Andy Burnham has been granted permission to stand for selection as Labour’s candidate in the forthcoming Makerfield by-election. Applications for selection opened today (15 May), with a shortlist expected to be drawn up by midday on Monday (18 May). Because Burnham is Manchester mayor, he needed approval from the officers’ group of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC). He announced his intention to run in a post on X yesterday. If he is elected, he will be required to resign from his position in the Combined Authority.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming 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 aside to pave the way for Burnham’s return to parliament. His resignation came at the end of a tumultuous 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 so, the party would “explode”. This is not the first time Burnham has sought permission to contest 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 leader Lucy Powell voted against blocking him, while NEC chair Shabana Mahmood abstained. Keir Starmer himself backed the decision to block Burnham – a move that went down badly with party members.
This time, however, the political context is entirely different. Starmer’s authority has been severely weakened after a tense week in which almost 100 Labour MPs – including four junior ministers – called on him to resign. Wes Streeting’s resignation as Health Secretary on Friday further damaged the Prime Minister’s standing.
Even Labour figures still loyal to Starmer reportedly believed he had little choice but to allow Burnham to run. Rather than holding a formal meeting of the officers’ group, one Labour source told me that emails were quickly exchanged between the relevant parties on Friday, agreeing to approve Burnham’s candidacy. This is an extraordinary moment. If Burnham is selected and goes on to win Makerfield, the Prime Minister will effectively have facilitated the return to parliament of his most formidable rival.
Would Burnham effectively be running an anti-Starmer campaign? Despite mounting pressure from MPs to set out a timetable for his departure, Starmer remains determined to fight any future leadership contest. But that pressure is growing, 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 him saying he wouldn’t vote against Burnham’s candidacy.” They added: “We are in the dying days of Keir Starmer’s premiership.” The Prime Minister has made his decision. Now the choice passes to local Labour members: will they select Andy Burnham as their candidate?
[Further reading: Can Andy Burnham win in Makerfield?]
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