Burnham Vows to Contest Labour Leadership if Makerfield Victory Is Secured

Andy Burnham has declared his intention to enter any forthcoming Labour leadership race, provided he emerges victorious in the Makerfield by-election scheduled for June 18. Speaking on BBC’s Question Time, the Mayor of Greater Manchester emphasized his commitment to elevating his political influence, stating he would "take the fight to change politics and change this county as high as I could."

The by-election was triggered after former Labour MP Josh Simons resigned from his seat. Simons indicated that his departure was intended to clear the path for Burnham to return to Parliament and potentially position himself for a leadership bid.

Currently, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer remains in office despite facing mounting pressure from within his party following recent poor electoral performance. Although several Labour MPs have urged him to resign, no formal challenge has been initiated. Starmer has also ruled out stepping down from Downing Street, even after significant ministerial departures, including the high-profile resignation of former Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

During the Question Time appearance, Burnham and his Reform UK opponent, Robert Kenyon, were among five of the fourteen candidates to participate. The discussion turned to the crisis of public confidence in politicians, with Burnham criticizing the Westminster culture of "point-scoring before problem-solving." When pressed on his personal ambitions, the Labour candidate clarified that his ability to act depended on local support.

"If I get your support, I would seek to represent you at the highest possible level and give this constituency maximum power and influence," Burnham said. He specifically referenced the potential leadership challenge from Wes Streeting, noting, "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."

Under Labour rules, any MP wishing to trigger a leadership contest requires the support of 81 fellow MPs. Streeting has confirmed his entry into any potential race and has publicly encouraged voters to back Burnham in Makerfield, arguing that this strategy ensures a "proper contest with the best candidates on the field."

Burnham’s opponents, however, have pushed back against his ambitions. Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, a local plumber and councillor, argued for a shift away from career politicians. He warned against treating Makerfield as a "stepping stone," stating a need for "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." Kenyon also criticized Burnham’s tenure as mayor, contrasting Manchester’s prosperity with Wigan’s struggles, claiming, "We've been left behind."

Conservative candidate Michael Winstanley questioned Burnham’s decision to seek Parliament after previously committing to his mayoral term, expressing that he was "disgusted" and "sad that we're having this by-election foisted upon us." Winstanley added that his goal was to remove Starmer, stating, "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 that "you cannot control events in politics," pointing to Labour’s recent losses to Reform in local council elections as evidence of shifting tides.

Other candidates also used the platform to highlight their priorities. 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." Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat candidate Jake Austin described the contest as an "election for a potential future prime minister via the backdoor," asserting that "that's not the right way to be doing politics."

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 20:38:24 UTC