By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 15:13 BST, 18 May 2026 | Updated: 15:32 BST, 18 May 2026
He has not even been chosen to stand for Labour in the Makerfield by-election but ambitious MPs have already flocked to join Andy Burnham on the campaign trail.Almost a dozen allies of the Greater Manchester mayor pounded the streets and knocked on doors with him in Wigan at the weekend.With Mr Burnham expected to launch a leadership bid against Keir Starmer if he wins the seat, some of the attendees may raise eyebrows. They included the Labour Party Deputy Leader Lucy Powell and Sir Keir's current Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.They are both local MPs and many of the others were from seats in the north and north west.But one MP made a journey of more than 200 miles to turn out for Mr Burnham.Liam Conlon, the MP for Beckenham and Penge in south east London, was among those who dropped pictures from Makerfield on social media. He is the son of Baroness Sue Gray, Sir Keir's former chief of staff. In a sign of trans-Pennine unity other MPs spotted helping the campaign included former transport secretary Louise Haigh - who has been a vocal Starmer critic since resigning last year - and her fellow Yorkshire MPs Luke Charters and Alex Sobel. Mr Burnham in Makerfield with Labour campaigners including Lucy Powell and Liam Conlon (front row, holding second-from-right placard) in a picture the latter two posted on X Ms Nandy posted a picture of herself with Mr Burnham, ex-transport secretary Louise Haigh (second from right), St Helens MP David Baines (far right) and Knowsley MP Anneliese Midgley (far left) Mr Conlon also posted a picture of himself with canvassers including Leeds MP Alex Sobel. Ms Powell posted a picture of herself with Labour volunteers including Mr Burnham, writing: 'Great to be out in Makerfield today speaking with voters. This is a huge by-election and we must all come together as one Labour team to win it, and send Reform packing. 'Our candidate will be selected v soon!'Mr Conlon added: 'Great to join some brilliant teams out across Makerfield today! Lots of steps, lots of conversations, and good fun too! Looking forward to campaigning here as a Labour team in the weeks ahead!'The Mail has asked his team if he had made a special journey to the North West to campaign.Ms Midgeley echoed his sentiments, writing: 'This by election is a big one. We have to come together as a united party and send Reform packing.'It came as Mr Burnham made a speech this afternoon which suggested he believes his selection as the Labour candidate is a nailed-on certainty.Speaking at an investment summit in Leeds he said his plan for Makerfield would be 'ambitious' and 'show how we lift up its people and places over the next decade'.'It will involve action to make the basics of life more affordable, like rents, bills and fares,' he said. It came as Mr Burnham made a speech this afternoon which suggested he believes his selection as the Labour candidate is a nailed-on certainty.'All rail stations and services in Makerfield coming into the Bee network and leading to a big reduction for people in the cost of public transport and cost of travel.'It will involve the reindustrialisation of our part of the world, for instance through the work I'm doing as mayor to bring modern manufacturing to the PPG site in Hindley Green.'Changes to education to make technical education the equal of the university route and give young people new paths into good jobs.'How wrong it is that for the best part of 30 years now the debate in education has all been about the university route, and the whole system has been built to support the university route?'What about those millions of kids across the North of England who want technical qualifications, who want paths into good jobs and support to get to those jobs?'
