Burnham throws his hat on the ring.
Now that it’s become clear that failing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won’t ever resign, things are in motion with multiple MPs angling to challenge his leadership.
After the ‘Blairite’ Health Secretary Wes Streeting, from the ‘right wing’ of the party, a leader of the hard left is also joining the fray.
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has made his move to replace Starmer within weeks, as he launches a campaign to return to Parliament in a by-election.
The Telegraph reported:
“The Mayor of Greater Manchester announced his intention to run in a by-election for the Makerfield seat on Thursday, after Josh Simons, a scandal-hit Labour MP, said he would resign to make way.
Mr. Burnham’s gambit came just hours after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary decrying the ‘vacuum’ and lack of “vision” of Sir Keir’s leadership and demanding the Prime Minister set a timetable for his departure.”
But the election may turn out not to be so easy. Reform UK has surged in popularity in Makerfield, and leader Nigel Farage pledged to ‘throw absolutely everything’ at the race.
“Announcing he would be requesting permission from the NEC to run in the by-election, Mr Burnham made a coded reference to his leadership ambitions, saying that he hoped to ‘change Labour for the better’ and ‘make it a party you can believe in again’.
He pledged to deploy his own brand of Labour politics, dubbed ‘Manchesterism’, countrywide. Mr Burnham added: ‘There is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to Parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people’.”
“I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election.
I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics.
Ten years ago, I decided to leave Westminster. Why? Because, after 16 years, I came to the conclusion that our national political system does not work for areas like ours. I learnt this fighting its failure to invest in the Wigan borough, for justice for the Hillsborough families and against its treatment of Greater Manchester during the pandemic.
Over the last decade, I have been challenging this failure from the outside and building a new and better way of doing politics. We have built Greater Manchester into the fastest-growing city-region in the UK and put buses back under public control, introducing a £2 fare cap to help people with cost-of-living pressures.
However, there is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to Parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people.
Millions are struggling and they need the Labour Government to succeed. It has already made changes to make life better for them in its first two years. After this week, we owe it to people to come back together as a Labour movement, giving the Prime Minister and the Government the space and stability they need as the by-election takes place.
I want to recognize the difficult decision taken by Josh Simons and the sacrifice he and his family are making. I have worked closely with him as Mayor on issues like flooding and illegal waste dumping and have seen first-hand how effective he has been. He has put the communities of Makerfield first, made a real difference for them and should take great pride in that.
Finally, I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times. We will change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again.
Read more:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/05/manchester-mayor-andy-burnham-launches-his-bid-labour/
No comments:
Post a Comment