STORY
Labour MP Josh Simons has announced he will stand down from Parliament to allow Andy Burnham to contest a by-election in Makerfield, giving the Greater Manchester mayor a potential route back to Westminster during Labour’s leadership crisis.
Simons, who was elected as MP for Makerfield in 2024, said he was standing aside so Burnham could “return to his home” and seek election to Parliament. Burnham, who currently serves as mayor of Greater Manchester, has confirmed he will ask Labour’s National Executive Committee for permission to stand as the party’s candidate in the by-election.
The move is politically significant because Burnham cannot stand for the Labour leadership unless he is an MP. He has been widely discussed as a possible successor to Sir Keir Starmer, whose position has come under intense pressure after Labour’s poor local election results and a series of ministerial resignations.
Makerfield is not without risk for Labour. Simons won the seat in 2024 with a majority of 5,399 over Reform UK, and Nigel Farage has said Reform would put major resources into the contest. A Burnham victory would strengthen his claim to be a national Labour figure again, while a narrow result or defeat would be a damaging blow to his leadership prospects.