir Starmer.\n\nThe historic vote ended up being a two-horse race between Labour and Reform UK’s candidate Rob Kenyon.\n\nRestore Britain came in a distant third place, while the Conservative Party won less than 1,000 votes.\n\nAndy Burnham won 54 per cent of the votes cast (Picture: Gary Roberts Photography/Shutterstock)\n\nFollow Metro’s live coverage of the Makerfield by-election results here.\n\n##  Everything is changing, all the time\n\nCut through political noise and understand how the Westminster chaos actually affects your life with Metro's politics newsletter Alright, Gov? Sign up here.\n\n##  Full result of the Makerfield by-election\n\nAndy Burnham (Lab) – 24,927 (54.81%, +9.61%)\n\nRob Kenyon (Reform) – 15,696 (34.51%, +2.72%)\n\nRebecca Shepherd (Restore) – 3,111 (6.84%)\n\nMichael Winstanley (Conservatives) – 997 (2.19%, -8.68%)\n\nSarah Wakefield (Green) – 308 (0.68%, -3.73%)\n\nJake Austin (Lib Dems) – 163 (0.36%, -6.43%)\n\nCount Binface (Binface) – 95 (0.21%)\n\nHowling Laud Hope (Loony) -45 (0.10%)\n\nJohn Dyer (Ind) – 37 (0.08%)\n\nPeter Ward (Rejoin) – 35 (0.08%)\n\nDan Clarke (Libertarian) – 18 (0.04%)\n\nEd Gemmell (Climate) – 18 (0.04%)\n\nRobert Pownall (Ind) – 18 (0.04%)\n\nPaul Gould (Ind) – 8 (0.02%)\n\nLab majority of 9,23\n\nElectorate 77,478;\n\nTurnout 45,476 (58.70%, +6.30%)\n\nThe results were a huge change in fortune for Labour and Reform in Makerfield.\n\nJust over a month ago, at the local elections, Reforum won the equivalent of 51 per cent of the vote, while Labour got 24 per cent.\n\nBurnham’s victory means he has achieved a 23 point swing in just six weeks.\n\nTurnout at the election was also unusually high, at 58.8 per cent.\n\nMore people actually voted in this poll than at the general election in 2024, which is unusual for by-elections.\n\nRob Kenyon should have been the favourite but was unable to halt Burnham’s momentum\n(Picture: REUTERS)\n\nPut together these results will be enough to persuade many Labour MPs that Burnham can beat Reform and revive their party’s political fortunes.\n\nIt is thought that Labour MPs, Cabinet members and the new Makerfield represenative himself will try convince Keir Starmer to resign on his own terms.\n\nBurnham is thought to want to avoid a bruising leadership battle with the Prime Minister, who has so far vowed to fight any challenge.\n\nSir Keir did upload a rather short post congratulating his political rival.\n\nHe said on X: ‘Congratulations, Andy Burnham, Labour’s new MP for Makerfield.\n\n‘Voters chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.’\n\nSky Newschief political commentator Jon Craig labelled the post ‘miserable’ and ‘grudging’.\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Full results of the Makerfield by-election and who won historic vote"
}