Labour to include Burnham in candidate selection for Makerfield by-election

Andy Burnham will be among the potential Labour candidates to stand in the Makerfield by-election, the party’s ruling body has said.

The Greater Manchester Mayor declared he would seek permission from Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to contest the by-election after the current MP, Josh Simons, announced on Thursday he would quit Parliament to make way for Mr Burnham.

If successful, Mr Burnham is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the party leadership.

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.”