Keir Starmer dwell: Minister shoots down PM hypothesis forward of Burnham showdown

Key Starmer ally and Work and Pensions secretary Pat McFadden has said he will campaign for a Labour victory in the Makerfield by-election – but warned that there was a “political risk” in the Greater Manchester Mayor triggering two “unneccessary” elections.

If Burnham is chosen to stand, it will mean Labour will have to win both the constituency and a new mayoral election.

He told LBC last night: “Whoever is the candidate, whether it’s Andy or another person, I’m a Labour man. I’ve been a Labour man all my life. I will be there campaigning for a Labour victory in that seat. Wherever there’s an election—council election, by-election—I want Labour to win. That will be the case here, too.”

“We’ve had good conversations about that. The only thing I would say is that doing it in this route through an unnecessary by-election is always a risky prospect. History shows us that, and we mustn’t be complacent about the voters here because, in the end, the people who will decide who the next MP for Makerfield is will be the voters in that constituency.”