Up next in 10
Andrew Marr reacts to the Makerfield by-election results and predicts what's next for the Labour party as a leadership challenge looms. Andy Burnham stormed to victory, taking 55% of the vote and beating the Reform candidate by 9,000. Mr Burnham is believed to already have the support of the 80 Labour MPs needed to launch a formal challenge to Sir Keir. Despite this, the Prime Minister has repeatedly made it clear he has no intention of standing down and says that he will fight any challenge to his leadership. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #nickferrari #andrewmarr #ukpolitics #keirstarmer #andyburnham #news #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
Here's a little of what the triumphant Annie Burnham had to say when the polling was announced in the early hours of this morning
0:05
Everyone knows that politics isn't working. Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be
0:15
Tonight could, just could, be the turning point. From here on, I will give everything I have got to make it so
0:25
to ensure the name Makerfield is forever synonymous with bringing about the change this country needs
0:36
Bringing back something we've lost. Hope. Hope for the future. I am proud that this place has shone in the world spotlight these last five weeks
0:50
and the warmth, humour and hospitality of its people has been on show for all to see
0:57
It will never be a stepping stone to me, but instead will be my touchstone
1:05
a make-a-field test at the heart of British politics, will ensure the places Westminster has neglected will now get fairness
1:16
What do you think is going to happen next? Do you fancy a bet? Well, I tried one with Housing Secretary Steve Reid
1:22
whether the Prime Minister would or would not be in position at the Labour conference in a couple of months
1:27
Do you want to take the bet? Are you put a pound at, I'll put 50, to a charity of your choice
1:32
Will he still be Prime Minister at the Labour conference? I'm getting slightly worried, Nick, that every time I come on your show..
1:36
No, it's only the second bet I've ever offered you. I'm ending up having him more and more bets. Are you ready to take that bet
1:40
So I'm not going to do more and more bets. I don't think that's a sensible thing. Lastly, is it difficult being a Starmer loyalist at this time, Secretary of State
1:46
No it isn because I got a job of work to do We talked about the house houses that we getting built we talked about how we making buying and selling a home much easier for people that want to get a foot on the housing ladder That is my job and it an honour and a privilege every day
2:00
to get on and do it. Let's turn to a former minister who seems to be getting growing respect
2:05
He decided, up with this I will not put, and he stood down as Armed Forces Minister last week
2:10
I speak of Al Karnes and I spoke with him, the future for Sakhir. Let's lay it out on the table
2:16
I've met Keir I think he is a good man, he's an honest man
2:21
he's trying his very best, there's significant headwinds and the other piece about this Nick is there are trade-offs we are going to have to make
2:26
if we want that big vision if we really want to move at the speed of which the nation
2:30
wants us to move we need to have that discussion, we need to have the trade-offs
2:34
and then we've got to have the conversation, the national conversation with the country and say we're going to have to make
2:38
these difficult decisions, you're going to have to come with us or we're going to see no real change And what of the best polling expert in town
2:44
Professor Sir John Curtis How long did he think the Prime Minister's got to stay behind the door of number 10
2:50
Potentially no more than a few days. I mean, I think the problem for him now is that because Mr Burnham has done anything and everything
3:00
that any Labour MP might have been looking for to be convinced that Sir Keir Starmer should give way to Annie Burnham
3:07
that evidence is being provided. So the question now will be whether or not the number of Labour MPs who want Mr Burnham to replace him
3:16
becomes so large that the message from the whips to Sir Keir Starmer is
3:20
look, you've basically lost the confidence of the party. The game is up
3:24
Let's turn to my LBC colleague, Andrew Marr, presenter of Tonight with Andrew Marr
3:28
And there is a special, I should tell you, back tonight at six, so you'll be able to hear more from him
3:32
But he joins me now. Andrew, if I were to deploy the words used by someone who could have been seen to play a part in the downfall of Sir Keir Starmer
3:40
I speak of Peter Mandelson is Sir Keir Starmer a fighter or a quitter Well he going to be a quitter before too long I think I absolutely agree with Sir John Curtis There is a fundamental rule about British political commentary Nick
3:54
Listen to John Curtis and then agree with him and you won't go far wrong. I think, you know
3:59
last time we were talking, Nick, we were talking about gravity and Keir Starmer resisting gravity
4:05
If we flip to a different force, momentum, I think what happened overnight gives Andy Burnham
4:11
such huge political momentum that it's irresistible. And Keir Starmer, you know, he is stubborn, he is tough, he is proud
4:19
he's got a strong sense of public service. I don't think anyone wants to humiliate him
4:24
but I think he also knows enough about politics to look at these numbers
4:29
look at the atmosphere inside his own cabinet, and if he's wise, this weekend decide to move on in due course
4:36
Whether it happens quickly or not, I don't know, but he should make the decision this weekend
4:40
and spare the party a kind of really bloody and damaging contest
4:45
That contest, of course, would be triggered by Labour MPs coming forward. Remind my listeners, is it 81 that would need to get behind Mr Burnham or whoever
4:52
Yeah, go on. It's 81. The other person who has obviously made clear that he wants to stand is Wes Streeting
4:58
made a very, very interesting economic speech this week. He tells me he's got 81
5:04
Some of them are serving ministers under Keir Starmer, which is why they can't come out and say so directly
5:10
I think he has a really interesting and difficult choice now, because he's got the ambition, he's got, in many ways
5:18
the sort of capabilities, the talents to be prime minister, he wants to be prime minister, but given what happened in Makerfield
5:25
he may also look at this momentum and think, do you know what, this is irresistible
5:29
No-one inside the Labour Party can stand against it. I think if he's wise, he will try to do a deal with Andy Burnham
5:36
and Andy Burnham if he was wise would make West treating his chancel We met briefly last week and you called it right You said that Makerfield would go to Andy Burnham Were you surprised by the margin of victory Andrew
5:48
Yes, I was. I was wobbling, frankly, Nick, over the last 48 hours
5:53
because everybody at Westminster said this is going to be an easy Labour win
5:57
And, you know, when everybody at Westminster says something, it is likely to be wrong
6:01
So I was not sure. But no, I thought, frankly, the restore vote would be a bit bigger
6:08
I thought the Conservatives, almost obliterated, the Greens, almost obliterated, would do a little bit better
6:15
And I'm surprised by the scale of the victory. It is astonishing. 54% of the electorate, way up on the general election
6:23
in a time when the Labour Party is deeply unpopular. Lastly, what aspects are you going to take forward tonight at six, Andrew
6:29
Well, we'll be looking very hard at what's going to play out next
6:33
We always try and look ahead. So we'll be asking about what's going to happen vis-a-vis Keir Starmer, as we've just been talking about
6:39
But also, I am really, really interested in the economic advisers that Andy Burnham is clustering around him
6:44
People like Jim O'Neill, who used to advise George Osborne on the Northern Powerhouse
6:50
and Andy Haldane, ex of the Bank of England. Really serious people. So in terms of the big question for the country, where would a Burnham government take us economically
7:00
Would it give us growth? What's its attitude would be? I'll be trying to talk to people like that, I hope
7:06
Andrew Marr, thanks as ever, Andy. Really appreciate it. Andrew Marr, representative of Tonight with Andrew Marr
7:10
He's on LBC, a special show starting from 6 tonight. Coming to the trade union reaction
7:15
Just want to, as Andrew referenced the numbers, just very, very quickly. So Andy Burnham Labour, 24,000, all but 25,000
7:21
Reform UK, Rob Kenyon, 15,500. Restore Britain, which Andrew referenced, 3,000 and change
7:29
The Tories, by the way, less than 1,000. But that's just to give you the perspective of those numbers
7:33
There's no other word. A stonking win
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