Starmer to help campaign for Andy Burnham at Makerfield by-election amid leadership challenge bid

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will be out campaigning for potential leadership challenger Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election.

The Prime Minister said he wanted the “whole Labour movement” to be involved in the vital by-election campaign on 18 June, with the Greater Manchester mayor vying to return to Westminster.

Starmer also sought to draw attention to his Government’s record and away from “all the other discussions that are going on”, in apparent reference to the leadership speculation that has dogged his premiership since Labour’s local and devolved elections mauling.

Asked whether he would be out campaigning in Makerfield for leadership hopeful Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister told reporters on a visit to Essex: “Yes, and I’ve said to the whole Labour movement that I want everybody to be involved in the campaign, whatever other discussions are going on, it’s really important – that’s a straight fight between Labour and Reform.

“It’s about the values that we take into politics, and it’s really important that we all pull together and fight in that by-election, as we will do.”

He added: “I want to be part of that, of course I do, and I want everybody to be part of that, but also by being clear about the steps we’ve taken to stabilise the economy, because all of this that we’ve announced today has only been possible because of the steps we took on the budget, the fact that inflation dropped is because of the steps – that didn’t drop out the sky – that’s because of the decisions the Government took.

“So, we’ve got a very good story to tell.”

Sir Keir also talked up recent good news when asked whether he was frustrated by the focus from Labour MPs on Mr Burnham and former health secretary Wes Streeting’s ambitions to oust him.

He said: “There’s been a lot going on in the last two weeks, but what is important for me to draw out is that actually the last week, in terms of what we’ve delivered, is really significant.”

He pointed to recent figures showing the UK’s real gross domestic product grew by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter from January to March, falling NHS waiting lists, and a drop in UK net migration to the lowest level since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson for Mr Burnham said: “Anyone who wants to embrace Andy’s campaign message is welcome on the campaign.”

Sir Keir visited a children’s activity centre in Essex on Thursday after his government made a series of announcements on the cost of living and giving power to local communities.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves included a temporary cut in the rate of VAT on summer attractions from 20 per cent to 5 per cent over the summer holidays, £350 million critical chemicals resilience fund and a £120 million fund to help the ceramics sector, and the cutting of import tariffs on more than 100 types of food products.

Her “Great British Summer Savings” scheme also includes free bus travel for children in England during the school holidays in August.

Allies of Mr Burnham have suggested he may not launch a bid for the top job immediately if he returns to Westminster.

Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell, who supported his previous unsuccessful bid to fight a by-election in Gorton and Denton, told LBC she did not “expect that’s what Andy’s coming in to do”.

But a contest is widely expected after Mr Burnham’s call for a “new path” and promise to “change Labour”.

That expectation has led to speculation over what policies the mayor would pursue in Downing Street, including reports he could continue with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s plan to significantly extend the time immigrants must wait to receive permanent residency.

Mr Burnham’s team would not comment on reports in the Guardian that he would support the proposal to increase the wait for indefinite leave to remain from five years to between 10 and 20 years.

Meanwhile, campaigning will continue in Makerfield, where Mr Burnham faces Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who contested the seat in 2024, and Conservative Michael Winstanley, who last stood in the constituency in 1997.

The Green Party on Thursday announced nurse Chris Kennedy as its candidate. Mr Kennedy said “we can’t let this election be dominated by a Westminster psychodrama” as he vowed to “fight for warmer homes, lower bills, and a fairer economy”.

The Liberal Democrats are yet to announce their candidate.