Andy Burnham has been cleared to stand in the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, paving the way for him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
Mr Burnham won approval of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to stand, having previously blocked him from running in February’s by-election in Gorton and Denton, on Friday. The decision came after Josh Simons announced he would quit parliament to make way for the Manchester mayor to run in his seat.