Pressure mounts on Andy Burnham to reveal whether he will seek Westminster return amid rumours announcement imminent

Labour MPs are convening in the north west as pressure mounts on Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to decide on running for the Gorton and Denton by-election after Andrew Gwynne’s resignation. Burnham must declare his intentions by 5pm today, with speculation that he may aim for a Labour leadership bid, which could impact his mayoralty. Support is growing among MPs for Burnham to stand, with Angela Rayner expected to voice her backing at today’s conference, urging against any blocks from party leadership. Concerns are raised about a potential Reform UK takeover if Burnham vacates his mayoral seat. Some MPs, including Connor Naismith, stress the need for local decision-making in candidate selection, highlighting the risks of party officials overriding local members. Mr Gwynne stepped down citing health issues, which complicates the by-election landscape as Labour’s national support has declined. Deputy leader Lucy Powell noted that the decision should ultimately rest with Burnham and local party members.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News