Burnham 'in the dark' over reports an MP's seat may become vacant

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said he is "in the dark" about reports that former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne is on the brink of standing down as an MP.

Gwynne's resignation could potentially pave a way for Burnham to return to the House of Commons and make a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer.

Burnham did not rule out standing in the seat but said he had not had any contact with Gwynne on the subject and that people "shouldn't rush to conclusions".

He added that he was "very focused on my role as mayor of Greater Manchester".

Gwynne was elected as a Labour MP but was suspended from the party in 2025 after a reports he had sent offensive WhatsApp messages. He has been contacted for a comment.

His departure from the House of Commons would trigger a by-election in his Greater Manchester constituency of Gorton and Denton, which Labour won at the last election with a majority of 13,000.

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