Labour MP stands aside as Andy Burnham eyes return to Parliament

[Twiglets1]

A scandal-hit Labour MP will give up his seat to make way for Andy Burnham, in the Manchester mayor’s first step to challenging Sir Keir Starmer for No 10.

Josh Simons, a former minister, said on Thursday that he was “standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for”.

It will trigger a by-election in the Greater Manchester constituency of Makerfield, which has been held by the Labour Party since it was created in 1983.

Mr Simons is a former minister who was forced to resign over his involvement in a smear campaign against journalists carried out while he ran the think tank Labour Together.

“It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference,” he said. “That must start with a change in leadership.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/05/14/keir-starmer-live-rayner-wes-streeting-leadership-contest/

You keep saying they are both the same, I am merely pointing out that the two parties handled the sitation differently.

As for tagging you in, it was just another story about Kenyon that has come to light.

I was just agreeing with @AInightingale that “Fair to say Reform attract horrible misogynists, extremists and whack jobs, as well as the Greens”.

Greens are to stand in Makerfield, against the wishes of many of their senior figures. The new candidate is Sarah Wakefield, who is a councillor from Manchester City and a charity director. Well, third time lucky, I suppose. They seem to have carefully chosen someone with a squeaky clean social media history. At the very most she'll probably get a couple of thousand votes but who knows.