Wes Streeting has endorsed Andy Burnham for the Makerfield by-election and urged Labour to prioritise electability while the party navigates internal debates and logistical hurdles
The Labour party finds itself managing a fast-moving political moment as Andy Burnham signals his intent to contest the Makerfield by-election. Former health secretary Wes Streeting has publicly urged colleagues to put electability first, arguing that the party should field its strongest candidate where the fight will be hardest.
Burnham has said he will ask the Labour national executive committee ( NEC ) for permission to stand, a necessary step because a successful candidacy would prompt further electoral consequences across Greater Manchester.
The coming contest is about more than a single seat.
If Burnham were to win, many observers expect him to become a contender for the party leadership, potentially challenging Keir Starmer. At the same time, allies of Mr Streeting make clear that he remains open to entering any future leadership race, having asked in his resignation correspondence for a wide and competitive selection of candidates.
The conversation Inside Labour now spans tactical calculations for Makerfield, the question of leadership stability, and the optics of internal competition while the party is in government.
Streeting’s endorsement and what it signals
Wes Streeting framed his support in terms of practicality rather than factional advantage, urging Labour to field its strongest figures where victory is plausible. His intervention followed his resignation as health secretary and came via social channels and statements that highlighted the need for the party’s best talent to be deployed in key contests. Allies stress that Streeting’s backing of Burnham for Makerfield does not preclude a future leadership bid: his camp has repeatedly called for contests to include the broadest set of candidates possible, indicating a desire for open competition rather than backroom unanimity.
Internal dynamics and party unity
The debate has prompted emphatic statements from inside the Labour machine. Some senior figures warn that a public leadership tussle could harm the party’s standing with voters, invoking memories of governing party infighting. Communities Secretary Steve Reed has argued publicly that pursuing a leadership contest now risks repeating the divisive atmosphere that afflicted the Conservatives before they lost power. Conversely, unions such as Usdaw have signalled support for Burnham on the NEC, showing there is structured institutional backing for his candidacy within Labour’s internal forums.
The electoral landscape in Makerfield
Electoral arithmetic makes Makerfield a razor-edge battleground. At the 2026 general election the outgoing MP, Josh Simons, held the seat by a majority of exactly 5,399 over Reform UK, whose surge nationally and locally has dramatically reshaped the contest. Recent local elections amplified that trend: Reform UK swept the constituency’s council wards, taking roughly half the local vote, while Labour recorded slightly more than a quarter. Those shifts have turned a previously secure seat into a highly competitive test of both parties’ ground campaigns.
Polling, personal ratings and campaign implications
One factor bolstering Burnham is his regional standing. Polling by Ipsos shows he enjoys a net favourability of 24% across the North West, a level well above party and national leader ratings and a potentially decisive advantage in a tight local race. The outgoing MP, Josh Simons, has acknowledged that the contest will be extremely challenging and unpredictable, framing any decision to run as a calculated risk that could reshape narratives about Labour’s fortunes in the region.
Logistics, costs and the NEC gateway
Candidacy there carries procedural and financial consequences. By convention Burnham must obtain NEC approval before being allowed on the ballot because a win for him would trigger a mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester. A stand-alone Makerfield poll could cost up to £226,000 under the returning officer’s maximum Treasury claim, while a mayoral by-election would be far more expensive: the 2026 mayoral election cost around £4.7 million. Any mayoral vacancy must be filled within 35 working days of a new MP taking their seat, making the timing and administrative burden a crucial factor in decision-making.
Labour’s NEC faces a delicate call. Mr Burnham was previously blocked from standing in a different by-election by an officers committee of the NEC that included the leader, though current reports suggest the prime minister does not plan to repeat that veto. Meanwhile, opposition parties are already selecting candidates: Reform UK looks to capitalise on recent momentum and the Green Party has reaffirmed confidence it can run an effective campaign, citing lessons from earlier local wins. The outcome in Makerfield will be watched closely as both a litmus test of Labour’s regional strength and a potential inflection point for the party’s leadership dynamics.
