This Week in Parliament
Makerfield returns Burnham, and ends a premiership
House of Commons · 17 Jun – 24 Jun 2026
The safest of Labour seats changed hands on Thursday, and by Monday morning it had taken a Prime Minister with it. Andy Burnham — Mayor of Greater Manchester, out of the Commons since 2017 — won the Makerfield by-election with 54.8% of the vote, a majority of 9,241 over Reform UK on the highest by-election turnout since 2019; the seat had been vacated by Josh Simons expressly so that Burnham could stand. He was sworn in on Monday 22 June. The same morning, Sir Keir Starmer announced he would resign as Labour leader and Prime Minister, ending months of pressure that Burnham’s return had brought to a head — the seventh change of leader in a decade, set in motion by a single constituency a sitting government did not even lose. Around the earthquake, the Commons kept grinding: twelve divisions, an Armed Forces Bill pushed through report stage on the very day the leader fell, and 2,080 written questions from 235 members, with women’s pensions the subject that drew the most members in.
The seat that unseated a Prime Minister
Andy Burnham · Labour → · Burnham sworn in 22 Jun; Starmer to stand down as Labour leader and Prime Minister
The week’s set-piece happened outside the Chamber — at a count in Wigan, then at a lectern in Downing Street. Makerfield fell vacant in May when Josh Simons stood down to clear the way for Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Sir Keir Starmer’s most openly ambitious rival, who had been out of Parliament since 2017. On Thursday 18 June Burnham won it comfortably — 54.8% to Reform UK’s 34.5%, a majority of 9,241 on a 58.8% turnout, the highest at a by-election since 2019. The victory did two things at once: it returned Burnham to the Commons, and — because a Labour leadership candidate must sit in the House — it made him eligible to challenge for the leadership. In the end he never had to fight for it. Sworn in on Monday 22 June, he found the contest already collapsing in his favour: that same morning Starmer announced he would resign as leader and Prime Minister, ending months of pressure that Burnham’s return had crystallised, and by the afternoon Wes Streeting, the most plausible alternative, had said he would back Burnham rather than stand. Nominations open on 9 July and close on 16 July; a new leader, and Prime Minister, is to be chosen by 1 September, with Starmer remaining as caretaker until then. It is, by one count, the seventh time in a decade that Britain has changed, or arranged to change, its leader — and the first set in motion by a by-election the sitting government did not even lose.
- Andy Burnham (Labour) winning Makerfield with 24,937 votes (54.8%) — a majority of 9,241 over Robert Kenyon of Reform UK (34.5%), on a 58.8% turnout, the highest at a parliamentary by-election since Brecon and Radnorshire in 2019.
- The seat made available by Josh Simons, who stood down as Labour MP for Makerfield in May expressly so that Burnham — out of the Commons since he left for the Greater Manchester mayoralty in 2017 — could return and become eligible for the Labour leadership.
- Sir Keir Starmer announcing, on the morning Burnham was sworn in (22 June), that he would resign as Labour leader and Prime Minister — after months of pressure intensified by Reform UK’s rise, heavy losses at May’s council elections, and now a rival back on the benches.
- Wes Streeting, the former Health Secretary and Burnham’s likeliest challenger, confirming he would back Burnham rather than run — with nominations opening 9 July, closing 16 July, and a new leader (and Prime Minister) to be chosen by 1 September.
A by-election in a safe seat is usually a private affair. This one was a coronation in waiting. Makerfield — a Wigan-borough seat Labour has held for the best part of a century — fell vacant in May when Josh Simons stood down, not in disgrace but by arrangement: it was to be the route back to Parliament for Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the most persistent of Sir Keir Starmer’s would-be successors, who had been out of the Commons since he left it for City Hall in 2017. On Thursday 18 June the voters obliged. Burnham took 24,937 votes and 54.8% of the poll, with Robert Kenyon of Reform UK a distant second on 34.5%; the majority was 9,241, and turnout, at 58.8%, was the highest at any parliamentary by-election since Brecon and Radnorshire in 2019. A safe seat had been made safer — and a leadership challenger handed the one thing he lacked, a seat in the House.
Four days later it claimed its prize. Burnham was sworn in on Monday 22 June; that same morning, Sir Keir Starmer told the country he would resign as leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister. The pressure had been building for months — Reform UK climbing in the polls, a battering at May’s council elections, cabinet ministers and backbenchers increasingly uneasy — but it was Burnham’s return to the green benches the week before that turned a slow erosion into an irreversible one. By the afternoon the manoeuvring was all but over: Burnham confirmed he would stand, and Wes Streeting, the former Health Secretary and one of the few credible rivals, said he would back him rather than run. Nominations open on 9 July and close on 16 July, when the House rises for the summer; if it comes to a contest, a new leader — and Prime Minister — is to be in place by 1 September, with Starmer staying in Downing Street as caretaker until then. It is the seventh time in a decade that the keys to Number 10 have changed hands, or been promised to.
The remarkable thing about a political earthquake is how much of the building stays standing. On the very Monday the Prime Minister announced he was going, the Commons spent the evening grinding through the report stage of the Armed Forces Bill — the five-yearly measure that keeps the Armed Forces Act on the statute book — and the whips held every line. Four divisions, four government wins: New Clause 4 fell 164 to 311, New Clause 11 by the widest margin of the night, 104 to 391, New Clause 22 by 74 to 323, and Amendment 11 by 171 to 322. A leader can be losing his job at the top of the party while his majority works flawlessly on the floor. The week had opened in the same key: on Tuesday the National Security (State Threats) Bill was in committee, its allocation-of-time motion carried 233 to 94 before four opposition amendments were despatched in turn — 144 to 244, 135 to 258, 143 to 249, and, most heavily, 85 to 317.
The opposition, sensing blood, used its Opposition Day on Tuesday 23 June to press where it might hurt a government mid-succession. A motion on puberty blockers was defeated 112 to 283; a Conservative motion on defence spending and readiness lost 108 to 307 after the Government amended it into a statement of its own record, that amendment carried 294 to 110. Neither dented the arithmetic — even a party changing its leader can still count to a majority — but the choice of ground, children’s healthcare and defence, was a marker laid down for whoever inherits the despatch box.
Beneath the drama, the quieter work went on at volume: 2,080 written questions from 235 members. Transport drew the most this week (269), ahead of Health (243) and Defence (180). But the truer gauge of the House’s collective mind is breadth, not bulk — and there the subject that pulled in the most separate members was women’s pensions: four different MPs apiece pressed on the WASPI campaign, on state retirement pensions for women, and on civil servants’ workplace pensions. And in the very week a Prime Minister announced his departure, a small run of questions found its way to the Cabinet Office about the machinery of government itself — the Cabinet Manual, the standing of Cabinet committees, the doctrine of collective responsibility. The rulebook for an orderly transition, asked after precisely as one began.
In their own words
A few questions — and the answers ministers actually gave.
What information does the Cabinet Office special adviser HR function hold on whether any special advisers have been seconded or taken unpaid leave to undertake political activity in parliamentary by-elections since 1 January 2026?
As per the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, where a special adviser wishes to undertake work for a political party which does not arise out of government business they may do this either in their own time, outside office hours, or under a separate contract with the Party, working part-time for the Government. They may not use annual or unpaid leave for this purpose. Details of where a special adviser has undertaken work for the Party, while working part-time for the Government, will be published as part of the declaration of interest process.
Mike Wood · Conservative · Kingswinford and South Staffordshire · Cabinet Office
What steps is the Department taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support elderly domestic abuse victims?
From April 2025, the Home Office has allocated nearly £800,000 to Hourglass to provide specialist helpline and advocacy support for older victims of VAWG. We will also publish a new national commissioning statement on VAWG to improve the provision of support for all victims, including older victims.
Sonia Kumar · Labour · Dudley · Home Office
What assessment has the Department made of the potential impact of inflation on household savings rates in the last five years?
The household saving ratio was 9.9% in Q4 2025. This is slightly above the long-run average saving ratio since 1970, of 9.3%. Inflation was unchanged at 2.8% in May, having fallen from a peak of 11.1% in October 2022. The Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England has responsibility for controlling inflation, and the Government fully supports the action it is taking to sustainably return inflation to the 2 per cent target.
Sarah Pochin · Reform UK · Runcorn and Helsby · Treasury
How they voted
Every recorded division on the floor of the House this week.
- Armed Forces Bill Report Stage — New Clause 4164–311 rejected
On the morning the Prime Minister announced his resignation, the Commons still took the Armed Forces Bill through report stage. New Clause 4 was defeated 164 to 311 — the first of four government wins that evening.
- Armed Forces Bill Report Stage — New Clause 11104–391 rejected
The widest margin of resignation day: New Clause 11 to the Armed Forces Bill fell 104 to 391. The leadership was in flux; the majority was not.
- Armed Forces Bill Report Stage — New Clause 2274–323 rejected
New Clause 22 lost 74 to 323 — the third of the night’s four whipped-through defeats as the bill cleared report.
- Armed Forces Bill Report Stage — Amendment 11171–322 rejected
The closest the opposition came on the Armed Forces Bill — 171 ayes — and still well short, 171 to 322, before report stage carried.
- Opposition Day — Puberty blockers112–283 rejected
The day after the resignation, the opposition chose its ground. A motion on puberty blockers was defeated 112 to 283.
- Opposition Day — Defence spending and readiness108–307 rejected
The Conservative defence motion as tabled, lost 108 to 307 — before the Government replaced it with its own words.
- Opposition Day — Defence spending and readiness (Government amendment)294–110 carried
The Government amended the defence motion into a statement of its own record and carried it 294 to 110 — a mid-succession party still moving its majority at will.
- National Security (State Threats) Bill — Allocation of Time233–94 carried
The week opened with the National Security (State Threats) Bill in committee; the allocation-of-time motion carried 233 to 94 to set the timetable.
- National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee — New Clause 3144–244 rejected
New Clause 3 went first once the timetable was set, defeated 144 to 244.
- National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee — Amendment 13135–258 rejected
Amendment 13 followed it down, 135 to 258 — the government line unmoved.
- National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee — Amendment 8143–249 rejected
Amendment 8 lost 143 to 249, the third of four committee amendments before the heaviest fell.
- National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee — Amendment 385–317 rejected
The heaviest committee defeat on the security bill — Amendment 3 fell 85 to 317, one of four opposition amendments seen off in turn.
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