politics
January 22, 2026
Andrew Gwynne resigns, opening possible route to Commons for Andy Burnham
Gorton and Denton MP’s departure will trigger byelection in which Greater Manchester mayor could seek to stand
TL;DR
- Andrew Gwynne is resigning as an MP for Gorton and Denton due to ill health.
- His resignation triggers a by-election, creating an opportunity for Andy Burnham to return to Parliament.
- Burnham is reportedly considering a return to challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
- Gwynne's departure follows a parliamentary standards investigation into vulgar comments made in a WhatsApp group.
- Burnham's path back to Parliament is not guaranteed, as the candidate selection process is controlled by the Labour NEC, which is seen as largely loyal to Starmer.
- Some party members and union leaders express concern over potentially blocking Burnham's selection, citing democratic principles.
- Others worry about the cost and disruption of a mayoral by-election and the potential for Reform UK to win.
- Bev Craig, leader of Manchester city council, is mentioned as a potential candidate favored by Downing Street.
- Gwynne had a majority of 13,400 in his constituency.
Continue reading the original article