UK lawmaker resigns seat, clearing path for leadership challenger Burnham

British Labour lawmaker Josh Simons on Thursday said he would resign from his seat in parliament in a move designed to give Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham a chance to return to parliament and challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"Today, I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield," Simons wrote on X.

"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."

Earlier on Thursday, Labour's Wes Streeting resigned as health minister and called for a leadership contest to oust Starmer.

Simons cannot transfer the seat to Burnham. Instead, a special election would have to be held to replace him, in which other parties can also compete.

Simons won the Makerfield seat in Greater Manchester at the 2024 election with a majority of 5,399 votes over a candidate from Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.

Since that vote, Reform's popularity has risen sharply as Labour's has dipped, meaning the seat will likely be tightly contested.

Burnham has since stated he will seek permission to stand in a forthcoming by-election.

In a post on X, Burnham said: “I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election.”

“There is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. 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.”