LIVE: Battle for No10 as Burnham confirms by-election bid hours after Streeting resignation
Sir Keir Starmer was seen to thank Wes Streeting for his service following the Health Secretary's resignation, with the PM describing Labour's "battle for the soul of our nation".
Andy Burnham has confirmed his plan to run for Parliament after a Labour MP sensationally stepped aside on Thursday, triggering a by-election that could clear his path to Downing Street.
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Andy Burnham, who is currently the Mayor of Greater Manchester, confirmed he will seek approval from Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) to run for the seat after Labour MP John Simons stepped down from his seat in Makerfield.
The announcement came hours after Wes Streeting resigned as Health Secretary and joined calls for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down as Prime MInister.
Mr Streeting told Sir Keir it was “clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election”.
The Health Secretary said in his resignation letter: “It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour Unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism.
Mr Streeting added that Sir Keir Starmer had “many great strengths” but that “where we need vision, we have a vacuum”, and appeared to accuse the Prime Minister of allowing others to “(fall) on their swords” too often.
In response, Starmer said "thank you" to Streeting for his service, adding that Labour is currently facing the "battle
Reports claim that the Health Secretary has amassed the 81 Labour MPs needed to trigger the formal contest.
Separate reports say former Labour leader and current Energy Secretary, Mr Miliband, could also enter the race for leadership. He is purported to be considering pitching himself as the soft-Left's candidate in the contest.
Meanwhile, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs, paving the way for a potential leadership bid.
More than 88 Labour MPs have publicly called for Starmer to resign - while a separate list of over 110 Labour MPs has called for him to stay in post.
Follow along below for all the latest updates.
Sir Keir Starmer's battle to hold onto power has begun.
The Prime Minister faced a day of chaos in Westminster on Thursday, in which:
- Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and attacked his leadership.
- Andy Burnham was offered a route back to Westminster as MP for Makerfield after Josh Simons stood down.
- Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayne resolved her tax affairs with HMRC, clearing her to challenge Sir Keir.
WATCH: Makerfield voters weigh in on Burnham by-election
LBC callers in Makerfield have been weighing in on the upcoming by-election.
Some voters in the Greater Manchester constituency have spoken to LBC's Late Nights with Ben Kentish this evening...
Powell expected to repeat support for Burnham
Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell is expected to say Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner should all be “key players” in Labour’s team in a speech tomorrow.
Ms Powell will repeat her support for the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s bid to return to Parliament as Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election when she speaks at the Fire Brigades’ Union conference.
She is expected to say: “The election results last week were deeply painful and difficult for our party, and the aftermath has been unedifying for us all too. We don’t do hostile take-overs in Labour for a reason. Keir is the leader, and I warned against bloody internal battles reflecting badly.
“If we think we don’t have further to fall, that’s a mistake, we can. We must come back together as one team to take the fight to Farage and show that mainstream progressive politics can bring about the change people are crying out for.
“That also means doing politics differently. Ending briefing wars, ending factionalism, and representing all our traditions with our strongest team on the pitch – being one Labour team.
“Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner should all be key players in our team.
“Andy wants to come back to Parliament – I’ve always supported his desire to do so, and I support that again. As deputy leader, I am confident he would have the support of the vast majority of the party and movement in doing so.”
By-election could open door to a Reform win
MPs have warned that the by-election may not be as clear cut as many within Labour had hoped.
With a slim majority of around 5,000, the margin has seen Farage pledge to throw everything he has behind the local reform candidate, after the party came in second place at the 2024 General Election.
Farage says Reform UK will 'throw absolutely everything' at winning Makerfield byelection.
Posting to social media, the Reform leader added: 'We look forward to the Makerfield by-election. Reform will throw absolutely everything at it.'
Andy Burnham 'most popular Labour politician in the country' Labour MP tells Andrew Marr
Labour MP Justin Madders has told LBC's Andrew Marr that Andy Burnham is the "most popular Labour politician in the country" and that he "can't think of anyone else who would be a better candidate."
The Mayor of Greater Manchester is planning his return to Westminster after Makerfield MP Josh Simons announced today he would be stepping down, therefore triggering a by-election which could clear Burnham's path to Downing Street.
Justin told Andrew the party is "not doing very well anywhere and we really need to have a change of direction".
The MP for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough said Labour will need to show the people of Makerfield that "not only will Andy be great MP for them... he would be a great Prime Minister.”
Bringing in a football metaphor, he likened the political turmoil currently gripping the Labour Party to the "FA Cup final, the Champions League final, the World Cup final all rolled into one...it is existential."
Starmer will not look to block Burnham from running
Keir Starmer will not seek to block Andy Burnham from becoming the Labour candidate in Makerfield, it is understood.
An ally of Starmer said: "Keir is focused on bringing the party together so it can tackle the issues facing working families.”
It follows a speech earlier this year made by the Prime Minister, addressing Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC), encouraging them not to allow him to stand in February's Gorton and Denton by-election.
McFadden praises Andy Burnham but calls by-election a ‘risky prospect’
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden warned that a by-election is "always a risky prospect".
Speaking to LBC's Andrew Marr, he said: “He's a big talent and I certainly don't want to come onto this programme or any other and say anything to the contrary.
"In my dealings with Andy Burnham, as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, he has a shared agenda that I share about getting young people into work, long-term sick and disabled people into work. We've had good conversations about that.
"The only thing I would say is that doing it in this route through an unnecessary by-election is always a risky prospect.
"History shows us that. And we mustn't be complacent about the voters here."