Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election in a result described as a major boost for Labour, with the party holding the seat while increasing its vote share compared with the previous election.
The by-election produced a clear lead for Labour. Labour finished with 24,937 votes, representing 54.8% of the total, and the partyâs result marked a significant improvement versus 2024. The figures show Labour up by 6,725 votes from the prior baseline, alongside a notable swing of roughly +? percentage points as reflected in the headline comparison. The overall Labour performance underlined the partyâs continued strength in the constituency and its ability to consolidate support even in a contest where swings are often amplified.
Rival parties were closely tracked, but they were unable to challenge Labourâs advantage. Reform UK (REF) came in second with 15,696 votes, accounting for 34.5% of the vote. Reformâs tally included an increase of 2,893 votes compared to 2024, indicating that the party improved its standing in the constituency even if it still fell well short of Labourâs lead. The gap between Labour and Reform was substantial, with Labour comfortably ahead by nearly 20 percentage points on share.
Several smaller parties and independents also appeared on the ballot, but none approached the two leading candidatesâ level of support. The Green Party (RES) secured 3,111 votes, which is new in the sense that the count is listed as âNEW,â and they recorded 6.8% of the total. While relatively small compared to the top two, this result suggests that environmental or climate-focused messaging found an audience within the constituency.
Other parties trailed further behind. The Conservative Party (CON) received 997 votes, amounting to 2.2% of the vote. This figure was a decline compared with 2024, shown as -3,382 votes in the change column. That drop indicates the Conservatives struggled to maintain or attract support during this by-election.
The Liberal Democrats (LD) also performed weakly in comparison with the major contenders. They gained 163 votes, representing just 0.4% of the total, with a marked negative change versus 2024 (listed as -2,572). Their low share suggests limited resonance in this specific election context.
The final listed party, the Greens beyond the main âRESâ category, shows an additional 308 votes (0.7%) under a âGRNâ label, also down versus 2024 by -1,468. Taken together, these results depict a fragmented political landscape where most voters concentrated their choices on Labour and Reform, while the remaining votes were spread thinly across smaller parties.
Turnout is given as 58.75%, indicating that more than half of eligible voters participated in the by-election. While not the highest turnout possible, this level suggests meaningful engagement in the contest. Changes w/ 2024 are referenced through the overall turnout comparison and the individual vote-share movements, reinforcing that this by-election was not only a test of party popularity but also a measure of how voter mobilisation evolved compared with the previous cycle.
Overall, the narrative of the result is straightforward: Labourâs Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election decisively, strengthening Labourâs position with a majority of 54.8% and a substantial lead over Reform UKâs 34.5%. The outcome shows Labour maintaining dominance in the constituency while Reform improved its vote share but could not close the gap. Meanwhile, smaller partiesâincluding the Conservatives and Liberal Democratsârecorded low shares and negative changes, suggesting that voters largely focused on the leading challengers rather than scattering support widely.
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Politics UK: đ¨ BREAKING: Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election đ´ LAB: 24,937 (+6,725) – 54.8% âĄď¸ REF: 15,696 (+2,893) – 34.5% đŁ RES: 3,111 (NEW) – 6.8% đľ CON: 997 (-3,382) – 2.2% đ˘ GRN: 308 (-1,468) – 0.7% đś LD: 163 (-2,572) – 0.4% Changes w/ 2024 58.75% turnout. #breaking
â @PolitlcsUK May 1, 2026