Matt Spivey
Live reporter

Image source, EPA

Andy Burnham is back in Westminster.

The newly elected MP for Makerfield won big in yesterday's by-election, taking 55% of the vote.

In his victory speech, he said voters had issued a "call of change" and promised to set out a "new path for Britain".

All eyes are on what happens next.

Burnham had been widely expected to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the Labour Party leadership if he made it back to Parliament. No such contest has been called yet.

Key questions remain: How could a leadership challenge work and, if Burnham runs, who is in his inner circle?

The prime minister congratulated Burnham, but urged Labour to "pull together" and warned against party members "turning on each other". He also made it clear he would defend his premiership if a contest was launched.

Not everyone in his team agrees. Some ministers are privately pressuring him to quit. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has advised Starmer to set out a timetable to leave office.

In Makerfield, opinions are mixed. Some, like Tony Thakur, think Burnham is the best option for change, while others, like Anne, hope their new MP will stick to his promises.

As results came in for Makerfield's by-election, two others were announced in Scotland: the Scottish Conservatives won their first Westminster by-election in 50 years in Aberdeen South, while the Scottish National Party (SNP) held Arbroath and Broughty Ferry.

Loose ends remain for the Labour Party. Political editor Chris Mason summed it up: we are in for a lively few days and weeks.

• You can also read our news story for an overview of what's happened in the past 24 hours

Did Burnham omit the word 'Labour' from campaign material?published at 19:11 BST 19 June

19:11 BST 19 June

By Tamara Kovacevic

BBC Verify has been looking at Andy Burnham’s Makerfield campaign material, after Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said he "never used the word 'Labour' in any of his material or any of his posters" on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Burnham’s leaflet "Vote Andy, For Us" doesn’t mention Labour in his personal message, but it does have the party’s branding at the bottom.

The branding for Labour North West also appears on screen in his video called "This is why I’m standing" and he mentions the party once when he says "I fought for the miners here and the compensation we’ve got from the last Labour government".

On X, Burnham has also posted several pictures and videos of himself, showing "Vote Labour" posters in the background.

We also found press photographs of "Vote Labour" and "Vote Andy" posters side-by-side at multiple Burnham rallies, although we could not find a poster containing the two messages together.

We contacted Labour North West for their response but haven’t received a reply yet.

As we've been reporting, now that Andy Burnham has been elected as an MP, a Greater Manchester mayoral by-election has been triggered and is set for 30 July.

Labour says it will announce its candidate for the mayoral by-election on 26 June.

According to a timetable released by the party, applications for selection opened at 17:00 on Friday and will close at 17:00 on Sunday.

Labour members will vote on a list of candidates chosen by the party's National Executive Committee from 23 to 26 June, with the result announced after voting closes.

• Find out more about the mayoral by-election here

Image source, House of Commons

Labour MP Sarah Owen has called on Keir Starmer to agree to an orderly transition.

She tells Vicki Young on Politics Live: "I really hope that the leadership, including the PM, reflect and take the time to properly listen… to what the general public are saying."

"I hope that we can find a managed process that sees us through and gets on with governing," she adds.

Echoing Owen, Labour MP Polly Billington also tells BBC Radio 4's World at One programme the party needs something that's both "dignified" for Starmer and gives it the opportunity to serve the British people.

When asked if that meant she wanted the prime minister to stand down gracefully, the MP for East Thanet replies: "I think that's what he deserves."

• Keep up to date with the reaction to today's result on Politics Live on BBC iPlayer

PM under private pressure from ministers to quitpublished at 18:00 BST 19 June

18:00 BST 19 June

Joe Pike
Political correspondent

Image source, Reuters

The prime minister is being subjected to a private pressure campaign from ministers who think he should quit.

In a conversation earlier today, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander - a long-term ally of Andy Burnham - advised the prime minister to set out a timetable for his departure.

This effort fits alongside the strategies of Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting - both are expected to keep a low profile this weekend.

Both prospective prime ministers want to give Starmer the time and space to consult his closest colleagues and family members about his future.

The prime minister could be true to his word and attempt to stay and fight.

But his grip on power is getting steadily weaker, and even some of his closest supporters privately concede his premiership is probably over.

Labour MP Jo White says the prime minister should "consider his position very, very carefully" over the weekend and announce a "smooth transition" on Monday.

White, who also leads the Red Wall group representing areas that have traditionally backed Labour, spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live's Matt Chorley.

She says: "He [Starmer] has no choice."

White adds that the by-election result sent a message to the country that Starmer now needs to consider his position.

"I think he should announce on Monday morning that there will be a smooth transition, and we allow Andy Burnham to become the next prime minister for the United Kingdom," she says.

Joe Pike
Political correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

In a conversation with Keir Starmer earlier today, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander suggested he set out a timetable to leave office, the BBC has been told.

A spokesperson for Alexander said: "Heidi and the PM spoke this afternoon as part of wider cabinet calls. It was a private conversation and I am not going to reveal what was said."

Alexander's advice isn't too much of a surprise, since she is one of only four MPs who also voted for Burnham to become leader the first time he tried in 2010.

She also backed him in 2015.

We are now in one of those all too familiar moments of recent yearspublished at 17:30 BST 19 June

17:30 BST 19 June

Chris Mason
Political editor

In my job, I get a ringside seat in the court of power. Bearing witness to the draining of power from some, and its accumulation for others.

There's been quite a bit of both in recent years. And this week I have seen both, again.

My week began as part of the reporter pack accompanying Starmer to the G7 Summit in the French Alps. My week ended on the turf of Ashton Town Football Club at Andy Burnham’s victory rally.

Amid a gathering of many of the world’s most powerful, the prime minister’s authority was already shrivelling. In Ashton-in-Makerfield, a bullish confidence from Team Burnham.

This weekend, the focus switches to Labour MPs, from the cabinet down. Do they manage to nudge; to elbow Starmer towards the door?

Does Wes Streeting conclude Burnham is an unstoppable force? And when might Andy Burnham want to become prime minister, ideally?

Some of his supporters say as soon as possible. Others privately concede he needs time to better prepare.

A final thought tonight: when I find myself being asked who will be prime minister in a fortnight and I can’t give a definitive answer, you know we are in one of those all too familiar moments of recent years of fluidity; uncertainty.

As we mentioned earlier, now that Andy Burnham has been elected as an MP, he can't carry on as mayor of Greater Manchester, a role he has held since 2017.

This is because, as mayor, Burnham is also the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Greater Manchester. You can't be both an MP and a PCC at the same time.

Watch as our colleague Kevin Fitzpatrick explains this below.

"I stand by the prime minister. He has won a historic landslide victory. I don't want to see a contest at this time," Labour MP for Bolton Phil Brickell tells the BBC.

After congratulating Andy Burnham on his win, Brickell says he wants to see the Makerfield MP and the wider Labour Party unite behind winning the mayoral race.

Focusing on anything but the imminent Greater Manchester mayoral election is a "dereliction of duty", according to Brickell.

• Just a reminder: The election for the new mayor of Greater Manchester is set for 30 July - we’ll explain more in our next post

Brickell also warns against "rushing headlong" into a leadership challenge, saying there is "plenty of time" for Burnham and other party members to "work through where things have gone wrong".

"I don't understand why there are these siren calls to change all of a sudden," he says.

Emma Burnell, editor for LabourList, a Labour-supporting news website, says it's understood that Andy Burnham has the 81 names needed to launch a leadership challenge.

However, she tells the BBC News channel "it matters who those names are" - and whether they include enough sitting ministers and cabinet members to make it clear they'd resign if Starmer were to stand in a leadership contest.

"That's when it becomes particularly obvious his time is up," says Burnell.

She says there's a combination of "frustration and sadness" among MPs who wanted Starmer to succeed after his "landslide" election victory two years ago.

Burnell adds that when you've got people in the cabinet being quite openly supportive of Burnham, and two resignations in the space of a week, "there is a sense that momentum is only going one way".

Burnham and Streeting appear to give Starmer time to decide his futurepublished at 16:25 BST 19 June

16:25 BST 19 June

Joe Pike
Political correspondent

Allies of both Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting have told the BBC there are no plans for either to make public appearances or give media interviews this weekend.

They seem to be keen to give the prime minister the time and space to consult his closest ministers and aides, and decide on his future.

Starmer could be true to his word and fight any leadership challenge, but there are challenges ahead.

Not least the weekly meeting of his restive cabinet on Tuesday, and the bearpit of the Commons at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Image source, Reuters

If a leadership contest is launched and Andy Burnham gains the keys to No 10, here are some of the MPs and advisers who could be given key roles:

Louise Haigh: The former transport secretary was the first of Keir Starmer's cabinet ministers to quit, after it emerged in November 2024 that she had a fraud conviction prior to entering parliament. On the backbenches she emerged as a crucial power broker on Labour's "soft left" and has been a major figure in Burnham's Makerfield campaign.

Anneliese Midgley: Midgley has been Knowsley MP since 2024. She previously worked for Starmer's office in opposition following stints at the TUC, Unite and in former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's team. She is seen as a plausible candidate for chief whip or even to be the political secretary in Downing Street.

Miatta Fahnbulleh: She resigned as a junior minister for communities in the aftermath of the May elections. Since then she has been working on policy ideas for a potential Burnham government.

Josh Simons: He's the man who gave up his seat for Burnham. Simons is said to have been helping Team Burnham on policy, though he has a different ideological background to Fahnbulleh, and is seen as a likely candidate for a role in a Burnham Downing Street.

• Read more on the key figures in Andy Burnham's inner circle in my story

Image source, Reuters

Talks with cabinet could play key role in whether Starmer stays or goespublished at 15:59 BST 19 June

15:59 BST 19 June

Jack Fenwick
Political correspondent

Image source, EPA

It does feel like the Burnham camp is going to give the prime minister a few days to think about resigning before any sort of movement from them.

It sounds like we’re probably not going to hear from either Andy Burnham or Wes Streeting over the weekend.

No doubt, if the prime minister is having conversations with ministers and other MPs - as expected over the course of today and into the weekend - it’s how those conversations go that will ultimately be the deciding factor in what he chooses to do next.

We heard from him this morning saying he will fight any leadership contest.

I think it’s safe to say that things still are up in the air.

If a large number of cabinet ministers call on him to go, that would be much more difficult because, if he was to fight a leadership challenge as prime minister, he would have to carry on governing.

Has a leadership challenge been triggered?

No - and the timing of any possible challenge is still unclear.

Will the prime minister stand?

Party leaders are automatically on the ballot paper unless they resign. Earlier, Keir Starmer said he "will stand" in any contest.

Who are the possible contenders?

Much of the talk has focused on Andy Burnham and former Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

Angela Rayner is favoured by some on the left of the party, while former armed forces minister Al Carns has hinted he could also enter a leadership race.

Public finances could be sticking point for any leader's planspublished at 15:26 BST 19 June

15:26 BST 19 June

Dharshini David
Deputy economics editor

Official figures show that the government borrowed £23.3bn in May to bridge the gap between tax and spending, £5bn more than the previous year.

That’s as higher inflation earlier in the year bumped up some interest payments (some of those are linked to that inflation rate).

It’s only one set of figures but it means that, two months into the financial year, borrowing is running above the official target.

Burnham has indicated he’ll stick to current rules on borrowing if he becomes prime minister - but markets still assume his plans would include more spending than at present, and possibly, higher taxes.

The chief of business lobby group CBI has warned that the country "cannot afford a summer of speculation and drift" as talk grows about a possible leadership challenge.

CBI chief executive Rain Newton-Smith says on social media that political uncertainty "dampens business confidence and investment".

"For strong, stable economic growth you need strong, stable, consistent government," she says.

Meanwhile, British Retail Consortium (BRC) chief executive Helen Dickinson tells the BBC it's important for any possible leadership contenders to "stay focused on what matters to retailers and consumers alike - keeping prices affordable and supporting investment and job creation".

Throughout the day, we've been hearing your thoughts on the results of the Makerfield by-election and what this means for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

John says the result in Makerfield was less about support for Burnham and more about wanting to get Starmer out.

Margaret says: "Fantastic result for Andy Burnham. A Reform win doesn't bear thinking about."

Alan says this is an important moment for the UK's future and it's time Starmer put the country before himself. He calls for Starmer to resign and give a new Labour administration a chance to tackle the country's problems.

Anne says people just wanted to vote Starmer out - but the irony is Burnham isn't exactly who they want either, and they may vote differently in a general election. She adds that Makerfield voted for the sake of the country at this time.

What do you make of the result? Let us know.

Joe McFadden
Reporting from Ashton-in-Makerfield

Anne, who lives in the Makerfield constituency and voted in this by-election, says she likes Andy Burnham but hopes he keeps his word.

"I think there is a lot of frustration coming through," Anne says, adding that this is due to "false promises" people have been given in the past.

"I know it's difficult to keep a promise sometimes, but we’ve been let down in a lot of ways."

Anne says there’s a lot of poverty in Wigan and that there needs to be more opportunities and jobs for younger people.

"I've had my time, you know, I'm still working, but I just hope for the younger ones, there's change."

Liz Roberts
Reporting from Ashton-in-Makerfield

Arthur Ratcliffe was getting his hair cut in Ashton-in-Makerfield when he shared his thoughts on the by-election results.

From the barber's chair, he says: "I voted Reform. I’ve picked the wrong one again haven’t I?"

He says he likes Reform UK's policies and that "they want the country back".

After Burnham's big win - which saw him secure almost 9,000 more votes than Reform's candidate Robert Kenyon - Ratcliffe says he thought Reform "would have done a lot better".

Despite not backing the winning candidate, he says he thinks Burnham is "alright": "He’s one of us. He’s got the gift of the gab."