Burnham’s Makerfield win fuels leadership talk and Labour’s turning-point claim

Andy Burnham won Makerfield by-election with about 55% of the vote, a result Labour calls a potential turning point and a 'final chance to change' as leadership speculation swirls around Keir Starmer. Starmer defended the government and urged unity, while Burnham said Makerfield won’t be a stepping stone and pressed for affordability relief and reindustrialisation. The night also featured mixed by-election results, including a Scottish Conservative win in Aberdeen South and SNP holds in Arbroath & Broughty Ferry, with Labour figures and unions calling for an orderly leadership process.