Andy Burnham confirmed as Labour candidate in Makerfield by-election

Politics
19 May 2026 • 9:44 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Andy Burnham confirmed as Labour candidate in Makerfield by-election

  • Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour's candidate for the forthcoming Makerfield by-election in Greater Manchester.
  • This move is considered a step in his plan to potentially replace Sir Keir Starmer as the Labour party leader.
  • New polling by YouGov indicates that Mr Burnham is the preferred candidate for the top job among Labour members.
  • The survey found that 59 per cent of members would back Mr Burnham in a leadership contest, while 37 per cent would support Sir Keir Starmer.
  • Overall, 47 per cent of Labour members stated Mr Burnham would be their first choice for the leadership role.

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