Andy Burnham officially launches Labour's campaign in Makerfield as by-election contest heats up
Andy Burnham is launching Labour's campaign in Makerfield as the Manchester by-election contest heats up.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester was confirmed as the party's candidate last week after Labour's ruling body gave him the thumbs up to run.
"British politics is tired. It needs a new script. The people of Makerfield are going to write that script," he told cheering supporters.
The group of senior Labour officials, including Sir Keir Starmer, drew surmountable criticism after refusing to allow Mr Burnham to run in the Gorton & Denton by-election in February.
Delivering a speech in the constituency, Mr Burnham declared working-class communities across Makerfield have been neglected by national politics.
The Labour Mayor added that many feel as if Westminster is not working and his Westminster comeback would help them get their voices heard "loud and clear".
He also outlined his approach to bread-and-butter topics, from cutting daily costs and bills to locking down the funds that local communities demand.
Senior ministers and MPs have already started to vie for the leadership hopeful's favour as Mr Burnham is widely touted as having ambitions to boot Sir Keir from No10 upon his arrival in Westminster, all of which hinges on the results of the Makerfield mid-term contest.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and deputy leader Lucy Powell have taken the lead by zooming up to Makerfield to support his campaign earlier in the week.
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Rosie Duffield backs Andy Burnham in bid to boot out Keir Starmer from Downing Street
Independent MP Rosie Duffield, who resigned the Labour whip in 2024, has backed Andy Burnham in his bid to boot out Sir Keir Starmer from No10.
She told GB News's Political Editor Christopher Hope: "Keir Starmer is not going to be around for long, let's be honest, and I think whoever comes in next is going to really have a look at a shift in culture.
"Absolutely from the top [of the party], because it's all very well having token women in sort of nice shiny roles on television.
"The people who make the decisions and the policies manage and run the party, I can't speak for other parties, but have traditionally in Labour and unions they have always been men."
Ministers urged to investigate arts boss who compared Reform's election success to 1930s Germany
Labour ministers have been urged to investigate the Southbank Centre's chairman, who compared Reform's local election success to Germany in the 1930s.
In an Instagram video posted in response to recent local election results, Misan Harriman described Reform UK's growing electoral success as "a warning" whilst referencing historical discussions about the Third Reich's ascent to power.
The controversial pro-Palestine arts chief's comments have prompted 64 MPs to write to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy.
Included in the signatories are two former culture secretaries, John Whittingdale and Sir Oliver Dowden, who signed off on Harriman’s appointment in 2021.
Keir Starmer slammed for 'secretive approach' as Labour accosts EU 'reset' talks
Sir Keir Starmer has been slammed for his "secretive" approach to EU "reset" talks.
The Foreign Affairs Committee has taken aim at Whitehall over being "woefully inadequate" and failing to "engage meaningfully with its substance".
Chair Dame Emily Thornberry added the response was "frequently evasive and waffly".
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Rachel Reeves: 'I'll still be the Chancellor of the Exchequer in autumn'
Rachel Reeves has declared that she will still be the Chancellor of the Exchequer in autumn despite facing a gruelling two years in No11.
She claimed she has "got the economy gorwing, beating the forecasts".
"We were the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in the first quarter of this year, defying the forecasts. Inflation: just yesterday the numbers came out that inflation is down… and we’re tackling the cost of living," Ms Reeves told Sky News.
"We've done that with £150 off energy bills, we’ve done that by freezing rail fares and prescription changes, and I’ve done it again today with this package of measures to help businesses, to help motorists, to help with the supermarket shop."
Andy Burnham gears up for official campaign launch in Makerfield as Mayor rallies for Westminster comeback
Andy Burnham is gearing up to launch his official campaign this morning as Labour's candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election.
The "King of the North" is widely touted as Sir Keir's potential successor, despite the Prime Minister insisting he has no plans to step aside.
Sir Keir previously vowed he would fight for Mr Burnham in the by-election on June 18.
Angela Rayner denies involvement after five arrested over electoral fraud claims in her constituency
Angela Rayner has strongly denied involvement after five people were arrested as part of an investigation into alleged offences committed in the lead up to the local elections.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed earlier today four men and a woman, aged between 23 and 47, were arrested this morning on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud in the former deputy Prime Minister's Ashton-under-Lyne constituency.
The force said it had received reports of concerns about candidates in the St Peter’s ward of Tameside council in the days before and after the election on May 7.
Online newspaper The Mill reported the arrests followed its investigation into claims that fake independent candidates were put forward in a bid to split the vote, with one discussion about the scheme allegedly taking place in Ms Rayner's kitchen.
UK borrowing costs surge to higher-than-expected £24.3billion as Rachel Reeves faces 'financial strain'
UK borrowing costs surged to a higher-than-expected £24.3billion last month, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This represents the second-highest April level on record for borrowing, as economists warn Chancellor Rachel Reeves has an uphill battle in improving the economy.
Based on today's ONS figures, borrowing for April 2025 was a quarter higher, or £4.9 billion, than the year before.
Notably, last month's figures were £3.4billion more than the £20.£ billion projected by the the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
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