Politics latest: Burnham handed two major boosts in bid to return as MP and challenge Starmer

Education minister Bridget Philipson told BBC Radio 4’s The Week in Westminster that Mr Burnham would be a “strong candidate” but that he had Sir Keir’s “full support”.

“He was a fantastic mayor in Greater Manchester. I worked really closely with him on everything from SEND reform to skills and further education, so I know he will be a strong candidate to put himself forward.”

He added: “I will campaign on behalf of whoever the Labor candidate is in the Makerfield by-election. That’s my responsibility.”

The prospect of a leadership challenge for Sir Keir Starmer is moving ever closer after Andy Burnham was confirmed to stand for election in the Makerfield by-election.

The mayor of Greater Manchester is seeking to replace Josh Simons, who quit as MP to make way for Mr Burnham to return to Parliament.

Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), gave Mr Burnham permission to take part in the selection process.

Applications close on Monday and the NEC will confirm a candidate on Thursday.

June 18 is thought to be the earliest date on which by-elections can be held. If successfully elected, Mr Burnham is expected to challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership.

While Makerfield is usually a safe haven for Labour, this time the party expects a tough challenge from Reform UK.

Mr Simons secured a majority of just 5,399 against Nigel Farage’s party in the 2024 general election.

Since then the collapse of Labour’s polls and the rise of Reform have seen their positions reverse.

Andy Burnham has been allowed to stand for Makerfield in the upcoming by-election, paving the way for him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labor leadership.

Mr Burnham had the approval of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to stand, having previously blocked him from running in Friday’s by-elections in Gorton and Denton in February. The decision comes a day after Josh Simons announced he would quit parliament so he could run for the seat of mayor of Manchester.

But there is a hurdle in Mr Burnham’s path to Westminster: winning the by-election against Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

It has been reported that the Makerfield by-election is likely to be held on Thursday, June 18. BBC.

The party said this confirmed Labor’s Andy Burnham would be included in Labour’s candidate selection process for the Makerfield by-election.

The Labor Party will choose its by-election candidate after the local elections to be held on Thursday, May 21.

Usdaw general secretary says his union will support Andy Burnham’s bid to be Labor candidate in the Makerfield by-election.

Joanne Thomas, who also chairs the Tulo group of Labor unions, said: “There is a consensus that it would be wrong for members in Makerfield not to have the opportunity to choose Andy Burnham as their candidate for the Makerfield by-election.

“Usdaw’s NEC representatives have therefore decided to vote for the Mayor of Greater Manchester to be allowed to stand for election as a parliamentary candidate.”

Usdaw has two representatives on Labour’s national executive committee (NEC); One of them was a member of the junior officers’ committee that prevented Mr Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-elections earlier this year.

The total cost of holding a mayoral election in Greater Manchester and the by-election that will allow Andy Burnham to return to Westminster could reach £5 million.

The cost of the previous mayoral election in 2024 was £4,719,754, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority said.

In the Makerfield vote, the authority responsible for overseeing the election has a budget of £226,208 to administer it.

Of this, £3,738 will be used to pay the lead officer, the returning officer, for their time.

The remaining £222,470 will pay for ballot papers, IT, staff and other support needed to run the poll.

Additional costs will accrue to the public purse due to postal costs, which each candidate is entitled to receive and which allows him to write to all voting households.

Ministers revealed in 2016 that the average cost of holding a by-election since 2010 was £228,964.

Donald Trump has weighed in on Sir Keir Starmer’s political future, warning it will be “difficult” for him to survive as prime minister after a disastrous few days as prime minister.

The US president claimed Sir Keir, who is facing intense pressure to resign following Labour’s disastrous local election results, will struggle to stay in office unless he deals with immigration and energy policy.