Andy Burnham Targets Westminster Return After Josh Simons Offers Makerfield Constituency
Andy Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, is making a concerted effort to re-enter Westminster politics, setting the stage for a prospective Labour leadership contest. This follows an agreement from Josh Simons, the Labour Member of Parliament for Makerfield, to step aside, creating a by-election opportunity.
Burnham’s ambition to return to Parliament comes after previous unsuccessful bids for the Labour leadership and a recent setback in January when the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) prevented him from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election. His path back to Westminster is not assured; the NEC could still block his candidacy in Makerfield, and he must secure selection by the local party and win a potentially challenging by-election. Reform UK notably secured second place in Makerfield in the 2024 general election and performed strongly in local elections in the region.
In a statement, Burnham affirmed his commitment to campaigning vigorously, stating, “I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency.” He pledged to “change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again,” emphasising his record as Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he has been elected three times with significant majorities. His tenure has seen the transformation of the region's transport system, including bringing bus services under public control as part of the 'Bee Network'.
Born in Liverpool in 1970, Burnham's political interest was sparked at 14. He served as an MP for Leigh from 2001, holding various ministerial roles, including Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary, and Health Secretary under Gordon Brown. He gained prominence for his role in securing a second inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster. After two failed leadership bids in 2010 and 2015, he became Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017. His profile surged during the Covid-19 pandemic, where he clashed with the Conservative government over regional lockdown restrictions, earning him the moniker “King of the North.”
