Andy Burnham has been confirmed as the Labour candidate for the Makerfield byelection after the party's national executive committee (NEC) rubber-stamped the Greater Manchester mayor. The contest, expected to take place on 18 June, will see Burnham face Reform UK's Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who stood in the constituency during the general election and was unveiled as his party's candidate minutes after Burnham's confirmation.
No Other Candidates Shortlisted
Labour confirmed that no other candidates had been shortlisted for the seat vacated by Josh Simons. Sources on the NEC indicated that while other individuals applied, they were not shortlisted. The byelection date will be formally confirmed by Commons authorities.
Burnham's Statement
Burnham expressed being “humbled” by his selection, stating that the communities within the Makerfield constituency have been neglected by national politics for too long. He emphasised that the byelection has finally brought them into the spotlight. “These proud working-class communities represent the very best values of our country and they deserve so much better,” he said. “Many people here feel Westminster isn’t working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that and get the voice of these communities heard loud and clear.”
Burnham highlighted the need for life to “be more affordable again,” citing measures he implemented as mayor on travel costs. If elected, he is expected to quickly challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership. Allies have indicated he will use this week to set out his economic agenda and address issues that could hinder his return to Westminster, including ruling out an imminent return to the EU and recommitting to fiscal rules on borrowing and debt.
Reform UK's Challenge
Kenyon, a Makerfield-born army reservist and former NHS specialist technician, came within 5,399 votes of Simons in the 2024 election. Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader, described the contest as a “David versus Goliath battle,” adding, “This is the ‘The Plucky Plumber’ taking on ‘Open Borders Burnham.’ Only Reform UK can beat Labour in this byelection.”
In a video posted by Reform, Kenyon criticised Burnham, claiming Makerfield is a “stepping stone” for the Labour politician. Reform is likely to campaign by depicting Burnham, a Cambridge-educated former special adviser, as an elite outsider, despite Burnham having spent his youth in Makerfield, near his family home. Kenyon stated, “Labour and probably the other parties have got career politicians. They go to private school, to university, they get a job at a thinktank or they are an assistant to an MP and then before you know it they are parachuted into somewhere they have never even visited to stand as an MP.”
Other Candidates and Context
While Labour and Reform are bookmakers' favourites in what is expected to be a tight contest, Farage's party may lose votes to the right-wing Restore Britain party, which has selected local businesswoman Rebecca Shepherd. The constituency lies within the borough of Wigan, where Burnham won 66% of the vote two years ago in the Greater Manchester mayoralty. However, Labour suffered heavy losses in Wigan's local elections earlier this month, with Reform UK winning 24 of 25 seats.
The Green party will announce its candidate on Wednesday evening, while the Conservative candidate is expected to be confirmed within 24 hours.
