Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester in northern England, won a seat in Parliament on Thursday, a pivotal step in his plans to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership of the Labour Party and the country.
Mr. Burnham easily defeated a field of candidates from more than a half-dozen parties, winning 24,937 votes.
Reform U.K., the populist right-wing party led by Nigel Farage, fell short in its hopes of securing the seat, in spite of its success in a set of local elections last month. Rob Kenyon, the Reform candidate, came in second with 15,696 votes.
Election officials announced the results of the special election in Makerfield, an area made up of former coal mining villages and market towns, early on Friday morning.
The win will galvanize supporters of Mr. Burnham, who have argued that he offers Labour its best chance of challenging the rise of Reform.
Mr. Burnham may now begin the process of trying to oust Mr. Starmer, who has become one of the least popular prime ministers in modern British history.
When Mr. Burnham might challenge the prime minister — and how Mr. Starmer will respond — remains unclear.
The prime minister has said he will fight to stay in the office he won almost two years ago. But several Labour lawmakers have publicly said Mr. Starmer should step aside, for the good of the party and the country, if Mr. Burnham challenges him.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
