Andy Burnham is standing for election in Makerfield on 18 June 2026. He's hoping to become an MP after spending years as Mayor of Greater Manchester.

The seat became vacant when Josh Simons stepped down on 18 May 2026. Simons was elected in July 2024 with 5,399 more votes than his nearest rival, winning 52.5% of people who voted. Before him, Yvonne Fovargue held the seat for Labour from 2010 to 2024.

This version of Makerfield was created in 2023 when the boundaries of constituencies were redrawn. The old seat was dissolved, and the new one covers broadly the same area in Wigan.

The Candidates

Burnham is Labour's candidate. He is giving up his job as Greater Manchester Mayor — a directly elected position covering ten council areas — to run for the seat. BBC News reported his decision on 11 June 2026.

The other candidates are Robert Kenyon (Reform UK), Jake Austin (Liberal Democrats), and Michael Winstanley (Conservatives). BBC News confirmed this on 8 June 2026.

Why This Matters

Labour won with 5,399 votes last time, but by-elections are different from general elections. Fewer people usually vote in a by-election — when only one seat is being decided, rather than the whole Parliament — and that can change the result. Since July 2024, Reform UK has become much stronger nationally, which could affect things here.

About 40,000 people voted last time. If fewer Labour voters turn out now, and more Reform voters do, Labour's lead could shrink quickly.

Burnham has one big advantage: he won the Greater Manchester mayoral election by a large margin and is well-known in the region. But being a mayor is different from being an MP. Mayors handle big-picture strategy; MPs deal with local problems and complaints from constituents. His opponents will argue this is a problem.

The Conservatives often come third or fourth in seats like this, so they risk being pushed out entirely. The Liberal Democrats have rarely done well here in recent years.

For Reform UK, this by-election is a test: can the voters who backed them in 2024 be convinced to stick with them now? That's the question Robert Kenyon's campaign will try to answer.

Labour putting Burnham on the ballot sends a message: they see this as an important seat, not a safe bet. On 18 June, we'll find out if voters agree.