Andy Burnham to Contest Makerfield By-Election After Wes Streeting Resigns Cabinet Post

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has announced his intention to contest the upcoming by-election in Makerfield. This move follows the resignation of Wes Streeting as Health Secretary, who publicly stated he had lost confidence in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, plunging Labour into renewed disarray after a recent series of electoral setbacks.

Mr Burnham's decision was facilitated by Labour MP Josh Simons, who confirmed he would step down to allow the Mayor to seek the seat. A Member of Parliament (MP) is a prerequisite for any candidate in a Labour leadership challenge, a condition that has fuelled speculation regarding Mr Burnham's long-term ambitions.

Mr Streeting, the first cabinet minister to resign, attributed Labour's recent poor performance to "the unpopularity of this government" and called for a comprehensive debate on the party's future direction. While he did not explicitly declare a bid for leadership, his camp maintained he had sufficient parliamentary backing to trigger a contest, a claim disputed by allies of Sir Keir Starmer.

Separately, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, also considered a potential challenger to Sir Keir, confirmed she had resolved her tax affairs with HMRC, settling a £40,000 underpayment of stamp duty. Ms Rayner, however, stated she would not be the one to initiate a leadership contest.

Labour's ruling National Executive Committee had previously blocked Mr Burnham from contesting a by-election in February. However, sources close to Sir Keir indicate no such obstruction will be placed on his candidacy in Makerfield, where Labour held a majority of 5,399 votes over Reform UK in 2024. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has vowed to "throw absolutely everything" into the Makerfield contest, leveraging the party's strong performance in recent local elections in the area.