Greater Manchester Mayor Cleared to Run in Makerfield By-Election

Greater Manchester Mayor has been cleared by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee to seek selection as the party's candidate in a by-election for the Makerfield constituency in north-west England. The committee had blocked a previous attempt by the mayor to stand in a by-election in January.

The by-election is likely to take place on 18 June after the seat became vacant on Thursday when the local MP announced his resignation to make way for the mayor. Applications to enter the process to become Labour's candidate close on Monday 18 May with a selection meeting scheduled for 21 May.

If selected and successful in the by-election the mayor would return to Parliament. Under Labour Party rules this would allow the mayor to join a leadership contest which requires the backing of 81 Labour MPs to formally challenge the prime minister.

The prime minister continues to resist calls to stand down and set a timetable for departure. Nearly 90 Labour MPs have urged the prime minister to go and five ministers have resigned. A leadership race cannot be triggered until a formal challenge is mounted.

The Makerfield constituency has traditionally been a safe Labour seat but has shown increasing support for Reform UK in recent elections. Reform UK's deputy leader said the party would be throwing everything possible to ensure a seismic win in the by-election.

The Green Party said it had learned from its campaigning and wins in Gorton and Denton and recent local elections and had shown it can beat Reform. A housing secretary and ally of the prime minister said it had been a very difficult week but that those involved needed to take a breath reflect over the weekend and focus next week on the country they were elected to serve.

The prime minister was in a police control centre in London on Friday but did not take questions from the media. The mayor said he wanted to bring the change brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people.

He added that he would not take a single vote for granted. A Labour MP told BBC Newsnight that the mayor had been trying to replace the prime minister for a long time and that some were sick of it. The MP urged the National Executive Committee to block the candidacy.