Friday briefing: Andy Burnham wins Makerfield byelection to set up possible leadership bid

In today’s newsletter: The mayor of Manchester is set to return to Westminster after decisively beating Nigel Farage’s ReformGood morning. Andy Burnham is heading back to the Commons after a resounding victory in Makerfield, putting Keir Starmer’s leadership on notice – and giving Reform something to think about. The – now to be former – mayor of Manchester described it as the “most consequential byelection of our lives”, that he promised would not only change the constituency, but the country. Already, he has touted his win as a “turning point”. The coming days will tell us more about what happens