Andy Burnham speaks during an interview during a campaign visit to the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield before the forthcoming Makerfield by-election, in Greater Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 9, 2026.Andy Burnham will turn down any job he is offered by Keir Starmer if he wins the Makerfield by-election.
The prime minister hinted on Wednesday that he is prepared to give the Greater Manchester mayor a key post in his cabinet if he becomes an MP again after a nine-year absence from Westminster.
He said: “Oh, Andy is a great asset. And, yes, I want him to have a big role in government.”
But a source on Burnham’s campaign team insisted he will not accept a job from Starmer.
The source told the Manchester Evening News: “The benefit Andy has is the wind of change for not having been associated with the government’s failings.”
Burnham has already confirmed that he will join any leadership contest, which former health secretary Wes Streeting has said he was prepared to trigger as early as next week.
The Burnham campaign source said Starmer’s job offer was an attempt to put “further challenges up” to his leadership bid.
Burnham appears on course to defeat Reform UK’sRobert Kenyon to win in Makerfield.
The PM has said that rather than be consumed by a leadership contest, Labour should instead focus on campaigning to win the resulting mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester.
But Burnham supporters say the party’s best chance of winning is if Starmer has been replaced as PM before voters go to the polls.
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