Andy Burnham has claimed he is focused on winning a seat in Parliament, rather than ousting Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
But the Mayor of Greater Manchester also said he was prepared to “fight to the highest level” if he is successful in contesting and then winning the Makerfield by-election, which could allow him a path back to Westminster and to challenge Sir Keir’s authority.
Mr Burnham also said a “big change moment is needed” following a bruising set of elections for Labour in England, Scotland, and Wales.
The Greater Manchester Mayor’s path back to Parliament is far from straightforward, as Reform has promised to throw all of its resources into the campaign for the Makerfield by-election, where sitting Labour MP Josh Simons resigned to give Mr Burnham a chance to return to Westminster.
Speaking to Channel 4 News on Saturday, Mr Burnham was asked if he had made a deliberate tilt at the Reform-facing constituency to show he can beat Nigel Farage’s party.
He replied: “I was very deliberate in speaking to Josh (Simons) and both of us have got the same diagnosis.
“I was the MP for Leigh years ago, Josh the MP for Makerfield. We have both felt the frustration of facing a Westminster system that just does not have answers for these streets, these communities.
“And you know, we both feel a big change moment is needed. And I wouldn’t have just gone anywhere like a carpet bagger, you know, any old constituency.
“It matters to me that I have a connection. I live literally on the edge of this constituency.”
Asked by the broadcaster how soon he would declare a leadership bid if he were to win the seat, Mr Burnham told Channel 4: “It’s just not the issue. The issue is winning. Winning a by-election with what I’m saying, you know, it’s not about, you know, necessarily the next thing.
“I hope people will say I’ve made a whole career fighting for people in this part of the world.
“I fought for compensation for the miners when I was an MP for Leigh.
“I fought for justice for the Hillsborough families.
“I fought Boris Johnson in the pandemic when he was treating people here in Makerfield as second class citizens. That’s what I’ve done.”
Hinting that he was however prepared to succeed the Prime Minister, Mr Burnham added: “I’ve taken that fight to another level as mayor and yes, I will carry on taking that fight to the highest level.
“And you know, that’s the way I’ve done my politics and done my journey. So it’s first and foremost, though, about this place.”
The Greater Manchester Mayor is among a group of senior Labour figures seen to be jostling to replace Sir Keir, which also includes Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary this week, and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.
Mr Streeting is due to make his first public appearance since resigning from Government at a central London conference being held by the think tank Progress on Saturday afternoon.
Appearing at the conference ahead of the former health secretary, housing minister Alison McGovern said Labour needs to have a “battle of ideas”, not of personalities as it debates its future.
In a further sign of division over whether Sir Keir should continue as Prime Minister, Ms McGovern later said that leadership in progressive ideas is “never provided by just one man, but by each and every one of us in this room”.
“That will carry us towards the next election with hope in our hearts,” she added.
Applications for the Labour candidacy in Makerfield close on Monday and the NEC will endorse a candidate on Thursday.
June 18 is thought to be the earliest date a by-election could take place.
If he is successfully elected, Mr Burnham is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership.
While Makerfield is typically a safe seat for Labour, the party expects a stiff challenge from Reform UK this time around.
Mr Simons secured a majority of just 5,399 over Mr Farage’s party at the 2024 general election.
Since then, Labour’s polling collapse and Reform’s surge have seen their positions reverse.
This month’s local elections saw Reform win every council ward in the Makerfield constituency, securing around half the vote, while Labour won only a little more than a quarter.
Candidate selection processes are already under way for Reform UK and the Greens.
