Andy Burnham has been given the go-ahead to be selected as Labor’s candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election. Applications for selection opened today (May 15), with a shortlist expected to be drawn up by midday on Monday (May 18). Because Burnham is mayor of Manchester, he needed approval from Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) cadre of officers. He announced his intention to run in a post on X yesterday. If he is elected, he will be asked to resign from his post at the Combined Authority.
A Labor Party spokesman said: “Labour’s governing body, the National Executive Committee, has today given permission for Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the upcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency.” The by-election was triggered after former minister and Starmer loyalist Josh Simons announced his resignation as MP for Makerfield on Thursday. In a statement, Simons said he was stepping down to make way for Burnham’s return to parliament. His resignation came at the end of a turbulent week for the Prime Minister, following Labour’s disastrous local election results.
Within the party, it was widely believed that blocking Burnham from standing again would provoke even greater political turmoil. One source told me that if the NEC had done this, the party would “implode”. This is not the first time Burnham has sought permission to run in a by-election. In January, he asked the NEC for approval to stand in Gorton and Denton, but the officers’ group blocked his candidacy by an eight-to-one majority. Only deputy chair Lucy Powell voted against blocking it, while NEC chair Shabana Mahmood abstained. Keir Starmer himself supported the decision to block Burnham – a move which went down badly with party members.
However, this time the political context is completely different. Starmer’s authority has been severely weakened after a tense week in which almost 100 Labor MPs – including four junior ministers – called on him to resign. The resignation of Wes Streeting as Health Secretary on Friday further damaged the Prime Minister’s position.
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Even Labor figures still loyal to Starmer reportedly believed he had no choice but to allow Burnham to run. Rather than a formal meeting of the officers’ group taking place, a Labor source told me emails were quickly exchanged between the relevant parties on Friday agreeing to endorse Burnham’s candidacy. This is an incredible moment. If Burnham is elected and goes on to win Makerfield, the Prime Minister will have effectively facilitated the return to parliament of his most formidable rival.
Would Burnham effectively run an anti-Starmer campaign? Despite mounting pressure from MPs to set a timetable for his departure, Starmer remains determined to fight any future leadership contest. But that pressure is mounting and he may yet be forced to change course. As one former Starmer adviser told me: “The biggest sign that he had lost control of the political situation was that he said he would not vote against Burnham’s candidacy.” They added: “We are in the final days of Keir Starmer’s prime ministership.” The Prime Minister has made his decision. Now the choice is up to local Labor members: will they choose Andy Burnham as their candidate?
(Further reading: Can Andy Burnham win at Makerfield?)
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