Right-wing feud strengthens Andy Burnham's bid to be next British prime minister

Reuters ^ | June 15, 2026 | Andy Bruce and Sophie Royle

[MinorityRepublican]

If Andy Burnham wins Thursday's election in Makerfield, the seat he needs to challenge ​Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the country's leadership, it may have less to do with his own appeal than the feuding of two populist right-wing parties splitting their vote.

The ‌election is shaping up to be one of the most consequential one-off contests in modern British political history. The 77,000 voters who live in Makerfield, in northern England, could decide the identity of the prime minister governing almost 70 million people.

Opinion polls show Burnham, currently the governing Labour Party's mayor of Greater Manchester, could win because the populist right-wing vote is likely to be divided between two political parties led by two men who used to be colleagues before ​an acrimonious split last year.

Peter Thompson, who runs a record shop in Ashton-in-Makerfield, said he would vote for Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, but he feared the decision by Restore Britain, led ​by Rupert Lowe, to stand in the contest could allow Burnham to win.

"All my voting in life there's only been two parties that have run ⁠this country, Labour and Conservatives. Look around you, it's a mess," the 78-year-old said, describing how Britain's politics has fractured into more parties and independent representatives than ever before.

"If it was a straightforward fight, ​I think Reform may well edge it but because there's that many parties that you can vote for now, I think it will swing it to Labour's advantage, unfortunately."

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TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS:

[gibsonguy]

England is in ruins. If the people do not have a anyone but Labour attitude at this point then it is hopeless.

[Williams]

Oh for God’s sake.

[Antoninus]

Anyone voting for Labour at this point deserves what’s coming to him.

[Fido969]

Ah!

So it’s not just in the US that we have The Stupid Party!

[hanamizu]

If the people do not have a anyone but Labour attitude at this point then it is hopeless.

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If the two so-called right wing candidates get 64% between them Labour wins with 36% even though a huge majority voted against Labour. It’s ‘first over the line’ rather than a runoff.