Wes Streeting backs Andy Burnham to be Makerfield by-election candidate
"We need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them."
The former health secretary and potential future candidate for the Labour leadership Wes Streeting has backed Andy Burnham to be the Labour Party’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election.
The by-election is set to take place after Josh Simons resigned his seat in the House of Commons in order to allow Burnham to re-enter parliament.
Burnham has confirmed that he intends to put himself forward to be Labour’s candidate in the by-election. That would allow him to stand in a future leadership contest, as the party’s rulebook requires any candidate for leader to be an MP.
However, Burnham faces at least one more obstacle before entering parliament again. In order to stand in the by-election, he would need permission from the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
In the Gorton and Denton by-election, which was ultimately won by the Green Party, the NEC blocked Burnham’s candidacy on the grounds that he is currently the mayor of Greater Manchester and standing could trigger a by-election for the mayoralty.
This time, Keir Starmer is reportedly not seeking to block Burnham from standing in Makerfield. But there are also reports that the NEC may still refuse Burnham’s candidacy.
Streeting posted on X: “We need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them.
“The Makerfield byelection will be tough. Votes will need to be earned.
“Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person.”
The post confirms speculation triggered by Streeting’s resignation statement that he wanted to see a leadership contest in which Burnham would be able to put himself forward as a candidate. In his resignation statement, Streeting said of the leadership contest he was seeking: “It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope that you will facilitate this.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
Image credit: Lauren Hurley / Number 10 – Creative Commons
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