UK Stunner: Makerfield By-Election Results Rock Political Landscape

The highly anticipated Makerfield by-election, held in Wigan on Thursday, June 18, has concluded, with polls closing at 10 pm. This electoral event, which saw approximately 70,000 eligible voters participate in the Wigan constituency, is viewed as a crucial moment with potential ramifications for the UK political landscape for years to come.

The significance of this by-election primarily stems from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's candidacy for the Labour and Co-operative Party. His campaign is widely understood as the initial step in his strategic plan to launch a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, should he be elected to Parliament. This pivotal opportunity arose following the sudden resignation of Labour MP Josh Simons on May 14. Mr. Simons confirmed he stepped down from his position explicitly to pave the way for Mr. Burnham to stand for election, a decision made amid mounting demands for Sir Keir Starmer to resign.

The contest was largely anticipated to be a close race between Andy Burnham and Reform UK's candidate, Robert Kenyon, who had faced public backlash during the election campaign due to a series of old social media posts. In total, 14 candidates contested the Member of Parliament seat for Makerfield. The comprehensive list of candidates included: Jake Austin for the Liberal Democrats, Count Binface for the Count Binface Party, Andy Burnham for the Labour and Co-operative Party, Dan Clarke for the Libertarian Party, John Dyer as an Independent, Ed Gemmell for the Climate Party, Paul Gould as an Independent, Howling Laud Hope for The Official Monster Raving Loony Party, Robert Kenyon for Reform UK, Rob Pownall as an Independent, Rebecca Shepherd for Restore Britain, Sarah Wakefield for the Green Party, Peter Ward for Rejoin EU, and Michael Winstanley for the Conservative and Unionist Party.

The Makerfield constituency encompasses various areas within Wigan, specifically including Abram, Ashton-in-Makerfield South, Bryn with Ashton-in-Makerfield North, Hindley, Hindley Green, Leigh West, Orrell, Winstanley, Worsley Mesnes, and smaller parts of Golborne and Lowton West, and Ince. Polls for the by-election opened at 7 am and closed promptly at 10 pm, after which the ballots were transported to the count centre for verification and tabulation.

Notably, no official exit poll was conducted for the Makerfield by-election. However, an Opinium poll, carried out between June 3 and 11, 2025, ahead of election day, offered insights into voter intentions. The study, which surveyed 543 local residents, indicated Andy Burnham in the lead with 46% support, followed by Robert Kenyon of Reform UK with 41%, and Rebecca Shepherd of Restore Britain with 7%. Other reported results included Michael Winstanley (Conservative) with 3%, Sarah Wakefield (Green) with 2%, Jake Austin (Liberal Democrats) with 1%, and 1% for other candidates. Furthermore, bookmakers heavily favored Mr. Burnham to win, with William Hill offering 1/12, BetFred 1/9, and Ladbrokes 1/10 odds for Labour as of 9:30 pm on election night.

Counting of the votes commenced shortly after polls closed at 10 pm on Thursday. Results for the Makerfield by-election were widely anticipated in the early hours of Friday morning, specifically from 4 am. Live coverage was provided throughout the evening and into the night as the counting process unfolded, delivering updates on this crucial political event.