Andy Burnham Cleared to Run in Labour By-election
The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee has cleared Andy Burnham to seek candidacy in a by-election, providing a path for the Greater Manchester mayor to return to the House of Commons. The decision follows the agreement of the current Member of Parliament for Makerfield, Josh Simons, to stand down, creating the vacancy necessary for Burnham to pursue a seat in Parliament.
The move is a significant step in Burnham’s effort to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party. Because leadership eligibility requires being an MP, Burnham’s return to Westminster is a prerequisite for his ambitions. While the NEC has cleared his candidacy, he must still undergo the local party selection process and win the subsequent by-election.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that he will not move to block Burnham from standing in the Makerfield constituency. However, the electoral landscape in the area presents a significant challenge. In the 2024 general election, Reform UK finished second in Makerfield, trailing the Labour candidate by 5,399 votes. The party also saw recent success in the constituency during last week’s local elections.
Constituency challenges and leadership ambitions
In a statement regarding his potential candidacy, Burnham emphasized his intent to rebuild the party’s connection with local voters. “I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times,” Burnham said. He added that his goal is to “change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again.”
Allies of Burnham suggest that the mayor intends to make a push for the premiership before the upcoming Labour Party conference. This follows a previous attempt in January to stand in a by-election, which was rejected by the party’s national executive committee.
The process now moves to the local level, where the Makerfield party must select its candidate. The timing of the by-election remains to be confirmed.