Labour mayor Andy Burnham signals he would run in leadership contest against UK's Starmer

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Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham will contest the Makerfield by-election on 18 June.

Labour mayor Andy Burnham has signalled he would run in any leadership race against Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying that if he won a local election later this month he would seek to join any challenge against the British leader.

Speaking in a BBC debate with other contenders in an election to a parliamentary seat in northern England on Thursday (UK time), Greater Manchester mayor Burnham said the governing Labour Party, which is trailing in opinion polls, needed a fundamental change.

Starmer, whose popularity ratings are some of the lowest for a British leader, has vowed to fight to keep his job, but potential rivals are circling him, including Burnham and former health minister Wes Streeting, who resigned last month in protest at the prime minister's record.