Starmer rival seeks win in UK poll pivotal to PM's fate

Britain was holding a key local election on Thursday that could trigger the endgame for Labour leader Keir Starmer's beleaguered premiership, or win him a reprieve. Labour party veteran and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is looking to win the parliamentary by-election for the Makerfield constituency in northwestern England, so that he can then try to replace Starmer as prime minister.

Starmer, in power since July 2024, 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.