UK Labour Candidate Burnham Challenges Starmer Leadership in Makerfield By-Election

Andy Burnham, Labour candidate in the Makerfield by-election, has signaled he would challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's leadership if elected, turning a local contest over flooding, policing, and housing into a national party power struggle. Polls show the race is competitive between Labour and the Reform party, with the by-election drawing unusual national attention for what is typically a localized vote. The contest reflects deeper tensions within Britain's governing Labour Party, which won power only last year. The outcome will test Starmer's authority within his own party and signal the party's trajectory heading into the next general election.