Andy Burnham latest: Labour committee urged not to block Manchester mayor’s Westminster comeback bid

Andy Burnham has made what is for him the logical decision. He wants to be prime minister and thinks that there is a chance that he could be. Therefore he has put himself forward and dared Keir Starmer to stop him.

If he had turned tail at this stage and failed to seek permission to stand in the by-election in Gorton and Denton, he would have looked weak. He would have been saying, in effect, that he was happy as mayor of Greater Manchester, and willing to end his career as a successful leader of a great British city.

Now, he risks alienating some of its citizens, who may feel that he was less committed to them than they thought. Indeed, he has just shown that he is willing to break his promise to them to serve out his third term, which ends in 2028.

John Rentoul writes:

The Gorton and Denton by-election was triggered on Thursday after the sitting MP, Andrew Gwynne, announced his resignation from parliament on health grounds.

Although Mr Gwynne won the seat with 51 per cent of the vote in 2024, Andy Burnham could still face a tough fight given the collapse in Labour’s polling position and the rise of both Reform UK and the Green Party.

Andy Burnham has confirmed he is seeking to stand for Labour in the Gorton and Denton by-election, paving the way for a return to parliament and a potential leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer.

The mayor of Greater Manchester said the decision had been “difficult”, but now was “the moment to mount the strongest possible defence” of Labour’s values as he asked for permission to stand from the party’s powerful ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), whose membership includes many Starmer loyalists.

In a letter to the NEC released as the 5pm deadline to apply passed, Mr Burnham said he would support the government “not undermine it” and that he had passed that assurance on to the prime minister.

Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

If elected as an MP, Andy Burnham would be legally required to stand down as mayor of Greater Manchester, triggering a city-wide by-election.

In his letter to the NEC, he said he would “give my all” in any mayoral by-election, adding he was “confident” Labour could win.

New year, new Keir. At least, that was the plan.

The prime minister started 2026 with a “promise of renewal” and a vow the UK would turn a corner after a dismal first full year in power. In a video released on New Year’s Day, he pledged to bring down living costs and get Britain “back on track”, in an attempt to rescue his relationship with disillusioned voters and his own disgruntled MPs.

Well, just over three weeks into the new year, it’s fair to say Sir Keir Starmer hasn’t started as he’d hoped. While the prime minister’s allies might claim his attention has been diverted by the ongoing international crises over Venezuela and Greenland, this year has started much like last year ended.

Kate Devlin and David Maddox report:

Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

A Labour MP has gone public against Andy Burnham’s Westminster comeback bid.

In a post on X on Saturday evening, Joani Reid MP said: “The Gorton and Denton selection process has become an energy-sapping distraction, which is why many of us would probably have preferred Andy Burnham to stay out of it.

“He's not even halfway through his term as Mayor, and frankly Mayor of Manchester is a bigger job than being a backbench MP. So either he's seeking a quieter life, or he's on manoeuvres. If it's the latter, it's the last thing we need in the run-up to the May elections.”

Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood told the Independent: “It's for the American people to elect their president – but when he insults both Britain and our military we have every right to speak out.

“That anger has been heard in the White House – given Trump has never before climbed down so fast.

“This does not however, overshadow the offence and ignorance of making these crass comments in the first place.”

Zarah Sultana, Your Party MP for Coventry South, has criticised Andy Burnham, saying that Gorton and Denton deserves a “genuinely socialist MP”.

Writing on X ahead of Mr Burnham’s announcement of his bid to take part in the by-election, Ms Sultana said: “Andy Burnham played a key role in privatising our NHS while serving as health secretary.

“Andy Burnham voted for the 2003 Iraq war...Andy Burnham was a member of Labour Friends of Israel.”