Andy Burnham has been officially selected as the Labour candidate for the upcoming Makerfield by-election next month. The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party granted approval for his candidacy following the green light given last week for the Greater Manchester Mayor to enter the race.
The decision came after Andy Burnham, who is anticipated to challenge Keir Starmer for the leadership should he win, emphasized the significance of the Makerfield by-election as “the most consequential of our lives.” The by-election, expected to occur on June 18, was initiated by the resignation of former minister Josh Simons as an MP to pave the way for Burnham’s return to Westminster.
In a previous attempt in February, Keir Starmer and the party’s NEC had hindered Andy Burnham’s bid to stand for Parliament in Gorton and Denton. However, with internal party conflicts weakening his authority, Prime Minister gave up his opposition to Burnham’s candidacy last week.
Reform UK has announced plumber Robert Kenyon as their candidate for the by-election, who secured second place in the seat during the 2024 general election. Luke Tryl, the UK director of More in Common, highlighted the potential success of Reform in Makerfield due to the constituency’s strong pro-Brexit stance and recent victories by right-wing parties in local elections.
Despite this, Tryl acknowledged the “Andy Burnham factor,” portraying Burnham as an outsider to the traditional Westminster system, resonating with voters seeking change. The public’s perception of Burnham was noted, including the incident where he learned about Manchester’s new Covid tier while on national TV on his phone, which has significantly impacted his popularity.
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