London politics LIVE: Labour clears path for Burnham’s Westminster comeback as Farage vows to ‘throw everything’ at Makerfield by-election

The NEC’s decision to allow Andy Burnham to stand in the Makerfield by-election comes after he was blocked from the Gorton and Denton contest earlier this year.

The NEC has also confirmed the timetable for the selection process, with applications set to close on Monday, May 18, ahead of a selection meeting on 21 May.

No date has yet been confirmed for the by-election itself, as the writ must still be moved in Parliament before the timetable can be formally set.

And Andy Burnham still has to secure selection as the local Labour Party’s candidate.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham will be included in Labour’s candidate selection process for the Makerfield by-election, the party said.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency.”

Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, has given the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham permission to stand in the candidate selection process for the upcoming Makerfield by-election, a party spokesman said.

Kemi Badenoch has said that anyone who does not want to “follow” Sir Keir Starmer’s election mandate should call for a general election.

Speaking to the Press Association at an electrical engineering manufacturer in Saffron Walden, in her constituency of North West Essex on Friday, the Conservative Party leader said: “Labour were elected on a particular mandate. Anyone who does not want to follow that mandate should call a general election.

“The truth is, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, or someone else.

“The problem is the Labour Party. They did not have a plan for government; they only had a plan to win an election.”

It comes after Wes Streeting backed Andy Burnham as Labour’s “best chance” of winning the Makerfield by-election, as the former health secretary’s allies said he would still contest any battle for the party leadership.

The leader of the Opposition also told PA that her party “will announce a candidate for that by-election in due course”.

The Conservatives will have a candidate standing in the Makerfield by-election, Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch says.

Speaking to the media during a visit to North Essex, she adds that the Labour party is in “chaos”.

“Andy Burnham wants to rock up and just be prime minister despite being out of parliament for a decade,” she says.

She adds that the Tories are the “one party” holding them to account in Parliament.

Sir Keir Starmer’s fall from general election victory to the brink of being ousted as Prime Minister has happened at extraordinary speed.

He took Labour to a landslide victory in July 2024, with more than 400 MPs from his party elected to Parliament.

Just 674 days later he faced the start of moves to force him out of Downing Street.

Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has suggested that the party should not contest the upcoming Makerfield by-election.

Caroline Lucas, who was MP for Brighton Pavilion between 2010 and 2024, made the comments on X in response to reporting that the Greens were starting the process of selecting a candidate.

Ms Lucas wrote: “I hope this isn’t true. There are times when it’s more important to put country before party. This is one of them.

“Burnham’s longstanding commitment to a fairer voting system could transform our democracy & counter dire threat of a Reform UK government”.

Andy Burnham has confirmed he intends to stand in the Makerfield by-election after the seat became available following the resignation of its MP.

Josh Simons said he would step down as MP for Makerfield to allow Burnham to “return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for”.

The move will trigger a by-election in the constituency just two years after the general election, though several steps must take place before voters head to the polls.

Burnham must first receive formal approval from Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to become the party’s candidate.

The NEC previously blocked him from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election, although senior Labour sources say they do not expect that will happen a second time.

If approved, Burnham would then go on to face a difficult contest in Makerfield, with Labour under growing pressure from both Reform UK and the Green Party.

Donald Trump has said it will be “tough” for Sir Keir Starmer to survive as the Prime Minister battles to save his premiership.

The American president, who has criticised Sir Keir repeatedly in recent weeks over the Iran war, told reporters on Air Force One “he’s a nice man” as he returned from his trip to China.

Mr Trump said: “He’s in trouble for two reasons, energy and immigration.

“He’s very bad on energy. He should open up the North Sea. He’s got a gold mine and should open up oil in the North Sea, and he doesn’t.”

Asked if Sir Keir should quit, Mr Trump said: “I don’t say that. I think he’s a nice man, actually.

“I didn’t like what he said. ‘We’re going to send ships as soon as you’re finished with the wars’, but we are sort of finished militarily, pretty much,” he added, in reference to the Iran war.