Burnham Plans Labour Leadership Bid if Successful in Makerfield By-Election
Andy Burnham stated he intends to enter any Labour leadership contest that may arise, contingent upon winning the Makerfield by-election scheduled for 18 June.
The Greater Manchester Mayor expressed his commitment on BBC Question Time, declaring he would "take the fight to change politics and change this county as high as I could."
Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon responded by emphasizing the need for a "big move away from career politicians" and cautioned against using Makerfield as a "stepping stone" for political advancement.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has resisted calls from some Labour MPs to resign following poor election outcomes last month. To date, no formal leadership challenge has been initiated.
Sir Keir also affirmed his intention to remain in Downing Street despite ministerial resignations, notably from former Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The by-election was triggered after former Labour MP Josh Simons resigned, a decision he stated was made to enable Burnham to stand for Parliament and potentially pursue a leadership bid.
Burnham and Kenyon, a plumber and local councillor, were among five of the fourteen candidates contesting the by-election who appeared on Question Time in Makerfield.
Restoring Public Trust and Political Ambitions
When questioned about how politicians might restore public trust, Burnham criticized the prevalence of "point-scoring before problem-solving" in Westminster. He was then asked directly about his own political ambitions.
"I can't do anything unless I'm lucky enough to get the support of people here.
But if I get your support, I would seek to represent you at the highest possible level and give this constituency maximum power and influence.
I think Wes Streeting seems to have launched a leadership contest, so if that is running I would seek to join it, but I'd have to persuade members of the Parliamentary Labour Party to do the same."
Any challenger wishing to initiate a Labour leadership contest must be a Member of Parliament and secure the backing of 81 Labour MPs.
Streeting has confirmed his intention to enter any potential contest and has encouraged support for Burnham in Makerfield, expressing a desire for "a proper contest with the best candidates on the field."
Criticism from Opponents and Responses
Kenyon criticized Burnham's record as Mayor of Manchester, stating that while Manchester "thrives we're struggling to survive in Wigan," adding, "We've been left behind."
"We've been left behind."
He emphasized the need to "get normal people in politics, people who care about the place, people who live in the place and people who want to stay here and not use it as a stepping stone for other things."
Conservative candidate Michael Winstanley questioned Burnham's decision to seek a return to Parliament after previously pledging to serve his full term as Mayor. Winstanley described the by-election as "disgusting" and expressed sadness that it was being "foisted upon us."
"We will get rid of Keir Starmer whichever politician is elected in this by-election and if you vote for me, it'll speed it up straightaway."
Burnham responded by stating, "you cannot control events in politics," highlighting Labour's losses to Reform UK in recent local council elections in the area.
Green Party candidate Sarah Wakefield called for "serious conversations about who is contributing for a better future for our children, to solve the climate crisis, to get our high streets going, to make sure that we have the money back in towns and villages."
Liberal Democrat candidate Jake Austin described the by-election as an "election for a potential future prime minister via the backdoor and that's not the right way to be doing politics."
A full list of parties fielding candidates in the Makerfield by-election is available for reference.
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