ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD (United Kingdom): UK voters went to the polls on Thursday in a historic local election that could determine the future of beleaguered Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and shape the next government.
All eyes are on Labour veteran and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham seeking to win the parliamentary by-election for the Makerfield constituency in northwestern England, so he can then try to oust Starmer as party leader and win the keys to Downing Street.
Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (0600 GMT). They will close at 10:00 pm, with counting due to begin straight away.
Pollsters expect Burnham to win the landmark contest, but he faces a tough fight from the hard-right Reform UK party.
“Almost undoubtedly it’s in the hands of the voters of Makerfield as to whether or not Burnham becomes prime minister,” said political scientist John Curtice.
“If Burnham does win, his path to 10 Downing Street looks to be relatively assured. If they deny him the opportunity, it may be that Starmer will survive, at least for the time being,” he told AFP.
Starmer, in office since July 2024, has been clinging to power since Labour’s drubbing in local and regional elections last month.
He has been rocked by several policy U-turns and a scandal over his appointment of ex-Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.
He has endured several ministerial resignations and rock-bottom personal poll ratings, with Reform leading national surveys for over a year.
Comments