Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleAndy Burnham seeks to stand in by-election triggered by Labour MPCopy linkAndy Burnham has confirmed his intention to stand in the Makerfield by-election following the resignation of Josh Simons, the current Labour MP for Makerfield, who stepped down to make way for Burnham. Simons stated his belief that urgent and radical reform is necessary and that the Mayor of Greater Manchester is the leader to drive this change. He criticised Westminster's “managed decline” of towns and the current political approach as insufficient; Simons acknowledged the personal difficulty of his decision, emphasising his commitment to political change. Burnham said he will be requesting the permission of Labour’s NEC to stand in the by-election and aims to return to Parliament to address the cost-of-living crisis and make life more affordable across the UK. Officers on Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) voted 8-1 in January to bar Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election.In fullStarmer latest: Burnham could stand in leadership race as path to Westminster emergesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in