A seismic shift has taken place inside No 10, and it all began in Greater Manchester. What started with an MP resigning in Gorton and Denton led to a new Labour government, with Andy Burnham in the top job. As events unfolded over six months, the former Greater Manchester mayor became Prime Minister.
January 23 – Andrew Gwynne resigns as MP
Mr Burnham's rollercoaster six months kicked off when Andrew Gwynne stepped down as Gorton and Denton’s MP for health reasons, nearly a year after he was named in the ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp scandal. Mr Gwynne confirmed the news on social media, saying: "It has been the honour of my life to have been an elected representative for almost exactly three decades." In his resignation announcement, Mr Gwynne shared medical advice which urged him not to 'return to work as an MP'. He asked to be 'left in peace' to recover.
January 25 – Andy Burnham announces intention to stand in Gorton and Denton by-election
Days later, Mr Burnham confirmed he had applied to the Labour Party for permission to stand in the by-election. In his letter to the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), he explained 'why I feel the need to go back' to Westminster. He said he'd 'passed on' an 'assurance' to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, that if elected, his role would be 'to support the work of the Government, not undermine it'.
January 26 – Labour blasted by Andy Burnham after by-election bid blocked
His bid to become an MP again was blocked by Labour Party bosses. Labour said the reason was to avoid 'an unnecessary by-election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty'. Burnham took to his X account to issue a statement: "I am disappointed by today’s NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us." He added: "The fact that the media was informed of the NEC decision before I was tells you everything you need to know about the way the Labour Party is being run these days."
May 9 – Andy Burnham seen as solution following Labour's devastating local election results
Tough times followed for Labour after blocking Mr Burnham. The Gorton and Denton by-election resulted in a win for Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, with Labour coming third. In the local elections, Reform secured the highest share of votes, and Labour lost nearly 1,500 councillors. Features editor Rob Williams wrote that Greater Manchester was holding the answer: "Andy Burnham’s name carries a particular kind of affection in Greater Manchester."
May 15 – Andy Burnham given permission to stand in Makerfield by-election
Mr Burnham's second attempt at a Westminster return proved successful after Makerfield MP Josh Simons stepped down. The NEC granted his wish to be included in Labour’s candidate selection process. Announcing his intention, Mr Burnham said: "I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election. I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years."
June 18 – The Makerfield by-election vote
At around 3am on June 19, Mr Burnham's victory was confirmed. He won by a huge margin, polling 54% of the total vote with 24,927 votes. Reform's candidate came second with 15,696. In his victory speech, Mr Burnham said: "Everyone knows that politics isn't working. Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point."
June 23 – Andy Burnham sworn in as Makerfield MP as Starmer steps down
On Monday morning, Sir Keir emerged from No 10 to announce his resignation. Meanwhile, Mr Burnham said goodbye to colleagues at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, announced he would support Burnham, saying he could 'win the fight of our lives against the forces of nationalism'.
June 28 – Speech reveals radical plan to shift power to the North
A radical plan for a new 'No 10 in the North' was unveiled. The MP for Makerfield promised to ‘break with business as usual’ by shifting decision-making out of Whitehall, giving regional leaders unprecedented control over housing, welfare and skills.
July 18 – Andy Burnham becomes the new leader of the Labour party
Mr Burnham officially took over as leader of the Labour Party on July 17. He received nominations from 379 of the party’s 403 MPs and secured support from all 11 affiliated trade unions.
July 20 – Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister of the UK
Mr Burnham was officially handed the key to No 10 after a visit to Buckingham Palace. In his first address as prime minister, he admitted that politicians "had not been good enough". He said: "We need to be better. We will be. We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain."
July 21 – You've done well... now crack on
Mr Burnham's rise is one of the most remarkable political comebacks in modern British history. During his first day as PM, he pledged to end rough sleeping and vowed to stick to Labour's 2024 election manifesto while pursuing sweeping constitutional reforms. Former defence secretary John Healey was announced as the new Chancellor.
