Andy Burnham has confirmed he intends to stand in the Makerfield by-election after the seat became available following the resignation of its MP.
Josh Simons said he would step down as MP for Makerfield to allow Burnham to “return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for”.
The move will trigger a by-election in the constituency just two years after the general election, though several steps must take place before voters head to the polls.
Burnham must first receive formal approval from Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to become the party’s candidate.
The NEC previously blocked him from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election, although senior Labour sources say they do not expect that will happen a second time.
If approved, Burnham would then go on to face a difficult contest in Makerfield. All the while, Labour is under growing pressure from both Reform UK and the Green Party.
Simons currently holds a majority of 5,399 votes in the constituency. Labour secured 18,202 votes in Makerfield at the 2024 general election, while Reform UK finished second with 12,803.
The challenge facing Labour was underlined in last week’s local elections, where the party lost all 22 councillors in Wigan, while Reform UK won 24 of the 25 seats up for grabs.
Announcing his intention to run, Burnham said: “I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times.
“We will change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again.”
Burnham has emerged as a frontrunner to challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after Labour’s disastrous local election results last week, in which the party lost 1,498 council seats, triggered political instability within the party.
More than 80 MPs have called for Starmer’s resignation, while several senior ministers — including Health Secretary Wes Streeting — have resigned.
The by-election will formally begin when Labour’s Chief Whip asks Parliament to start the election process, which is called moving the writ.
Once the writ is moved, the by-election must take place between 21 and 27 working days later.
By-elections are typically held on Thursdays, meaning a vote could take place as early as June 18 or June 25 if the process begins in the coming days.
Makerfield has been held continuously by Labour since the constituency was created in 1983.
However, Nigel Farage has vowed to “throw absolutely everything” at the contest.
Responding to Burnham’s announcement, one Labour backbencher said: “Game on.
“I think if we can get everything else to align, we have a fighting chance.”
