Voters in Makerfield will go to the polls on 18 June 2026. The Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is standing as the Labour candidate. The by-election was triggered after the sitting MP, Josh Simons, resigned from the Commons.

Makerfield covers parts of the Wigan borough in Greater Manchester. The by-election was confirmed for 18 June once Simons's vacancy opened up. Burnham's candidacy was confirmed on 17 June — the day before polling — though his interest in standing had been widely discussed for weeks.

Burnham is a familiar figure to people across this part of the North West. As Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017, he has had administrative influence in the borough and built a public profile beyond the usual mayoral role. He was previously an MP for Leigh — a neighbouring constituency — and served in the cabinets under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. His route back to Westminster through a by-election is unusual, but Labour has done it before.

Labour's position in Makerfield is strong. The seat has elected Labour MPs at every general election since it was created. Simons won it with a large majority in 2024. If elected, Burnham would enter Parliament with an established national reputation and a track record of delivery on local policy in Greater Manchester — advantages few by-election candidates possess.

What happens next is a different question. A return as a backbencher — an ordinary MP without a frontbench role — would be odd for someone of his standing. The more meaningful question is whether he seeks a role on the Labour frontbench or a government post, and how soon. That decision rests with the Labour parliamentary party and, ultimately, the Prime Minister, not with the voters in Wigan.

The by-election also raises a broader point about how England's regional government works. Burnham's decision to seek a Commons seat while serving as Mayor raises questions about how combined authorities — the devolved bodies that run regions like Greater Manchester — fit alongside Westminster representation. Neither the devolution settlement nor the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 fully addressed this. Whether he plans to hold both roles, or resign as Mayor if he wins, will matter for how this looks constitutionally.

Polls close at 22:00 BST. The count is expected overnight.