Labour Party lawmaker Josh Simons said on Thursday he will resign to trigger a by-election and pave way for Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s return to parliament, as he can only challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer if he becomes a lawmaker.
Simons, who was first elected as a lawmaker in July 2024 and took up his first ministerial position four months later, said he will stand down as lawmaker for Makerfield.
“I am 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,” he said in his letter published on US social media company X.
Burnham later confirmed he will try to run for parliament as only a member of parliament can launch a leadership challenge against prime ministers.
“I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC (Labour Party’s National Executive Committee) to stand in the Makerfield by-election,” Burnham said in his letter.
He would have to win the by-election first before being able to run for leader of the Labour Party.
Starmer has defied calls from lawmakers urging him to leave or set out a timetable to do so after Labour suffered heavy losses in recent local elections, while Nigel Farage’s Reform UK surged.
– How can a leadership challenge begin?
Under Labour Party rules, a leadership contest can begin either if the leader resigns or if 20% of Labour lawmakers nominate a challenger.
Since Labour currently has 403 lawmakers in parliament, a candidate would need the backing of 81 lawmakers to formally launch a challenge.
If a contest is triggered, additional candidates could also enter the race if they secure support from 81 lawmakers.
As the sitting prime minister and Labour leader, Starmer would automatically appear on the ballot if he chose to contest the leadership election. He would also remain prime minister during the contest.
