Andy Burnham has confirmed he will seek the Labour nomination in Makerfield after the sitting MP, Josh Simons, stood down. However, the Green Party has announced it will contest the upcoming byelection, complicating Burnham's potential route back to parliament against what is expected to be a strong Reform UK challenge.
Green Party's Decision
A statement from the Greens confirmed that candidate selection is underway, emphasizing lessons learned from their recent win in Gorton and Denton, where they overcame a 13,000 Labour majority. The party stated, "We are looking forward to the campaign. We've learned from our campaigning and wins in Gorton and Denton and the recent local elections, and we've shown we can beat Reform."
Labour holds a smaller majority of just over 5,000 in Makerfield, where Reform came second in the 2024 general election. The Greens finished fifth in 2024 but have since surged in national polls under leader Zack Polanski, and in Gorton and Denton they mobilized large numbers of volunteers.
Burnham's Gambit
Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, said he will ask Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) to allow him to stand. Downing Street has indicated it will permit him to contest Makerfield, despite the NEC previously blocking him from fighting Gorton and Denton.
With Reform having won all nine seats contested for the constituency on Wigan council in local elections last week, Burnham is betting on his personal appeal to counteract Labour's poor national poll ratings. He stated, "This is why I now seek people's support to return to parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people."
Electoral Dynamics
There had been speculation that the Greens might not field a candidate or would barely contest the seat to avoid splitting the leftwing vote and letting Reform win. One mooted deal involved the Greens standing aside if Burnham agreed to consider electoral reform as prime minister—something he has indicated he might do.
However, the Greens are highly decentralized, meaning local members choose their candidates. A Green source in Greater Manchester noted, "With Gorton and Denton we showed that the national party operation focusing on an area can make a pretty monumental difference." The local party will ultimately decide whether to campaign vigorously.
Burnham's return to Westminster would require a byelection for his mayoralty, raising concerns that Reform could win that contest as well. He highlighted the cost of living crisis as a priority for his campaign, stressing the need for national change.
