Labour MPs have been urged to “put Keir Starmer out of his misery” after Andy Burnham’s by-election win in Makerfield.
Speaking to GB News, Shadow Secretary for Scotland Andrew Bowie said the country needed to “move on” from Sir Keir, arguing the Prime Minister now faces a “huge challenge” from Burnham.
In his victory speech, the former Greater Manchester Mayor said the result marked the “final chance” for the Labour Government to change course.
Burnham won the Makerfield seat with 24,927 votes, ahead of Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who received 15,696.
He told the Labour Government in his speech: “There will be no second chance. But it is a chance now, from this result tonight, to build a new politics based on unity and hope.”
Commenting on the result, Bowie said the country “doesn’t want more chaos” and is looking for “firm leadership”.
He told GB News: “Congratulations to Andy, he won a comfortable majority, and we look forward to seeing him down in the House of Commons on Monday.
“This is quite clearly a huge challenge for Keir Starmer, the only person left in the country, I think, who doesn’t recognise that his time as Prime Minister is coming swiftly to an end.”
He added: “The country doesn’t want more chaos, it doesn’t want more division. What the country needs is good firm leadership, the sort Kemi Badenoch as leader of the Conservative Party is offering.
“The future leadership of the Labour Party is for Labour MPs and Labour Party members.”
Bowie went on to urge Labour MPs and members to “put the current premiership out of his misery” after Burnham’s victory.
He said: “I think for the sake of the country, it’s right that they put the current administration, the current premiership, out of his misery — and he does seem a bit miserable at the minute — and move on, because we do need to move on as a country.
“The economy is suffering, people are noticing that they are not feeling any better off than they were two years ago when the Labour Party came into power, and our country’s security is being undermined by the decisions being taken.
“So I think it is time for this Prime Minister to be put out of its misery. But as I said, that’s for Labour MPs and members of the Labour Party.”
Bowie also pointed to the Conservatives’ recent by-election win in Aberdeen South, calling it “absolutely” a sign of a Tory revival.
He told GB News: “We won a 6,000 majority yesterday, coming from third in this constituency to first. I think what you’re seeing across the country is Kemi Badenoch is now the most popular leader.
“We have policies that are resonating and cutting through to the average voter, and in constituencies across the length and breadth of this country, we are demonstrating that only we can take on and beat the SNP in Scotland or the Labour Party across the United Kingdom, and indeed have a credible position when it comes to offering ourselves as the next party of Government for the UK.”
When pressed by host Alex Armstrong on whether the Tories are being “replaced by Reform” in some areas, Bowie pushed back.
He said: “No, I don’t think so. This was always going to be a fight in Makerfield, and it had been framed as such for weeks, actually, since Andy announced his intention to run.
“It’s a constituency that we have never held in its over 100-year existence, and we were putting all of our effort into fighting the other incredibly important election in Aberdeen, where we demonstrated that where we are focused and have a clear message that we can win.”
