Burnham makes move to take on Starmer after MP stands down so he can challenge PM

Labor was plunged into new chaos as Andy Burnham announced he wanted to return to the House of Commons and Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary in another dramatic day in Westminster.

Makerfield MP John Simons, a former Starmer ally who was recently forced to resign from the ministry, sensationally resigned to allow Mr Burnham to take his seat, paving the way for Sir Keir to challenge his leadership.

The move came just hours after Mr Streeting dramatically walked out of the cabinet, saying he had “lost confidence” in the prime minister and called for a contest for the Labor leadership without a formal trigger.

Meanwhile, former deputy chancellor Angela Rayner was allowed to stand after her tax matters were resolved with HMRC but she suggested she could back Mr Burnham.

Mr Simons, who was caught up in the Labor Together scandal over allegations of defamation of journalists and Labor MPs, said: “I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be stepping down as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so Andy Burnham can return home, fight to re-enter Parliament and, if elected, usher in the change our country is crying out for.”

Mr Burnham confirmed his intention to stand in the by-election, tweeting: “I can confirm that I will be seeking permission from the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election.”

“We will change the Labor Party for the better and make it a party you can believe in again,” he added, in an apparent swipe at Sir Keir and the chaos engulfing the party.

Independent MP Karl Turner, who is now suspended from the Labor Party after criticizing Sir Keir, described Mr Simons’ decision as “heroic” and warned there would be a “massive rebellion” if Sir Keir and the National Executive Committee (NEC) tried to prevent Mr Burnham from running again, as they did in the recent Gorton and Denton byelections.

No10 told Labor MPs he would not try to block Mr Burnham. An ally of Starmer told the BBC: “Keir is focused on bringing the party together to tackle the problems facing working families.”

But even if Mr Burnham is allowed to stand, the contest will not be easy, with Labor defending a majority of 5,399. According to the Electoral Calculus, Reform has an 82 per cent chance of winning the seat, while Labor has just 17 per cent.

Labor supporters hope Mr Burnham’s star quality and charisma can overcome Reform UK but Nigel Farage said: “We are looking forward to the contest and will be going absolutely all-in on it.”

Mr Simons was a surprise candidate to resign because he is a younger, more ambitious MP who was first elected in 2024.

But Starmer loyalist welfare minister Pat McFadden warned: “The danger comes when we create an unnecessary by-election. In the past it’s been a risky thing.”

He insisted Sir Keir would fight to lead the party, pointing out that the leadership process “has not yet been triggered”.

Mr McFadden added: “[Sir Keir] As Prime Minister, we feel a deep sense of duty towards the country. It’s been a dramatic week but I think it can continue. He wants to continue.”

The move comes after more than 90 Labor MPs demanded Sir Keir’s resignation and five ministers, including Mr Streeting, resigned from the government amid the fallout from Labour’s disastrous local election results last week.

Mr Streeting gave a scathing assessment of the prime minister’s leadership in a scathing letter.

Referring to Sir Keir’s make-or-break speech on Monday, he said: “There is a gap where we need vision. We are drifting where we need direction. That was also highlighted in your speech on Monday.”

“Leaders take responsibility, but this often means falling on other people’s swords. You also need to listen to your colleagues, including those working in the background, and a tough approach to dissenting voices undermines our policy.”

There was some speculation that Mr Streeting did not have the support of the 81 MPs needed to trigger a leadership election, but Mr Streeting’s allies admitted he held back from launching a contest himself because he believed the party would not accept a contest without Mr Burnham getting involved.

Mr Streeting admitted in his letter: “[The contest] It needs to be large, and it needs the best field of candidates possible. “I support this approach and hope you will facilitate it.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch weighed in on the chaos, saying: “I told Wes Streeting to do his job but instead he carried out an assassination attempt on the prime minister. The Labor Party is now in civil war. Meanwhile, no one is running the country.”

Leeds East MP Richard Burgon, chairman of the Socialist Campaign Group on the party’s left and a key ally of Mr Burnham, said: “There is a growing consensus that Labor should not be dragged into a snap leadership election through some sort of palace coup and that Andy Burnham’s candidacy should not be blocked.”

Ms Rayner’s supporters, meanwhile, have suggested she will not run against Mr Burnham and will only enter if Mr Streeting declares he will run.

Other potential candidates, including energy minister and former leader Ed Miliband as well as defense minister Al Carns, appeared reluctant to take the initiative until a contest was officially announced.

However, there have been reports that a delegation of cabinet ministers is preparing to head to Downing Street to ask Sir Keir to set a timetable for his departure in a bid to end the crisis.

Before his resignation, Downing Street insisted the prime minister had “full confidence” in Mr Streeting as health minister.

In his response to Mr Streeting, the Prime Minister said: “I am truly sorry that you will no longer have a seat at the cabinet table to help transform our national health service.”