- It has been reported that Sir Keir Starmer will not try to block Andy Burnham from becoming the Labour candidate in Makerfield, after the Greater Manchester mayor confirmed he would seek permission from Labour’s NEC to stand.
- Mr Burnham has confirmed his intention to stand in the Makerfield by-election following the resignation of Josh Simons, the current Labour MP for Makerfield, who stepped down to make way for Burnham.
- He criticised Westminster's “managed decline” of towns and the current political approach as insufficient; Simons acknowledged the personal difficulty of his decision, emphasising his commitment to political change.
- Burnham said he will be requesting the permission of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to stand in the by-election and aims to return to Parliament to address the cost-of-living crisis and make life more affordable across the UK.
- Earlier on Thursday, Wes Streeting dramatically quit as health secretary, and is now widely expected to mount a leadership challenge.
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