Andy Burnham has path to challenge PM but must win byelection first

Greater Manchester mayor would need to win Makerfield seat before launching campaign for Labour leadership

Andy Burnham now has a potential route back to parliament and a chance to become Labour’s next leader after an MP said he would trigger a byelection by standing down from his seat.

The move ended days of speculation about whether Burnham could secure a possible path back into Westminster, and underlined the increasingly precarious nature of Keir Starmer’s premiership.