Andy Burnham has said he will ask for permission to stand for Labour in a UK bye-election after an MP quit to make way for the Greater Manchester Mayor to return to parliament to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Mr Burnham said he wanted to return to Westminster to "bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people".
It comes after Josh Simons, Labour MP for Makerfield, which is near Wigan west of Manchester, said he would stand down so Mr Burnham can "drive the change our country is crying out for".
Mr Starmer will not seek to block Mr Burnham from becoming Labour's candidate in the Makerfield by-election, it is understood.
"Keir is focused on bringing the party together so it can tackle the issues facing working families," an ally of the Prime Minister said.
Earlier, Wes Streeting resigned as Health Secretary, saying he had "concluded that it would be dishonourable and unprincipled" to continue in the cabinet under Mr Starmer.
It follows days of turmoil in which calls have mounted for the prime minister to step down in the wake of Labour's election mauling last week.
Mr Streeting stopped short of announcing a bid for the top job as he resigned but urged Mr Starmer to allow the "best possible field of candidates" to run to replace him in Downing Street, suggesting he could be in favour of including Mr Burnham.
Later, Mr Simons posted on X that "nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference".
"That must start with a change in leadership," he said as he announced his resignation as an MP.
"I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for," he wrote.
He added Labour has "one last chance" to deliver and "change a status quo that is not working". He said: "That is the fight. I believe Andy is the one to lead it."
Mr Burnham posted shortly afterwards, saying he would request permission from Labour’s ruling body to stand in the seat.
He said: "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."
Mr Burnham was previously blocked by the National Executive Committee from standing as Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, which was won by the Green Party.
Makerfield has been held by Labour continuously since the constituency was created in 1983 and Mr Simons won it with a majority of around 5,000 in 2024.
But Reform UK could pose a threat, as analysis of the local election results from 7 May this year show that of the 10 wards contested on Wigan Council that fall within the parliamentary constituency of Makerfield, either wholly or partially, Reform candidates won every single one of them.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform, said: "We look forward to the contest and we will throw absolutely everything at it."
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden warned of the "political risk" of a by-election.
"I think any unnecessary by-election is always a political risk," Mr McFadden told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.
"If Andy puts himself forward as the candidate for that, I don’t know if others will too.
"Any decision on who should be on a shortlist for the by-election would be taken by the NEC (Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee)."
Mr Streeting had earlier criticised the "drift" at the top of Government and told the Prime Minister it is "clear" he will not lead Labour into the next election in his resignation letter.
It was unclear whether Mr Streeting has the 81 Labour MPs needed to announce a formal challenge against the Prime Minister, with earlier briefings from rival factions claiming that he did not.
Other possible contenders to bid for the top job include former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and armed forces minister Al Carns.
Raynor cleared of wrongdoing over tax affairs
Mr Streeting's move could precipitate a leadership contest in which Ms Rayner has also indicated she could run, with other possible contenders including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, armed forces minister Al Carns and Mr Burnham.
While some 87 MPs have so far publicly called for Mr Starmer's resignation, they are not united behind a single candidate to replace him.
Former deputy prime minister Ms Rayner revealed this morning that she had been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing over her tax affairs, clearing the path for a potential tilt at the top job.
Former minister Catherine West, who urged the Labour leader's top team to challenge him over the weekend, said today that Mr Starmer could win a contest.
"If Keir Starmer decides he has got the bottle and he can come and fight - fight as if he is fighting for the working people of this country - then he could beat the others, because he is a very bright man," she told the BBC.
If he does not step down, Mr Strarmer would automatically be on the ballot paper in any race, and Downing Street has continued to insist that he would fight any effort to oust him.
Mr Streeting’s is the first departure from the Cabinet, after the resignations on Tuesday of junior ministers Jess Phillips, Zubir Ahmed, Alex Davies-Jones and Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has questioned whether any of Mr Starmer’s rivals can muster the necessary support to launch a contest.
Read more:
Possible contenders if UK PM Starmer quits
Additional reporting Reuters
