Andy Burnham will be among the potential British Labour candidates to stand in the Makerfield by-election in Manchester, the party’s ruling body has said.
The Greater Manchester Mayor declared he would seek permission from British Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to contest the by-election after the current MP, Josh Simons, announced on Thursday he would quit Parliament to make way for Burnham.
If successful, Burnham is widely expected to challenge Keir Starmer for the party leadership.
A British Labour Party spokesperson said: “Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency.”