Highlights
- Burnham says a vote for him is "a vote to change Labour"
- He backs proportional representation and wants wealth and land taxes reviewed
- The Conservatives will field Michael Winstanley, who last contested the seat in 1997
- The Green Party's candidate withdrew within nine hours of being announced
GREATER MANCHESTER mayor Andy Burnham has launched his campaign for the Makerfield by-election with a pitch for the Labour leadership, telling supporters and MPs gathered in a car park in Ashton-in-Makerfield that British politics needed a new direction, and that he was prepared to provide it.
"This is a change by-election," the Greater Manchester mayor said at the event, held at a community sports club near Wigan. British politics needs to change its tired old script, and the people of Makerfield are helping us write one."
While stopping short of explicitly saying he intended to challenge prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, Burnham made clear that his ambitions extended well beyond the constituency.
"I'm prepared to take that fight as high as I can go," he said. "I want to play whatever part I can in changing this party back to the party that people used to know, and the party that is solidly on the side of working-class communities."
He added, "I've not done the usual thing of talking in code. I've said it plainly what I'm trying to do."
When asked by reporters whether a vote for him amounted to a vote to remove the prime minister, Burnham deflected. "No, it's not, because this is a by-election, and those issues are issues for another time, and they are issues for members of parliament."
Asked whether he would want Starmer to campaign locally for him, he said only that "anyone who agrees with me" would be welcome.
'I would push for change'
On policy, Burnham said he would honour Labour's manifesto commitments on spending and taxation, but set out several areas where he would push for change.
He said he would redirect the entire £39 billion affordable housing fund towards council homes, rather than allocating any portion to private developers.
He expressed support for a wealth tax, an idea raised this week by former health secretary Wes Streeting, and called for significant reform of council tax and land-based taxation more broadly.
Keir Starmer speaks during a reception for homelessness charities and organisations who played an influential role in bringing forward the Renters' Rights Act, at 10 Downing Street on May 19, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by James Manning - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
On immigration, Burnham said the broad thrust of home secretary Shabana Mahmood's approach was right, but indicated he would want changes — particularly on rules around indefinite leave to remain.
"I think the consultation needs to be real on that issue, because I know there have been concerns raised by members of parliament," he said.
He also committed to including proportional representation in the next Labour manifesto. "I support electoral reform now," he said. "I would want a commitment in the next Labour manifesto to introduce a proportional system."
The by-election, scheduled for June 18, was triggered after Labour MP Josh Simons gave up the Makerfield seat. In 2024, Labour won it with a majority of 5,399 over Reform.
Luke Tryl, director of pollster More in Common, has described Burnham as the "narrow favourite," though polling conducted before he entered the race suggested Reform would have won.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Photo by Ryan Jenkinson/Getty Images)
Farage courts controversy
Reform has selected Robert Kenyon, a self-employed plumber and former Army reservist who also stood for the party in 2024.
Nigel Farage visited the constituency this week, but the trip generated controversy after his entourage entered The Hamlet, a Wigan charity supporting adults with additional needs, unannounced.
Gemma Crompton, the charity's director, wrote to Farage requesting a formal apology, saying the visit had been "intimidating and overwhelming" for staff and the people they support. She also alleged that the entourage filmed and took photographs without permission.
Burnham was present at the charity for a Duke of Edinburgh awards event. Reform MP Lee Anderson, who was part of the group, said they had stopped in for a cup of tea and were unaware of causing any offence.
The Conservatives have selected Winstanley, a former mayor of Wigan who was born in Makerfield and who last contested the seat in 1997, when he came second to Labour. His selection follows internal party debate over whether to stand aside in favour of Reform.
Former Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and MP Edward Leigh both called for such a deal, but Tory leader Kemi Badenoch ruled it out.
The Green party, meanwhile, saw its candidate Chris Kennedy withdraw within nine hours of being announced, after the Times reported that he had shared social media posts questioning the arrests made following an attack on Jewish ambulances in north London.
The party said the posts did not reflect its views and that Kennedy had apologised. It later said he had stepped down for personal and family reasons, and said it would select a replacement candidate.
