Andy Burnham launches Makerfield byelection campaign with call for 'new script' in British politics

Andy Burnham has welcomed supporters at his campaign launch, telling them “this means the world to me”.

“Hope is in the air, can you feel it?” he said. “This is not business as usual. This is not more of the same … British politics is tired. It needs a new script. And over the next four weeks, the people of Makerfield are going to write that script.”

Here is a recap of today’s developments:

Andy Burnham official launched his campaign as the Labour candidate in the Makerfield byelection. He told supporters: “British politics is tired. It needs a new script.”

“A vote for me in this byelection campaign is a vote to change Labour,” the Greater Manchester mayor said.

Burnham backed the EHRC’s guidance on single-sex spaces, saying the UK needed to “get back to a more ‘live and let live’ approach to life”.

He said the government was “moving in the right direction” on immigration, and that he broadly supported the home secretary’s planned changes to the immigration system.

The Green party’s candidate for the byelection has withdrawn from the ballot within hours of being announced. Chris Kennedy was announced to be running in the seat for the Greens on Thursday morning, but nine hours later the party said he had dropped out, citing “personal and family reasons”.

The Times, however, reported it had approached Kennedy about a series of social media posts he had shared about an attack on Jewish ambulances in north London in April. A Green party spokesperson said Kennedy apologised for the offence caused and has deleted the posts, according to the BBC.

The Liberal Democrats announced Jake Austin will stand in the byelection for the party. The Stockport councillor contested the Greater Manchester mayoral election against Burnham in 2024, coming sixth.

The defence secretary, John Healey, has urged Nigel Farage to provide transparency about the £5m gift he received from a billionaire businessman, in particular over whether any of the sum could have been linked to Russia-connected profits. In a letter to the Reform UK leader, he asked Farage to confirm that none of the sum was “derived from transactions with Russian state-linked energy companies”.

The UK borrowed more than expected in April as high inflation drove up the cost of pensions and benefits, amid concern over the Iran war and political uncertainty adding to debt costs. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – was £24.3bn in April 2026, £4.9bn higher than in April 2025.

There has been a row over Reform’s conduct in the battle for Makerfield, with the founder of a Wigan charity for adults with additional needs asking Nigel Farage to apologise after his entourage entered the premises unannounced in a manner the staff and the people they support found “intimidating and overwhelming”.

Gemma Crompton, director of The Hamlet, wrote in a letter to the Reform UK leader: “We are therefore requesting a formal apology regarding the way today’s visit was handled, alongside assurances that no other organisation supporting vulnerable people within the borough will experience a similar situation in future.”

She also claimed Farage’s entourage filmed and took photographs without permission.

Burnham was present at the time, for a celebration of the people supported by the charity achieving their gold Duke of Edinburgh awards.

The Manchester mayor had been accused of a “spiky” response to a Daily Mail journalist who was part of the entourage.

The Mail piece claimed that Burnham “fumed” when approached in the cafe, saying: “You don’t go into a place like that unannounced. You’re out of order there.”

Burnham has supported The Hamlet throughout his time as mayor and there is a photograph of him on the front page of the charity’s website.

However, Crompton said: “At no point was today intended to be a political event or a platform for campaigning.”

She added: “We do not want to be drawn into political campaigning or political division of any kind.”

Gavin Williamson has shared some sad news – his beloved pet tarantula, Cronus, has died.

The Conservative MP posted a video on his social media channels showing a series of photos of him and Cronus together set to the song Angels by Robbie Williams. The former defence secretary wrote: “Having been a trusty companion in my constituency and Westminster office for over a decade, I am sad to announce Cronus’ passing.”

Burnham said the government was “moving in the right direction” on immigration, after figures this week showed net migration to the UK fell by nearly 50%.

Commenting on plans for retrospective changes for those being granted indefinite leave to remain, he said: “I know there have been concerns raised by members of parliament on that issue. So, I have indicated broad support for what the home secretary is trying to do, but I do think on that issue care needs to be taken.”

Burnham said he thought the NHS was “almost being overwhelmed” by a “broken” care system.

The Greater Manchester mayor, whose father has Alzheimer’s, said he believed there should be a different way of paying for care.

He said: “It’s a reverse of the NHS principle, social care, that the most unfortunate can just like lose everything, and it’s an awful thing.”

He added: “I know there’s a great resentment about inheritance tax, so actually just, you know, take that away, perhaps, and look at a care levy.

It’s not about asking people to pay more, it’s just people paying in the most unfair way possible at this moment in time and I think there’s a much better way of doing it, and people just have peace of mind while they’re alive, because they get the care that they need, and then it will be dealt with in a much better way.

Our hospitals are full of people who are medically fit to be at home or in a care home, but can’t be discharged.

The cost of that to the NHS, in my view, is getting bigger than the cost of fixing social care.

Actually, the NHS is almost being overwhelmed by a broken care system.”

Burnham said the Labour manifesto presented in 2024 could be “more radical”.

He said he wanted to see more council houses being built and that Labour should “be more radical on rail re-nationalisation”.

He said: “I’m personally keen to see reform of council tax. It’s a highly regressive tax, and I think it’s not justifiable based on those 1991 valuations. I see a big case for land and property and business taxation to be changed.”

Asked about new guidance on single sex spaces, Andy Burnham said: “I think the time has come to take the Supreme Court ruling and the guidance and implement it, but to do it in a way that protects those spaces but does not marginalise already marginalised communities, that’s my view.

My mum and dad brought me up to live and let live. I think Britain needs to get back to a more ‘live and let live’ approach to life, not where we’re constantly arguing with each other, being judgmental about each other.

Lets implement the guidance, but to do it in the fairest and most compassionate way possible.”

Speaking to the media at his campaign launch, Andy Burnham said he would want to commit to changing the electoral system in the next Labour manifesto.

He said: “I support electoral reform. Now, I know there’s different ways you can do it, but I believe any move in that direction is going to be good and I would want a commitment in the next Labour manifesto to introduce a proportional system.”

He ruled out changing the system before the next election, saying: “I think you’ve got to honour manifestos.”

A Green MP has announced she is to take a leave of absence after suffering “burnout”.

Carla Denyer, the party’s former co-leader, said she would be off work for several weeks in order to try to recover following advice her doctor.

The MP for Bristol Central said she had been struggling with “persistent health issues” over the last few years and that she hoped to “combat the stigma” surrounding burnout by being open about her experience.

In a statement on Friday, Denyer wrote: “Over the last few years, I have been struggling with persistent health issues, and I have been trying to manage these alongside the long hours and significant responsibility my work entails.

It has become clear that this is not an effective strategy and that doing so is inhibiting my ability to recover. Having taken advice from my doctor, I will be taking several weeks off in order to try to get back to full health.

I want to be open about the fact that what I am suffering from is burnout – and the mental and physical symptoms that arise from it.

Burnout is a condition that does not tend to get better on its own. If left unmanaged, it can worsen and increase your risk of long-term health problems.”