Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is standing in the Makerfield by-election in June 2026 [1].
This move is significant because winning a seat in Parliament is a prerequisite for Burnham to contest the Labour Party leadership. A successful campaign would allow him to challenge Keir Starmer for the leadership of the party and the role of Prime Minister [2].
Burnham is targeting the Makerfield constituency in Greater Manchester, England [3]. This represents his third attempt to secure the leadership of the Labour Party [1]. The specific date for the by-election has not yet been set, though it is scheduled for June 2026 [1].
The bid comes as a direct challenge to the current party direction. Josh Halliday said, "He’s expressed multiple times that politics doesn’t work for most of the country" [4].
By returning to parliamentary politics, Burnham aims to leverage his profile as a regional mayor to build a national mandate. The outcome of the Makerfield vote will determine if he can transition from local governance to a position where he can legally challenge the party's top leadership [2].
“This represents his third attempt to secure the leadership of the Labour Party.”
This development signals a potential internal power struggle within the Labour Party. Because the party's rules generally require the leader to be a Member of Parliament, Burnham's entry into the Makerfield by-election is a strategic necessity. If he wins, it creates a viable alternative to Keir Starmer's leadership, potentially shifting the party's ideological direction toward the views Burnham has championed during his mayoralty.
