2026 Makerfield by-election
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Makerfield constituency
Boundary of the Makerfield constituency in North West England
Incumbent MP

Josh Simons
Labour


A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Makerfield is expected to be held in June 2026 following the announcement by incumbent Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) Josh Simons that he intends to resign his position. As of 17 May 2026, Simons has not resigned his seat, and, until he does, the writ to trigger the by-election and confirm its date cannot be issued. However, 18 June 2026 has been reported as the likely date for the vote.[1]

Simons announced his intention to resign amid the ongoing government crisis to allow Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to stand. It is the first time in over sixty years that a by-election has been caused specifically to provide a seat for a figure outside Parliament, the previous time being the 1965 Leyton by-election.[a]

Background

Main article: 2026 United Kingdom government crisis

According to a LabourList tracker, as of 14 May 2026, 97 Labour MPs were calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign or announce a timetable for his resignation after the party suffered massive losses in the 2026 local elections.[3]

Josh Simons, elected as MP for Makerfield at the 2024 general election, initially resigned from his ministerial position as Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 1 March 2026.[4] His resignation from government followed an investigation into allegations that his former think tank, Labour Together, had commissioned a private investigation into journalists' backgrounds.[5] Although cleared of breaching the Ministerial Code, Simons described his continued presence in government as a "distraction" from the government's work.[6]

Following Labour's significant losses in the May 2026 local elections, during which the party lost 1,498 councillors, Simons joined calls with 96 other members of the PLP[7] to demand Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down and set out "an orderly timetable for a transition".[8]

On 14 May 2026, Simons announced he would resign his seat in parliament in order to allow Andy Burnham to contest the by-election so he can stand for Labour leadership.[9] Party rules state any candidate for leader must be a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party.[10] The National Executive Committee of the Labour Party has voted to allow Andy Burnham to stand in the seat.[11] If elected to Parliament, Burnham would be required to step down as Mayor of Greater Manchester under law, triggering a mayoral by-election.[12]

Electoral context

The Makerfield by-election will take place in a significantly altered electoral landscape following the May 2026 local elections. Reform UK made large gains across Greater Manchester, while the Liberal Democrats gained control of Stockport Council. Labour suffered large losses while the Green Party also increased its support.[13] In the 2026 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council election, Reform UK won all eight council seats in the Makerfield constituency.[14] They also received around 50% of the vote.[15] Polling analysis suggests that while no "safe" Labour seats remain, Burnham's personal popularity in Greater Manchester makes a Makerfield by-election victory achievable for Labour, though the party faces significant challenges from both Reform UK on the right and the Greens on the left.[16] Speaking on BBC's Newsnight (14 May 2026), the political commentator Steve Richards described the by-election as, "the most significant in post-war British history."[17] Two days later Channel 4 News described it as, "arguably the most important by-election in living memory."[18]

Constituency

Ashton-in-Makerfield (town library shown) forms a part of the Makerfield constituency.

The Makerfield constituency contains the towns of Ashton-in-Makerfield and Ince-in-Makerfield as well as other residential areas on the western outskirts of Greater Manchester.[19] Makerfield has been a safe seat for the Labour Party since its creation in 1983.[20] It was created from parts of Ince, Wigan and Leigh.[21] It is considered part of the Red wall of working-class areas in northern and central England that traditionally vote Labour.[22] Makerfield was represented for decades by former cabinet minister Sir Ian McCartney.[21] It was then held by Yvonne Fovargue until 2024.[23] In 2024, Josh Simons held the seat with a 5,399-vote (13.4%) majority over Reform UK.[24][25]

Candidates

Conservative Party

On 15 May, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch confirmed in an interview with GB News that the party will field a candidate for the Makerfield by-election. It was initially reported that several figures within the Conservative Party, including current Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh and former North East Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, were supportive of a pact with Reform UK wherein the Conservatives would not field a candidate in order to minimise the chances of a Labour victory.[26]

Green Party

The Green Party stated on 15 May that they had already begun the process of selecting a candidate to contest the by-election.[27] A Green Party spokesperson said "we've shown we can beat Reform" and the party looked forward to the campaign and have learned from their campaigning and wins in the 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election and the recent local elections.[28]

Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas called on the party to stand down in favour of Burnham, should he be selected as the Labour candidate, due to his support for proportional representation.[29]

Labour Party

Andy Burnham (right) is seeking to become the Labour candidate in the by-election. There is media speculation that he is likely to stand as a candidate against current prime minister Keir Starmer (left) in a possible leadership election.

Incumbent Labour MP Josh Simons's resignation was explicitly done to provide a seat for Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.[30] Burnham declared his candidacy on the same day and was granted authorisation to run from the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party on 15 May.[31][32] Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Lucy Powell, who serves as an Officer of the NEC, and Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting have publicly supported Burnham's bid to become the Labour candidate.[33][34] On 15 May, a Labour Party spokesperson said that the NEC had approved Burnham's bid,[35][34] ahead of a planned selection meeting to take place on 21 May.[36]

Burnham had previously attempted to secure a parliamentary seat by applying to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election in January 2026, but he was blocked by the Labour Party's National Executive Committee in an 8–1 vote, which former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has since called a mistake. The by-election was won by Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, whom Burnham previously defeated in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election.[37] Burnham's intended candidacy has received much press attention, as he is seen as a possible challenger for the position Labour Party leader against incumbent leader and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Prime Minister must be a member of parliament and by traditional convention an MP in the House of Commons.[32]

Burnham, who served as MP for the adjacent seat of Leigh from 2001 to 2017, has emerged as a frontrunner to succeed Starmer as Labour leader. Under Labour party rules, a candidate for leader must be an MP. Polling has consistently shown Burnham as the most popular senior Labour figure among both party members and the general public, with one poll showing 62% of Labour members would back him against Starmer in a hypothetical head-to-head contest.[38]

Burnham is a long-time supporter of proportional representation; in an article for Sky News, reporter Faye Brown speculated that the Greens could make electoral reform a key part of the by-election.[39] On 16 May, Burnham rejected the idea of introducing proportional representation in the current parliament, saying that he would require electoral reform "to be in a manifesto and endorsed at a general election".[40]

On 15 May, it was announced that the Labour Party's National Executive Committee had granted permission for Andy Burnham to stand in the party's candidate selection process for the forthcoming Makerfield by-election, following the agreement of sitting Labour MP Josh Simons to step down. Burnham subsequently confirmed he was seeking a return to Westminster. The by-election was expected to be closely contested against Reform UK, with former Health Secretary Wes Streeting describing Burnham as one of Labour's "best players" and "best chance of winning" the seat.[41]

Official Monster Raving Loony Party

On 14 May, Howling Laud Hope declared his intention to stand in the by-election as the Monster Raving Loony candidate.[42]

Restore Britain

Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe has stated that the party will be running a candidate in the by-election, the first time the party will stand a candidate for Westminster.[43]

Reform UK

On 16 May, The Mill reported that Robert Kenyon, who was recently elected to sit as a councillor on Wigan Council is rumoured to be the candidate for Reform UK; he ran as a Reform UK candidate in Makerfield in 2024 general election, finishing second to Labour.[44][45]

Previous result

This section is transcluded from Makerfield (constituency). (edit | history)
General election 2024: Makerfield[25][46]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Josh Simons 18,202 45.2 −0.1
Reform Robert Kenyon 12,803 31.8 +18.7
Conservative Simon Finkelstein 4,379 10.9 −23.4
Liberal Democrats John Skipworth 2,735 6.8 +2.0
Green Maria Deery 1,776 4.4 +1.8
English Democrat Thomas Bryer 368 0.9 N/A
Majority 5,399 13.4 +2.4
Turnout 40,263 52.5 −6.2
Registered electors 76,641
Labour hold Swing −9.4

See also

  • 1963 Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election – by-election contested and won by sitting Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home
  • 2026 Aberdeen South by-election and 2026 Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election – forthcoming by-elections triggered by the incumbent MPs being ineligible to sit in both the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament due to the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 2025, after their recent elections to the Scottish Parliament.
  • List of United Kingdom by-elections (2010–present)

Notes

  1. ^ Technically, Sorensen did not resign, but was persuaded to accept a Life Peerage, which rendered him ineligible to continue as an MP, causing the by-election.[2]

References

  1. ^ "What does Makerfield make of by-election and can Burnham win?". BBC News. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  2. ^ "Patrick Gordon Walker's 1965 defeat is a cautionary tale for Andy Burnham". politics.co.uk. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  3. ^ Green, Daniel (14 May 2026). "Which Labour MPs are calling for Starmer to go - and who is still backing PM?". LabourList.
  4. ^ "Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns over Labour Together 'distraction'". ITV News Granada. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  5. ^ Green, Daniel (1 March 2026). "Josh Simons resigns as Cabinet Office minister amid investigation". LabourList. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  6. ^ Dyer, Henry (28 February 2026). "Labour minister Josh Simons resigns after falsely linking journalists to 'pro-Kremlin' network". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  7. ^ https://electionmaps.uk/support-for-starmer
  8. ^ Clarke, Gaynor (11 May 2026). "Makerfield MP Josh Simons calls for 'orderly transition to a new prime minister'". Wigan Today. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  9. ^ Green, Daniel (14 May 2026). "Josh Simons to stand down as MP to allow Burnham return to Parliament". LabourList. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  10. ^ Langford, Eleanor (14 May 2026). "The five stages of a Labour leadership challenge - and why it favours Keir Starmer". The i Paper. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  11. ^ Quinn, Ben; Walker, Peter (15 May 2026). "Labour's NEC approves Burnham's byelection pathway back to parliament". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  12. ^ Ramzan, Iram (15 May 2026). "Makerfield MP makes frank admission about Burnham's bid for return to Parliament". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  13. ^ Coyle, Simon (8 May 2026). "How many council seats Reform won in Greater Manchester in local elections 2026". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  14. ^ Graham, Charles (15 May 2026). "Political debate is already heating up after Josh Simons vacated the Makerfield seat to give Andy Burnham a tilt at No 10". Wigan Today. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  15. ^ Toth, Albert (15 May 2026). "Can Andy Burnham actually beat Reform to take on Starmer? Here's what the data shows". The Independent. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  16. ^ Walker, Peter (15 May 2026). "Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection, in blow to Burnham". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  17. ^ O'Connell, Paddy; Richards, Steve (14 May 2026). "Streeting, Burnham and Starmer". Newsnight. London: BBC. Event occurs at 22:30. 14:10. Retrieved 16 May 2026. Most by-elections aren't as significant as they seem, this one is the most significant in post-war British history - to be the historian for a second - because if he [Burnham] were to win Nick has just outlined the challenges. It would be a personal triumph. He will return to the [House of] Commons having defeated Reform, when many think that this is quite a propitious seat for Reform and during that by-election he will lay out his plans for this potent word in politics 'change', he'll have to. So I assume if he wins he'll be Prime Minister. If he looses it's over for him. Everyone in this slightly out-of-control sequence is playing for the highest possible stakes.
  18. ^ Frei, Matt (16 May 2026). "Frei's introduction to the programme". Channel 4 News. ITN. Retrieved 16 May 2026. He [Andy Burnham] wasted no time in going on manoeuvres, pressing the flesh in Makerfield where arguably the most important by-election in living memory will take place, probably on June 18th. A desperate hustle for a general election perhaps even if that is another three years away. If Burnham can defeat Reform in a place where they won heavily last week Labour may even anoint him with a coronation. If not then the party faces an open contest.
  19. ^ "Seat Details - Makerfield". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  20. ^ Gregory, James; Jahangir, Rumeana (15 May 2026). "What does Makerfield make of by-election and can Burnham win?". BBC News. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  21. ^ a b Gallagher, Paul; Finighan, Bethan (14 May 2026). "Could Andy Burnham actually lose the Makerfield by-election?". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  22. ^ Corfe, Ollie (14 May 2026). "The data that suggests Burnham may have made biggest mistake of his life". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  23. ^ Jackson, Nick (23 May 2024). "Labour MP with one of 'safest seats' to stand down at general election". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  24. ^ Barker, Will; published, The Week UK (15 May 2026). "Will Andy Burnham win the Makerfield by-election?". The Week. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  25. ^ a b "Makerfield - General Election 2024 results". BBC News. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  26. ^ Gutteridge, Nick; Snepvangers, Pieter (17 May 2026). "Tories should stand aside for Reform in Makerfield, says Rees-Mogg". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
  27. ^ Walker, Peter (15 May 2026). "Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection in blow to Burnham". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  28. ^ Ofori, Morgan; Saleem, Zesha; Ali, Taz (15 May 2026). "Labour's NEC opens door for Burnham to return to Westminster via Makerfield byelection – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  29. ^ "Green grandee Caroline Lucas calls on party to help Andy Burnham into No 10". The National. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  30. ^ "Burnham's path to challenge Starmer opens as MP to quit". Bloomberg UK. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  31. ^ Mason, Chris; Zeffman, Henry; Pike, Joe; Watson, Iain (14 May 2026). "Starmer under pressure as Burnham to attempt return to Parliament as MP". BBC News. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  32. ^ a b Crerar, Pippa; Stacey, Kiran; Elgot, Jessica (14 May 2026). "Andy Burnham has path to challenge PM but must win byelection first". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  33. ^ "Powell promises there will be 'absolutely no attempt' to block Burnham MP bid". Yahoo News. 15 May 2026.
  34. ^ a b "Andy Burnham can stand in Makerfield by-election, Labour ruling body says". ITV News. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  35. ^ Spivey, Matt; Bosotti, Rorey (15 May 2026). "Andy Burnham allowed to run for selection in Makerfield by-election, Labour's ruling body says - live updates". BBC News. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  36. ^ Whannel, Kate (15 May 2026). "Burnham cleared to run for selection in pivotal by-election". BBC News. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  37. ^ "Andy Burnham's path to Downing Street: How could the Manchester Mayor become Prime Minister?". ITV News Granada. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  38. ^ Vaughan, Adam (12 May 2026). "Andy Burnham's big challenge: the route to succeeding Starmer is littered with obstacles". The Conversation. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  39. ^ Brown, Faye (14 May 2026). "How Greens could pressure Burnham on electoral reform - as they warn he won't 'walk seat'". Sky News.
  40. ^ Moore, Willem (17 May 2026). "Burnham WON'T back proportional representation this parliament". Canary. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  41. ^ Cooke, Millie; Maddox, David; Whittaker, Rebecca (16 May 2026). "Politics latest: Burnham handed two major boosts in bid to return as MP and challenge Starmer". The Independent. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  42. ^ "Forthcoming by election in Makerfield". loonyparty.com. The Official Monster Raving Loony Party. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  43. ^ "Rupert Lowe confirms Restore Britain will field candidate in Makerfield by-election to take on Andy Burnham and Reform UK". www.gbnews.com. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  44. ^ Gottlieb, Ophira (16 May 2026). "He runs!". The Mill. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  45. ^ "UK General Election – Results". Wigan Council. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  46. ^ "UK General Election Results". Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.