Andy Burnham has been officially selected as the Labour candidate for the Makerfield by-election, set for June 18, after the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) confirmed his candidacy. The seat became vacant when former MP Josh Simons stepped down to allow Burnham to return to Westminster.
Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor since 2017, faces a strong challenge from Reform UK's Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who finished second in the 2024 general election. Other candidates include Chris Kennedy (Green Party), Michael Winstanley (Conservative), Alan 'Howlin' Laud Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Party), and Rebecca Shepherd (Restore Britain).
Labour held the seat with a majority of 5,399 votes in 2024, but recent local elections saw Reform UK win 24 of 25 seats in Wigan, while Labour lost all 22 councillors. In the eight Makerfield wards, Reform secured 50% of the vote compared to Labour's 23%.
Burnham said he was 'humbled' to be selected, adding that working-class communities in Makerfield have been let down by national politics. 'Many people here feel Westminster isn't working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that,' he said.
Professor Rob Ford of the University of Manchester described the contest as 'advantage Burnham, but by no means nailed down,' noting Reform's strong local appeal. Reform leader Nigel Farage called it a 'David versus Goliath battle' between 'The Plucky Plumber' and 'Open Borders Burnham.'
