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Andy Burnham Wins Makerfield By-Election, Beats Reform by 9,000

8/10/2026

50 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election, beating the Reform Party 9,000 votes.
The Reform Party had conceded a month earlier it would lose the Makerfield contest.
Nigel Farage blamed the Restore Party, while leader Rupert Lowe offered to step aside for Reform if it reinstated the death penalty.
In Greater Manchester, 73% of Green preferences went to Bev Craig, while Reform’s Sian Astley received 52% of Tory and Restore preferences.

History

Historical Context

On 1 May 1997 Tony Blair’s Labour Party won a 418-seat landslide, ending 18 years of John Major’s Conservative rule and securing the first overall English majority since 1966, produced the biggest single-party majority since 1931 and began 13 years of Labour government. The Makerfield by-election repeats this pattern, with Labour defeating Reform and consolidating centre-left support.

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Story summary

Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election, beating the Reform Party 9,000 votes.
The Reform Party had conceded a month earlier it would lose the Makerfield contest.
Nigel Farage blamed the Restore Party, while leader Rupert Lowe offered to step aside for Reform if it reinstated the death penalty.
In Greater Manchester, 73% of Green preferences went to Bev Craig, while Reform’s Sian Astley received 52% of Tory and Restore preferences.

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