Andy Burnham's by-election victory has prompted more backbenchers and Labour grandees to call for Sir Keir to stand down.

Some MPs who had signed a statement rejecting calls for a leadership election last month have now reversed their position while former home secretary Alan Johnson told LBC his message to the Prime Minister would be: "It's over, Keir"

Andy Burnham's win paves the way for him to challenge the Prime Minister as party leader.

But he will still need the backing of 81 Labour MPs to join the race.

The PM said Labour should “pull together” and insisted that he “will stand” in a contest and won’t “walk away”. But he has reportedly been warned he faces a coup in 72 hours unless he resigns with “dignity”.

Ministers were reportedly trying to pass the message that he should set out a departure timetable as fears grow of cabinet resignations from the start of next week.

Andy Burnham still needs backing(Image: Getty Images)

Keir Starmer will consider his next step over the weekend, it has been reported.

The Prime Minister is expected to take the weekend with his wife and children to decide his next step.

The Times claim that Sir Keir will spend the next 48 hours weighing up his future as the Labour leader.

Cabinet ministers have urge him to stand down today following Andy Burnham's resounding victory in the Makerfield by-election.

The Prime Minister has some thinking to do(Image: Getty Images)

Seismic decisions loom for Labour as Andy Burnham secures a return to Westminster with a convincing by-election win that could spell the end of Keir Starmer's premiership.

But Lizzy Buchan says behind the scenes, work is underway to prepare to fight a leadership challenge.

Read the article in full here.

Andy Burnham faces a big few weeks(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Keir Starmer says his thoughts are with the family of the person who has died in a two-train collision tonight.The Prime Minister wrote on X: "Hugely concerning reports of a collision involving two passenger trains near Bedford.

"First and foremost, my thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured.

"I am grateful to the emergency services for their swift response to this tragic incident."

Rob Kenyon has finally spoken - 24 hours after predicting a 'big' Reform win in Makerfield.

The candidate has been mocked after his party's disastrous night, but finally appeared to thank those who did vote for him in a video on social media.

"The campaign is over, but the movement isn't," he said. "Let's keep this momentum up until we take our country back."

Nigel Farage senior leadership expected to be the night's big story but instead, it fell more than 9,000 votes short in a crushing blow to the leader and his backers.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds has does what few ministers have done today and publicly backed the Prime Minister.

Discussing the issue on the Cathy Newman show, she said she won' turn on Sir Keir Starmer hours after Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called on him to resign.

She suggested senior figures who are not backing the PM should not be in cabinet.

"I think if you are serving in the cabinet, you should be loyal to the leader of the Labour Party and the prime minister," Reynolds said this evening.

Emma Reynolds backed her boss(Image: Maja Smiejkowska/PA Wire)

Carol Vorderman said women were not fooled and 'reacted' to Reform's 'sexist' candidate Robert Kenyon.

The so-called 'plucky plumber' came under fire for a number of disgusting social media posts.

Carol was a victim of one of his many online comments, and said the party's Makerfield humiliation should act as a warning to Nigel Farage.

"We sent out over 13,000 letters. It was a letter from me personally directed to the women of Makerfield, woman to woman," she told LBC tonight. "It is something that the Westminster village missed.

"That low-level, grinding sexism - if you are famous or not famous, women just understand it.

"So for someone to be put forward by Reform, who has admitted he was sexist, putting out multiple sexist tweets including one about me - and for Nigel Farage to say 'so what?' and calling it 'laddish behaviour'? Women reacted."

Read the full story here

Carol Vorderman wrote 13,000 letters slamming the candidate's 'sexism'(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)

Wes Streeting's ally Zubir Ahmed thinks he and Andy Burnham could unite in the months ahead.

Ahmed said to Sky News that Streeting does have the support to run for PM "but the Labour way is to do things in a way that brings people together at the end".

He went on: "And I think therefore, at the moment, what we're trying to wrestle with is how we get the prime minister to a position where he concludes, as most of the PLP, I think, have either publicly or privately concluded, that he does need to, give way to orderly transition.

"And I do think that that transition does need to be more urgent and more expedient than perhaps even five weeks ago.

"I think Wes and Andy both have qualities that both make them an excellent prime minister. Wes will be having more discussions with Andy, over the weekend, I'm sure of that."

What is Wes Streeting's next move?(Image: Getty Images)

Health secretary James Murray has thanked first responders at train crash in Bedford tonight.

He has released a statement and said: "I am being kept updated on the collision of two trains between Luton and Bedford.

"A number of people have been injured and I thank first responders who are helping those affected.

"The East of England Ambulance Service is working with emergency services to support passengers who need further care."

Follow our train crash live blog here.

The accident scene near to Bedford

Sir Keir Starmer has been facing mounting calls to set a "timetable" for his departure from Downing Street.

A growing number of Labour MPs are increasing the heat on him following Andy Burnham's resounding victory in the Makerfield by-election.

Asked if he would set a plan for his departure, Sir Keir responded: "I was elected to serve my country with a mandate that we secured at a general election two years ago."

The Prime Minister added: "if there is a contest, yes I will run. I will stand and I have said repeatedly I am not going to walk away from that."

Will Keir Starmer be kissing no10 goodbye?(Image: Peter MacDiarmid/The Times/PA Wire)

Two Reform UK councillors have apologised after posing in front of a political sign with ‘sickening implications’ while campaigning in the Makerfield by-election.

Newly elected councillors Lilian Rogers and Gemma Painter, who both won seats on Wigan council last month, posed smiling alongside a home made Reform placard stating ‘I would rather vote for Jimmy Savile than Labour'.

The image, in which the two councillors are holding official ‘I’m voting Rob Kenyon’ signs, was shared on social media by Coun Painter before being deleted.

Labour's ex-deputy leader Harriet Harman says it is now a matter of time before Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister.

"I hate to quote Boris Johnson, but do you remember what he said when he realised that he had to leave government? He said about his ministers and his MPs, the herd is moving - well, I have to say that it's not only that the herd is moving, they are stampeding," she told Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast.

"There is this sense of collective movement. And a lot of people who I've been speaking to this morning, you know, MPs and ministers, they're in two places at once. They're disappointed that we're in this position. They know that people don't like to change the Prime Minister, they wish the first two years of this government would have been loads more successful, and Keir Starmer would be truly popular.

"So they're disappointed that we've got to this, but they also feel really optimistic now. They feel a real sense of hope and possibility with the prospect of change. So people's… really people's voices have changed. They're sounding a bit more upbeat there. WhatsApps they're sending me, I've got loads of thumbs up and you know this you know biceps emoji is coming in..

"People are feeling stronger and more positive. I think the only concern I've got I mean… I think what's going to happen is that Andy Burnham is going to become Prime Minister. Keir Starmer is going to be leaving office."

Harriet Harman says the 'herd is stampeding'(Image: Getty Images)

Labour MP Sarah Owen has joined the call for Keir Starmer to agree to an "orderly transition" of power.

"I really hope that the leadership, including the PM, reflect and take the time to properly listen… to what the general public are saying," she said on Politics Live.

"I hope that we can find a managed process that sees us through and gets on with governing."

Jess Phillips has told Sir Keir Starmer he should know resigning is the right thing to do.

The Former Safeguarding Minister and Labour MP said on LBC: "He should go. Deep down, he should know it is the right thing, and the noble thing, to do for the country.

"I think Keir Starmer is a man who cares about not having a big bun fight, trashing all the good work.

"But the writing is on the wall. It's time to go."

Jess Phillips believes the PM 'must do the right thing'(Image: Getty Images)

Former Health Secretary and Labour MP Alan Johnson says Andy Burnham will overthrow Sir Keir Starmer - and it should be this year.

"The margain he won by has changed my mind," he said on LBC.

"The reality is Andy Burnham will stand for leadership - and the other relaity is that he is going to win..

"He is the one person who can restore faith in politics."

He added: "If he called me and asked for advice, I would simply say 'it's over, Keir'. He is a fighter, but it's the stark reality. We can start again providing Andy is prepared to go to the country."

Health Secretary Alan Johnson has had his say(Image: Hull Daily Mail)

Reform's 'plucky plumber' has been ridiculed after predicted a huge win for his party.

Robert Kenyon's refusal to apologise for derogatory remarks about women - including a vile slur about Carol Vorderman - enraged Brits, with many showing no mercy after he fell flat in Makerfield.

"I am confident of a big vote for Reform tonight," he posted on X 24 almost hours ago. "Thank you to everyone who placed their faith in me."

But things didn't go his way - and it is fair to say neither did the responses.

"You lost by a huge margin. You will never be heard from or seen again. Farage has already blocked you on his phone," one follower told him.

Another taunted the candidate: "You will be back fixing boilers on Monday mate."

Even Larry the no10 cat took aim, saying: "Better man won Robbie. Anyway, take a leaf out of Zia Yusuf's book and call yourself the shadow MP for Makerfield."

Will Nigel Farage hit block on his phone?(Image: Getty Images)

Green Party leader Zack Polanski insists the mayoral election will be a 'straight up battle' with Reform - and not Labour.

Mr Polanski will be in Manchester tomorrow, and it's understood the party's candidate for the mayoralty could be announced.

Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, has called for Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure after Andy Burnham’s by-election victory.

The senior Cabinet minister spoke to the Prime Minister this afternoon - but her spokesman refused to comment on the “private conversation”.

It comes as Mr Starmer’s premiership hangs in the balance and reports members of the Cabinet are telling the Prime Minister his time is up.

Mr Burnham’s allies this morning demanded an orderly transition of power, as he prepares to return to the Commons and Makerfield’s new MP on Monday.

Earlier, Louise Haigh, who was Ms Alexander’s predecessor as Transport Secretary, said the Prime Minister should agree a “path forward” with Mr Burnham.

She said: “I hope the Prime Minister takes the weekend to really reflect on the result here – listen to soundings from the Cabinet and the PLP, because all the evidence suggests that a contest will be brutal, it will be unpleasant and it will be very unlikely that the Prime Minister is going to win at the end of it.”

Asked if they had a “campaign ready to go”, she said: “Yes.”

Heidi Alexander has gone in on the PM(Image: Thomas Krych/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

Labour has published its candidate selection timetable for the Greater Manchester Mayoral contest on July 30.

It comes after Labour romped home to victory in the Makerfield by-election, just a few weeks after Reform swept the board in the local elections in that area.

Applications opened today, and close at 5pm on Sunday. The result will be announced on June 26.

A Labour source said: “Labour in power in Greater Manchester has seen real improvements for people’s everyday lives. From buses back in public control with capped fares, to thousands more homes and additional infrastructure built – all of this progress could be put at risk with Reform. The Greens can’t win this race. It’s time to pass the torch from Andy Burnham, who has delivered for the area, to the next transformational Labour Mayor.”

Andy Burnham’s allies want Sir Keir Starmer to set out a timetable to hand over the premiership in September, it is claimed.

They want to avoid jeopardising Labour’s prospects in the Greater Manchester mayoral race, reports state.

Last night, the leadership hopeful’s victory in the Makerfield by-election set up a battle for No 10.

Supporters close to the outgoing Greater Manchester mayor "want time to prepare for governing" - if he ousts Sir Keir in the weeks ahead.

Will Downing Street have a new resident?(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The Prime Minister said he had not yet directly spoken with Andy Burnham following his victory.

But Sir Keir Starmer added that he will soon - and confirmed he has already sent a message of congratulations to his possible leadership rival.

In a lunchtime call with Labour staffers, he called for the party to “pull together” in taking the fight to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and warned against “turning on each other”, the ManchesterEveningNews report.

He said: “The one thing we’ve got to avoid doing is plunging our party and our country into chaos by turning on each other and tearing apart our party and our movement.

“That has never worked. That’s what the last government did. We need to learn that lesson.”

But the PM has been in touch with Andy Burnham(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)

Sir Ed Davey said the Makerfield by-election results showed Reform "can be beaten” - but fears Labour are engaging in a “fight over the keys to No 10” while people are struggling.

The Liberal Democrat leader said: “Yesterday’s result shows that Reform can be beaten, just as the Liberal Democrats have done in local elections across the country.

“But while Labour fight over the keys to No 10, people are struggling.

“We need real change, not more chaos, starting with a new deal with Europe.”

Liberal Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has had his say(Image: PA)

The Green Party will announce its candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral election on Saturday.

A candidate has already been selected, and an announcement will be made tomorrow.

Writing on X, the party said: "We're hitting the ground running in Greater Manchester. No standing down. Stay tuned for our candidate annoucement over the weekend."

One of Andy Burnham's key lieutenants has called on Keir Starmer to reflect on the result and consider his position to avoid an 'unpleasant' leadership contest. Here The Mirror looks at what could happen next.

While an increasing number of MPs are calling for the PM to go, there has been very little heard from the Cabinet.

Despite rumours of resignations, a spokesperson for Ed Miliband insisted he had no plans to quit.

One Labour MP who had signed the letter of support for the PM back in May claims Keir Starmer “absolutely has to go”. They said: “People keep saying ‘set a timetable’. It’s like, open your eyes, we are in stage 4 of the timetable. And it only has 5 stages.”

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, praised Burnham's win.

Whittome said: "By beating Reform by over 20%, he has shown that our party can not only defeat the far right but also leave them in the dust.

"Andy won because his campaign recognised the urgent need for economic justice in Makerfield and across the country. He represented a break from the Labour leadership and many voters lent him their support on this basis.

"Andy will undoubtedly play a decisive role in our party going forward, and he now carries a responsibility to unite the progressive majority with an inclusive vision for social justice and the redistribution of wealth and power."