Andy Burnham is now Labour’s Makerfield by-election candidate. What happens next?

Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election. 

The Mayor of Greater Manchester had been seeking a return to the House of Commons, after the party’s poor local and regional elections results plunged Keir Starmer’s leadership into crisis. 

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Josh Simons, a first-time MP and former Labour Together director who won the seat for Labour in 2024. 

Many in Westminster believe that Burnham will seek to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership if he returns to the House of Commons. 

What happens next?

Labour activists will flock to the constituency over the coming four weeks to knock on doors and campaign for Andy Burnham. 

Many high-profile MPs and supporters of Burnham will also be travelling to the north-west of England constituency. Many in Westminster will also be curious to see which Cabinet ministers decide to make the journey north to campaign, or if Keir Starmer turns up before polling day.

The writ was moved in parliament on Tuesday to formally trigger the by-election. It is expected to take place on June 18, but the date will be confirmed in the coming days.

Reform are expected to be the main opponents in the constituency, having already announced a candidate. 

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What has Andy Burnham said so far?

“I am proud and humbled to have been selected as Labour’s candidate for Makerfield.

“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.”

I live in the constituency. Can I register to vote?

To vote in the by-election, you’ll need to be over 18 on polling day and have British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizenship. You must also be a resident at a UK address or be registered as an overseas voter. 

If you are not already registered, you can apply to be placed on the electoral register here. It usually takes a number of days for an application to be processed. 

The Electoral Commission should provide more information about the by-election and how to vote in the coming days, once a date has been confirmed.

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Where can Labour members get information about the campaign?

Activists can sign up to volunteer on Labour’s website, with canvassing and leafleting sessions already listed here. 

Labour North West are also already promoting ways to get involved in the constituency campaign, with deputy prime minister Lucy Powell on the ground with activists in recent days. 

Can Burnham be an MP and Mayor of Greater Manchester at the same time?

Under UK law, mayors are not permitted to simultaneously serve as MPs. They are allowed to stand as parliamentary candidates, but if Burnham wins, there will need to be a by-election for the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

If a mayor resigns, under legislation, a date for a by-election must be set within 35 working days. Burnham has been the mayor there since May 2017, having been re-elected in 2021 and 2024.

There have already been concerns raised that Labour may struggle to win a by-election for the mayoral role. Burnham won two years ago on 63 per cent of the vote. 

But both the Greens and Reform made significant gains in the local elections earlier this month, making a repeat of that victory much more uncertain.

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