Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has expressed disappointment following his party's performance in the Makerfield by-election, attributing the defeat to voters prioritizing the removal of Sir Keir Starmer from Downing Street over supporting Reform's candidate. Andy Burnham secured an emphatic Labour victory, significantly increasing his party's majority over Reform.

Reform UK had aimed to defeat Burnham in the Makerfield seat, viewing it as an opportunity to establish their credentials as the primary opposition party to Labour ahead of the next general election. However, Burnham, the outgoing mayor of Greater Manchester, achieved a rare feat for a candidate from the governing party by not only winning but also widening Labour's margin against Reform.

Farage stated that the outcome was driven by a sentiment of "vote Burnham, get Starmer out," suggesting that frustration with the current prime minister influenced the electorate's decision. He acknowledged that Reform UK had previously framed local and national elections as opportunities for voters to end what they described as Starmer's "faltering premiership."

The Reform leader also conceded that his party lost votes to a right-wing rival, Restore Britain, a party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe. Restore Britain finished third in the by-election, a notable achievement for the new party. Farage issued a direct appeal for voters who supported Restore to instead back Reform UK, positioning his party as the main challenger to Labour.

In a video clip shared online, Farage indicated that Reform UK's candidate, Rob Kenyon, finished more than 9,000 votes behind Burnham. Farage had anticipated around 18,000 votes for Reform but secured just under 16,000. He specifically mentioned that a couple of thousand voters who would typically vote Reform opted for Restore.

The Makerfield contest, located south of Wigan, held particular significance as Burnham is expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership. Without a seat in Parliament, Burnham would ordinarily be barred from such a challenge, making the Labour leadership a key underlying issue in the by-election.

Farage compared Burnham's popularity as a local mayor to that of Boris Johnson when he served as Mayor of London. However, he maintained that the primary motivation for voters in Makerfield was to reject Starmer's leadership.

This by-election result presents a setback for Reform UK's ambitions to be recognized as the leading opposition force. The performance of Restore Britain also introduces a new dynamic to the right-wing political landscape in Britain.