Labour has claimed victory in the Makerfield by-election, delivering a decisive result for Andy Burnham and reinforcing the party’s dominance in the constituency.
According to the headline figures, Labour took 24,937 votes, representing 54.8% of the total share. The result also reflects a significant movement compared with the previous baseline: Labour recorded a gain of 6,725 votes. This kind of uplift suggests the by-election drew out stronger support for Labour than the earlier contest used for comparison.
The main opposition, represented in the results as REF (likely a rival party or alliance designation used in the reporting), secured 15,696 votes and 34.5%. The second-place position indicates the race was competitive, but not close enough to threaten Labour’s overall lead. REF also posted gains compared with the earlier reference point, adding 2,893 votes.
A third political grouping, labeled RES, recorded 3,111 votes. It was a new entry in the dataset (shown as NEW) and achieved 6.8% of the vote. While not large enough to change the top two positions, RES’s appearance as a new force indicates some voters shifted to alternatives outside the main party contest.
Other parties received smaller shares. Conservative (CON) candidates obtained 997 votes, listed at 2.2%. Notably, CON figures show a sharp decline compared with 2024, losing 3,382 votes in the comparison provided. The liberal democrat (LD) total was 163 votes, 0.4% of the vote, with the party also down substantially from the earlier baseline, losing 2,572 votes.
The Greens (GRN) achieved 308 votes, equivalent to 0.7%, but also fell compared with the 2024 measure, losing 1,468 votes. Overall, these results point to a by-election where the contest largely revolved around Labour versus REF, with smaller parties trailing well behind.
The data also states turnout was 58.75%, a figure that helps contextualize the vote totals. Turnout in by-elections can vary considerably, and while 58.75% is a bit more than half of eligible voters, it does not automatically explain why Labour’s lead was so large on this occasion. Still, the turnout level would have influenced how effectively each party mobilized its base.
In addition to the vote shares, the headline emphasizes Labour’s margin. Labour’s 54.8% stands well above REF’s 34.5%, meaning the combined advantage for Labour is roughly twenty percentage points. With Labour also showing strong positive movement compared with 2024, the result reads as both a win and a consolidation.
The by-election outcome is therefore likely to be read in political terms as a signal of continued voter preference for Labour in Makerfield, alongside a decline for the Conservatives, Greens, and Liberal Democrats. Even though RES reached nearly 7%—not enough to upset the top two—the existence of a new entrant suggests the by-election may have captured some protest or issue-based voting not previously reflected in the prior numbers.
Taken together, the Makerfield by-election paints a clear picture: Labour, led by Andy Burnham, won comfortably with more than half of the vote, REF finished in second at just under a third of the total, and smaller parties registered limited influence. The reported changes versus 2024 reinforce that this was not simply a static result but one marked by meaningful swings—especially for Labour’s upward movement and Conservatives’ steep decline.
Source: Source
Politics UK: 🚨 BREAKING: Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election 🔴 LAB: 24,937 (+6,725) – 54.8% ➡️ REF: 15,696 (+2,893) – 34.5% 🟣 RES: 3,111 (NEW) – 6.8% 🔵 CON: 997 (-3,382) – 2.2% 🟢 GRN: 308 (-1,468) – 0.7% 🔶 LD: 163 (-2,572) – 0.4% Changes w/ 2024 58.75% turnout. #breaking
— @PolitlcsUK May 1, 2026
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