LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) – British Labor lawmaker Josh Simons said on Thursday he would resign from his seat in parliament, a move aimed at giving Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham a chance to return to parliament and challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“Today, I put the people I represent and the country I love first and will resign as Member of Parliament for Makefield,” Simmons wrote on the
“I stand aside so that Andy Burnham can return home and fight to re-enter Parliament and, if elected, drive the change our country desperately needs.”
Earlier on Thursday, Labour’s Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and called for a leadership contest to oust Starmer.
Simmons was unable to transfer his seat to Burnham. Instead, a special election would have to be held to replace him, with other parties able to compete.
Simons won the Greater Manchester seat of Makerfield at the 2024 general election with a majority of 5,399 votes, defeating Nigel Farage’s Reform Party candidate.
Support for the Reform Party has risen sharply since that vote, while support for Labour has fallen, meaning the race for the seat is likely to be tight.
(Reporting by Sam Tabaridi; writing by William James)
