Burnham wins big majority in Makerfield by-election as pressure mounts on Starmer over leadership

BBC update

LABOUR'S Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election, paving the way for him to challenge Keir Starmer as party leader - the night recapped.

The former Greater Manchester mayor won 55% of the vote, beating Reform UK's Robert Kenyon by more than 9,000 votes.

Watch Burnham's victory speech, in which he says "everyone knows that politics isn't working" and "tonight could, just could, be the turning point".

Starmer congratulates Burnham on his win - our chief political correspondent says the PM is facing a grave and imminent threat to his position.

Burnham, who previously said he would seek to enter any leadership contest, would need the backing of 81 Labour MPs to join the race.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, the Conservatives win the Aberdeen South by-election, while the SNP holds Arbroath and Broughty Ferry.