Andy Burnham confirmed as Labour’s Makerfield candidate

Andy Burnham has been selected to run in the Makerfield by-election, clearing the way for a potential return to Westminster.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester is seen as the top contender to replace Keir Starmer in any future leadership contest. 

LabourList understands the National Executive Committee (NEC), Labour’s governing body, selected Burnham as Labour’s candidate in the by-election, after no other potential candidate made the shortlist. 

The by-election is set to take place in the coming weeks, likely around the middle of June. 

Burnham said he was “proud and humbled” to have been selected.

In a statement, he said: “These proud working-class communities represent the very best values of our country and they deserve so much better.

“It would be my honour to work for them every day, if elected as their MP, to achieve that. Many people here feel Westminster isn’t working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that and get the voice of these communities heard loud and clear.

“I am glad that this by-election has finally put the places that make up the Makerfield constituency into the national spotlight. They have been neglected by national politics for too long. It is a good thing that all political parties are now on the hook to tell the voters here what they are going to do for them. More than anything, people need life to be more affordable again.

“As Mayor, I have brought in changes which are helping, such as the £2 fare cap, free bus travel for our 16-18 year-olds and removing the 9.30am restriction from older and disabled people’s bus passes. But there is only so much I can do from Greater Manchester.

“If elected, I will have a relentless focus on reducing people’s everyday costs and bills and well as securing the investment these communities need. I have been an elected representative in Greater Manchester for 25 years.

“Throughout that time, I have fought for the people of the North West of England on so many fronts. I am now ready to bring the whole weight of that experience to fighting for the communities of the Makerfield constituency and would be privileged to be given that opportunity.”

It comes only months after the NEC in January blocked Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. But the situation facing the party has shifted dramatically since then, after Labour’s dismal performance in the local and regional elections on May 7 prompted close to 100 MPs to call for Starmer to resign or set out a timeline for his departure.

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The NEC had already last week approved Burnham’s request to stand as a candidate, as required under Labour’s rules for any sitting mayor seeking a parliamentary seat. 

Burnham is expected to face a strong challenge from Reform in the constituency. Josh Simons, who stood down as the Makerfield MP last week to clear a route for Burnham to return to Westminster, only won the seat by around 5,400 votes in the 2024 general election. 

Since then, Nigel Farage’s party has made significant gains nationally, winning this month’s local elections and making significant inroads into former Labour heartlands.

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The NEC is dominated by Starmer allies. But officials had come under major pressure not to block Burnham again.

Wes Streeting, who also quit as health secretary last week after criticising the “vacuum” at the top of the party, has called for a “battle of ideas” across Labour’s various wings in a future leadership contest.

Labour MPs and campaigners have already been on the doors in the constituency, making the case for Burnham.

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