Polls close in historic Makerfield byelection that could see Andy Burnham elected and pave way for end of Starmer – UK politics live

Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor hopes a win over Reform UK will help force the prime minister to step aside Three economic heavyweights have been brought in to advise Andy Burnham as he attempts to reassure the markets before his possible return to parliament on Friday and challenge to Keir Starmer, Rowena Mason reports.Burnham is understood to be getting advice from Andy Haldane, a former Bank of England chief economist, as well as Richard Hughes, a former chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility and Jim O’Neill, a crossbench peer and former Treasury minister who worked on George Osborne’s Northern Powerhouse. Continue reading...