Andy Burnham has won the contest to become Makerfield’s next MP in the high-stakes by-election which could pave the way for a battle for the future of the Labour Party.
The new member of parliament is expected to launch a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer imminently, indicating a clear ambition over the past year.
Mr Burnham is no stranger to the halls of Westminster, sitting as a Labour MP from 2001 to 2017 and holding several ministerial positions, including health minister.
He has said he wants to “change Labour”, setting out his vision for Britain alongside his plans for Makerfield on the campaign trail over the past month.
Speaking to constituents before the vote, he said he would take the “fight as high as I can possibly take it”.
The prime minister said on Wednesday that he was willing to offer Mr Burnham a “big” job in government if he won his election. Allies of the new MP said he would not be interested in taking it, potentially marking the latest sign of his ambition for the top role.
Sir Keir has indicated that he is not intending to step down as prime minister, which would trigger a leadership election, and has vowed to fight any challenge that may be brought.
This would require at least 81 Labour MPs – 20 per cent of its parliamentary members – to get behind a single challenger to go against him.
Here are the MPs understood to be allies of Mr Burnham, and who may lend support to his potential leadership bid:
Louise Haigh
Former transport secretary Louise Haigh is a leading member of Labour’s Tribune group in parliament, relaunched at the start of the year. This is a collection of MPs who are considered to be on the ‘soft left’ of the party, with an aim to have 100 members join the faction.
Affiliation with the group does not necessarily indicate support for Mr Burnham. However, several prominent members have made political interventions this year signalling a dissatisfaction with the direction of the current government.
In January, MPs including Ms Haigh, Debbie Abrahams, Beccy Cooper, Vicky Foxcroft, Justin Madders, Sarah Owen and Yuan Yang, wrote for LabourList that while the government had made important progress, “we haven’t clarified who we stand for.”
“We must approach the economy differently. We must challenge the failing status quo. We must change how it is run once and for all,” the group added.
Lucy Powell
Deputy leader of the Labour party, Lucy Powell, has not spoken out against Sir Keir during Mr Burnham’s Makerfield campaign. However, the fellow Manchester MP is understood to be an ally of his, and said the party needed to “make use” of Mr Burnham following its defeat in Gorton and Denton in February.
Ed Miliband
Energy secretary and former Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is another political ally of Mr Burnham’s. It is understood that he was considering joining any future leadership contest until it became clear that the Manchester MP would be in the running.
Josh Simons
Mr Simons surprised Westminster by announcing he would stand down in his Makerfield seat and his ministerial role to allow Mr Burnham to run for parliament. Explaining his decision, he said: “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 had been previously seen as an ally of the home secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Heidi Alexander
As with other members of Sir Keir’s government, transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, has not vocally supported Mr Burnham. But as a political ally, is expected to back him in the event of a leadership competition.
Anneliese Midgley
The MP for Knowsley worked as the “political lead” on Mr Burnham’s campaign. She is former senior trade union official, previously working as political director of Unite.
Miatta Fahnbulleh
Former communities minister, Miatta Fahnbulleh, was the first to resign from Sir Keir’s government in May following Labour’s disastrous local election results. She called on the PM to set out a timeline for his departure, and has since been understood to be helping Mr Burnham work on policy.
Clive Lewis
Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has been one of Mr Burnham’s most vocal supporters in Westminster, offering to give up his seat as early as November last year to give the former mayor a path to power. Speaking in May, Mr Lewis told Channel 4: “We have to be honest, Andy Burnham isn’t coming back into parliament to serve in anyone else’s parliament or to be a backbencher – he’s coming back to be prime minister”.
