Andy Burnham pitched the by-election as a chance to get rid of Keir Starmer today.

The Greater Manchester Mayor said the vote is an opportunity to ‘change Labour’ as as his high-stakes battle for the Makerfield constituency ramps up.

In an apparent attempt at showing unity, Labour chief whip Jonathan Reynolds was at the launch this morning – the only Cabinet minister present. MPs Kim Johnson, Barry Gardiner, Ian Byrne and Rebecca Long-Bailey were also there, along with Liverpool metro mayor Steve Rotheram.

But bathed in sunshine and flanked by activists waving placards, Mr Burnham took a clear shot at the PM. 

‘I know my own party needs to change. We need to be better than we have been,’ he said.

‘A vote for me in this by-election is a vote to change Labour.’

The barb drew an immediate backlash from loyalists, with minister Mike Tapp responding on X: ‘We need stability to deliver more – faster – not change. Country first.’ 

Polls have consistently shown that Reform is poised to take the Makerfield seat. 

However, Mr Burnham is hoping that his local ‘star power’ can overcome the wider trend, after one of his allies dramatically quit to hand him a route back to the Commons.

Scrutiny is heating up over Mr Burnham’s policy positions – which he vaguely terms ‘Manchesterism’. 

That could soon be Labour’s platform if he can triumph on June 18 and take the keys to No10 from Sir Keir. 

Gilled by the media after his stump speech today, Mr Burnham:

• Committed to standing by Labour’s 2024 manifesto, including ruling out rises in income tax, national insurance and VAT, despite previously saying he wanted to increase the top rate of tax;
• Said he would keep Rachel Reeves’ fiscal rules, and played down his previous comments dismissing the bond markets – which spooked investors;
• Insisted electoral reform should be in Labour’s next manifesto but declined to say what system he would favour. 

Andy Burnham pitched the by-election as a chance to get rid of Keir Starmer today 

Keir Starmer said yesterday he would be campaigning in Makerfield

The barb drew an immediate backlash from loyalists, with minister Mike Tapp responding on X: ‘We need stability to deliver more – faster – not change. Country first.’

The former minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown has been pitching to Labour’s Left. 

But he has already backed off his pledge to rejoin the EU – a view popular among MPs but regarded as deeply unhelpful in an area that heavily endorsed Brexit.

He is also believed to have told Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood he supports her tough immigration crackdown. He told the Manchester Evening News today that a ‘stronger grip’ is needed on the UK’s borders. 

Critics have accused him of watering down his commitment to a proportional representation – PR – voting system. 

Instead Mr Burnham has suggested he would like MPs to be elected using the supplementary vote method, and kicked the issue down the road by admitting it would need to be in a manifesto first.

Other policies floated by the mayor in the past include increasing the top rate of tax to 50p, while he has praised Gordon Brown’s disastrous 10p tax rate. 

But that was effectively ruled out during this Parliament by his comments today. 

‘I am committed to the manifesto commitments on tax. I think that’s really important from the trust, from the trust point of view,’ Mr Burnham said. 

He has also suggested that ‘wealth’ would be shifted from the South to the North of England.

Pressed on whether he would want to bring in radical policies, Mr Burnham suggested his focus is on working within the existing framework.

‘I think we’ve obviously got to look at the manifesto that Labor presented in 2024. I think there’s space to be more radical within that manifesto,’ he said. 

Mr Burnham’s stance on gender issues has been under the microscope after the Daily Mail revealed footage of him dismissing a ‘minority’ who have concerns. 

He tried to gloss over the questions today, suggesting it had been resolved by new Government guidance. 

‘I just think we’ve got to, we’ve got to move into the next phase now, not constantly rerunning arguments. 

‘I think Britain has done this too much in recent times, over Brexit and other things. 

‘We’ve got to stop arguing with each other, I’ve got to start like finding some common ground and stop pulling together a country, pulling together.’ 

In his speech earlier, Mr Burnham said: ‘This is not more of the same.

‘This is a change by-election. Politics in this country, 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 and it’s great that they’re going to get that chance.’

In his MEN interview this morning, Mr Burnham insisted he did not want mass nationalisations.

‘I’ve talked about public control rather than nationalisation,’ he said.

‘I’m not saying nationalisation is wrong, it can be right in many contexts, rail being a really good example. But when it comes to things like energy, I think it’s better to think of a more localised, regionalised approach to it.

‘In London I think there’s a case for public ownership of Thames Water. But it will vary and you’ve got to make it affordable. So it’s not about just nationalising everything at a stroke.’

The lack of definition of the mayor’s approach has come to the fore as the Makerfield by-election ramps up.

Josh Simons, the Labour MP who stood down to make way for Mr Burnham, won in 2024 by just 5,399 votes while Reform comfortably won every ward in the constituency at this month’s local elections.

Sir Keir said yesterday he would be campaigning in Makerfield.

He said: ‘Yes, and I’ve said to the whole Labour movement that I want everybody to be involved in the campaign, whatever other discussions are going on, it’s really important – that’s a straight fight between Labour and Reform.’

However, it is not clear that will be good news for Mr Burnham, given the PM’s dire popularity ratings. 

In an apparent show of unity, Labour chief whip Jonathan Reynolds (left) attended Mr Burnham’s launch today

Wes Streeting upped his appeal to Labour’s Left yesterday by demanding a ‘wealth tax’ targeting income from shares and investments

A spokesman for the mayor said: ‘Anyone who wants to embrace Andy’s campaign message is welcome on the campaign.’

Mr Burnham will take on Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who contested the seat for the party in 2024.

The Green Party meanwhile has reopened nominations for its candidate after Chris Kennedy dropped out some nine hours after being announced to be running for the party.