Coming in Andy: Britain's prime minister-in-waiting

June 19, 2026

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5 min read

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, won the Makerfield by-election with 55% of the vote, a result that immediately reshapes British politics. The constituency in northwest England is not a real place—it is a collection of towns and villages on the edge of Wigan—but it has become the stage for a potential Labour Party leadership challenge. Burnham has long been Labour’s most popular figure, both internally and with the public, and he has said he intends to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the party leadership, which would also make him prime minister. The by-election was a necessary first step: Burnham needed a seat in Parliament to mount that challenge. Now he has one.

The Makerfield result and what it means for Labour

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What you'll learn

1 (01:50) **Andy Burnham Wins Makerfield By-Election** - The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester wins the pivotal by-election with 55% of the vote, positioning himself to challenge Keir Starmer for the party leadership and potentially become prime minister.
2 (03:09) **Why Burnham Matters to Labour** - Hugo Jai explains Burnham's popularity as a regional figure and why many Labour MPs see him as the solution to the party's struggles under Keir Starmer.
3 (06:07) **The Path to Prime Minister** - The maneuvering begins after Burnham's win, with Starmer refusing to step down and Wes Streeting also a potential candidate.
4 (07:40) **Other By-Election Results and Their Implications** - The Conservatives win a seat in Scotland, while Reform UK loses badly in Makerfield, signaling a squeeze on the right-wing populist party.
5 (10:33) **Iran Deal's Economic Impact** - Fraser McGillrey explains the terms of the MOU signed by Trump and Pezeshkian, which offers sanctions relief and a potential $300 billion reconstruction fund.
6 (13:33) **Immediate Economic Effects and Skepticism** - The rial strengthened on the news, but the damage from the war cannot be reversed quickly, and the $300 billion fund is highly uncertain.
7 (17:10) **A War That Changed Everything and Nothing** - The deal highlights America's failure to achieve its military goals, leaving Iran emboldened and the region's status quo challenged.

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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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