U.K. Special Election Could Topple Keir Starmer

New York Times: “It would have seemed hard to imagine a few months ago that residents of Ashton-in-Makerfield, a former coal mining town in the north of England, might play a central role in toppling Britain’s prime minister.”

“Yet that possibility was on just about everyone’s mind last week at the town’s main coffee shop, down the road from a sports club where Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, had set up campaign headquarters for his shot at a seat in Parliament.”

“If he wins a June 18 special election, Mr. Burnham is expected to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the governing Labour Party and the country. Mr. Starmer is so unpopular that many of the town’s residents believe Mr. Burnham would have little trouble defeating him in an intraparty contest, which would also transfer control of Downing Street.”