Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), has confirmed that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham will be among the potential candidates to stand in the upcoming Makerfield by-election.
Burnham's Path to Parliament
Mr Burnham declared his intention to seek permission from the NEC to contest the by-election after the current MP, Josh Simons, announced on Thursday that he would resign from Parliament to facilitate Mr Burnham's candidacy. If successful, Mr Burnham is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the party leadership.
A Labour Party spokesperson stated: "Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency." Applications for the selection process opened on Friday and will close on Monday, as decided by the NEC.
Mr Burnham's previous attempt to contest a by-election in Gorton and Denton was rejected by an NEC officers committee, which included Sir Keir.
Political Landscape in Makerfield
Labour expects a strong challenge from Reform UK in Makerfield, as Mr Simons secured a majority of only 5,399 over Nigel Farage's party at the 2024 general election. Since then, Labour's polling has collapsed while Reform has surged, reversing their positions. This month's local elections saw Reform win every council ward in the Makerfield constituency, capturing around half the vote, while Labour managed just over a quarter.
However, Mr Burnham could benefit from his significant personal popularity across the North West. According to pollster Ipsos, he enjoys a net favourability rating of 24%, considerably higher than any party leader or the Labour Party itself.
Financial Implications
The by-election could prove expensive. A victory for Mr Burnham would trigger another by-election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty. A by-election in Makerfield alone could cost taxpayers up to £226,000, the maximum the area's returning officer can claim from the Treasury. However, a mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester would cost millions, with the 2024 mayoral election costing £4.7 million. That contest would have to occur within 35 working days of Mr Burnham becoming an MP.
Support and Opposition
Wes Streeting, the former health secretary who resigned on Thursday, has backed Mr Burnham's bid, stating Labour needs "our best players on the pitch." Allies of Mr Streeting indicated he would be a candidate in any forthcoming leadership battle and had made clear in his resignation letter that he wanted a contest featuring "the broadest set of candidates possible."
Joanne Thomas, general secretary of Usdaw and chairwoman of the Tulo group of Labour-affiliated trade unions, confirmed her union's NEC representatives would support Mr Burnham's candidacy. Usdaw has two representatives on the NEC, including one who sat on the smaller officers committee that blocked Mr Burnham from contesting Gorton and Denton.
However, Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a key Cabinet ally of Sir Keir, warned against a leadership challenge even if Mr Burnham returns to Westminster. He claimed the party would suffer further electoral damage if it pursued a contest, similar to the Conservatives' experience in their final years in office. He told Sky News: "We're in power. We were sent here by the British public to deliver change. We promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, and this first quarter we've done it. We promised to cut NHS waiting lists, and yesterday we saw the biggest monthly fall for 18 years. Why would we throw that away to engage in the chaos that consumed the Conservatives?"
Reactions from Other Parties
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch argued that a new leader should call a general election if they deviated significantly from Labour's 2024 manifesto. She told the Press Association: "Labour were elected on a particular mandate. Anyone who does not want to follow that mandate should call a general election."
Meanwhile, candidate selection processes are already under way for Reform UK and the Greens. Last week's local election results suggest the contest could be a two-horse race between Reform and Mr Burnham, though Green Party representative Zack Polanski said the party was "looking forward to the campaign." A Green spokesperson added: "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."
