Andy Burnham faces perilous race to win Makerfield byelection, allies say

Reform, which won more than 50% of the local election vote, is likely to focus heavily on immigration and Brexit Andy Burnham faces a perilous race to win the Makerfield seat, his allies have said, as he gears up to fight a byelection that could decide the long-term future of Labour and the country. The Greater Manchester mayor is likely to be confirmed as Labour’s candidate for the north-west constituency later this week, but those close to him say he faces an uphill battle to beat Reform UK. Nigel Farage’s party won more than 50% of the vote at the local elections and polling suggests Burnham is only marginally ahead. Reform is likely to focus heavily on immigration and Brexit over the next few weeks as it looks to exploit an escalating Labour row over whether the UK should seek to rejoin the EU. The outcome of the byelection is likely to determine not only the immediate political future of Keir Starmer, whom Burnham has pledged to challenge if elected, but also the viability of the Labour party as a whole. The prime minister spent the weekend at Chequers considering his political future, and allies say that despite his public defiance he is now willing to stand aside should Burn