- Josh Simons, the Labour MP for Makerfield, has announced he will step down from his seat.
- His resignation paves the way for Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, to potentially return to Parliament.
- Makerfield is a historically strong Labour constituency, having been held by the party continuously since its creation in 1983.
- Simons, who briefly served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital Government, secured the seat in the 2024 general election with a majority of 5,399 votes.
- Andy Burnham has confirmed he will seek permission from Labour's ruling body to contest the upcoming by-election.
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