AI Summary
5 min readAndy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, won the Makerfield by-election with 55% of the vote, a victory that positions him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership and, potentially, the prime ministership. Reform UK trailed far behind at 35%, and a new far-right party, Restore Britain, took 7%. The result was the dominant story in a day of British by-elections that also saw the Conservatives win a seat in Aberdeen South from the Scottish National Party, complicating the picture for Reform UK, which has led national polls for over a year.
Burnham has long been Labour's most popular figure, both internally and with the public, after nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester. He has said he will challenge Starmer for the leadership, and a growing number of Labour MPs are calling for Starmer to step down so Burnham can take over quickly. Starmer has said he will stand and fight. Wes Streeting, a centrist who resigned from the cabinet weeks ago, has also said he will challenge Starmer but wanted to wait until after the Makerfield by-election so Burnham could enter the contest too. All polls suggest Burnham is the heavy favourite among Labour members, but it is not a done deal. Both Starmer and Streeting are considered stubborn, and at least one of them is likely to put their name forward. If it comes to a vote of Labour members, Burnham is expected to win.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:12) **Episode Introduction** - Jason Palmer previews the show: the Iran deal's effect on Iran's economy and a tour of Barack Obama's presidential library.
- 2 (01:45) **Andy Burnham Wins Makerfield By-Election** - The Mayor of Greater Manchester wins the crucial by-election with 55% of the vote, positioning himself to challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership and potentially become Prime Minister.
- 3 (03:41) **On the Ground in Makerfield** - Political correspondent Hugo Jai describes the constituency as a collection of towns and villages, with residents weary of the intense media and political attention.
- 4 (04:35) **Why Andy Burnham Matters to Labour** - Burnham has been Labour's most popular figure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, and many MPs see him as the solution to the party's struggles under Keir Starmer.
- 5 (06:07) **The Path to Prime Minister** - Burnham will be sworn in as an MP next week; Starmer refuses to step down, and Wes Streeting is also a candidate, but Burnham is the heavy favourite among Labour members.
- 6 (07:40) **Other By-Election Results and Their Implications** - The Conservatives win a seat in Aberdeen South from the SNP, while Reform UK loses badly in Makerfield, suggesting their dominance is being squeezed.
- 7 (10:33) **The Iran Deal's Economic Impact on Iran** - The MOU signed by Trump and Iran's president offers sanctions relief and a potential $300 billion reconstruction fund in exchange for Iran not pursuing a nuclear weapon.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Andy Burnham won a by-election he needed in order to challenge Sir Keir Starmer, Britain’s prime minister. We look at the path ahead for him. The Iran deal seemingly promises a financial windfall for the country and its regime—one that its battered economy sorely needs. And the mythmaking of presidential libraries, as seen in the latest one: Barack Obama’s.
Watch extended clips from Insider here.
Guests and host:
- Hugo Gye, British political correspondent
- Fraser McIlwraith, foreign correspondent
- Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- British politics, Andy Burnham, Labour party
- Iran war, Iran deal, Iran’s economy
- Barack Obama, presidential libraries
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