Summary
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, is considering returning to the UK Parliament as an MP after Andrew Gwynne announced he would step down due to health issues. This creates an opportunity for a by-election where Burnham could potentially run and challenge current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. However, Burnham may face challenges from Labour's National Executive Committee regarding his candidacy.
Key Facts
- Andy Burnham is the current Mayor of Greater Manchester.
- Andrew Gwynne, an MP in Greater Manchester, announced his resignation due to health problems, leading to a potential by-election.
- If Burnham wants to run for Gwynne's vacant seat, he would need approval from Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC).
- Burnham could face competition from other Labour candidates in the by-election.
- The NEC might require an all-women shortlist for Labour candidates because most Labour MPs are men.
- If Burnham runs, it might trigger another election for the mayoral position in Greater Manchester.
- There is speculation that Burnham could challenge Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer if he becomes an MP.
- Recent election results show that Labour previously held the seat with 18,000 votes, with the Reform UK party and the Greens also competing.
