Labour candidate and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won a special election Thursday night for a seat in parliament that could ultimately end British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's tenure on Downing Street. 

Starmer's grip on his party and his country really unraveled recently after the Labour Party suffered major losses in local elections in England and in parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, resulting in dozens of Labour lawmakers publicly urging him to draft a timetable for his resignation.

Burnham's victory could spell trouble for the prime minister after the mayor openly floated launching a bid to replace Starmer as the head of the British government. 

Burnham defeated Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon by 24,927 votes to 15,696, according to NBC News. 

“Everyone knows that politics isn’t working," Burnham told his supporters. "Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point ... This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody."

The new member of Parliament will now need to issue an official leadership challenge to Starmer, which will require the support of 81 fellow Labour lawmakers. Starmer has indicated that he expects to run in the challenge instead of step aside.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.