This major Makerfield victory has made it inevitable: it’s now time for Keir Starmer to step aside | Neal Lawson (opens in new tab)

Andy Burnham’s positive vision has struck a powerful blow to Reform – but the PM risks diminishing the impact by clinging on in No 10Neal Lawson is director of the cross-party campaign organisation CompassThat tingle of emotion you felt when you awoke today? That is the long-lost feeling of progressive hope. That it comes from Makerfield is all the more remarkable. Reform has been defeated in a seat that it should have won at a canter – trailing Labour, even when its voteshare is combined wit...