Farage Blames 9,000-Vote Makerfield Loss on Anti-Starmer Backing for Burnham
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 19
Farage Blames 9,000-Vote Makerfield Loss on Anti-Starmer Backing for Burnham
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 19
Summary
More than 9,000 votes separated Reform UK from Labour in Makerfield, where Nigel Farage called his party’s second-place finish “disappointing” and said Andy Burnham’s victory was driven by voters wanting to oust Keir Starmer.
Burnham increased Labour’s majority in a seat Reform had targeted as a high-profile upset, with Farage saying the party was “hoist with our own petard” after framing recent elections as a verdict on Starmer.
Nearly 7% of voters backed Restore Britain in its first Westminster contest, and Farage said the new rightwing rival siphoned off a couple of thousand votes that would normally have gone to Reform.
The result strengthens Burnham’s standing as a potential Labour leadership challenger, while exposing a strategic problem for Reform as Restore moves from roughly 3% national polling onto the parliamentary stage.