### [2026-05-14](/feed/2026/05/14/index.md)

##### 2026 United Kingdom government crisis
# Josh Simons steps down as MP for Makerfield to trigger a by-election for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to run for a seat in parliament. Burnham is widely considered the favourite candidate to replace Starmer in the event of a Labour Party leadership election. 




### Sources:

1. [ITV News](https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2026-05-14/mp-stands-down-so-andy-burnham-can-fight-to-re-enter-parliament)

### Related:

1. [Burnham confirms he has requested the permission of the National Executive Committee to stand in the upcoming Makerfield by-election. ](/feed/2026/05/14/burnham-confirms-he-has-requested-the-permission-of-the-national-executive-committee-to-stand-in-the-upcoming-makerfield.md) _Context: 2026 United Kingdom government crisis_
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3. [British prime minister Keir Starmer tells his cabinet he has "no intention" of resigning after several ministers and more than 90 Labour Party MPs call on him to resign or set a timetable for a new party leader to be elected later this year. ](/feed/2026/05/12/british-prime-minister-keir-starmer-tells-his-cabinet-he-has-no-intention-of-resigning-after-several-ministers-and-mor.md) _Context: 2026 United Kingdom government crisis, Labour Party, MP_
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6. [Peter Mandelson resigns from Labour Party (UK) after the United States Department of Justice releases files showing that convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein made £55,000 ($75,000) in payments to Lord Mandelson in three separate transactions in 2003 and 2004. ](/feed/2026/02/1/peter-mandelson-resigns-from-labour-party-uk-after-the-united-states-department-of-justice-releases-files-showing-that.md) _Context: Labour Party_
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9. [A court in Dhaka, Bangladesh, along with the Anti-Corruption Commission, issues an arrest warrant for Tulip Siddiq, a United Kingdom MP who is the niece of ousted former leader Sheikh Hasina, for corruption allegations. Siddiq has rebuked the arrest warrant and called it a "smear campaign" against her. ](/feed/2025/04/14/a-court-in-dhaka-bangladesh-along-with-the-anti-corruption-commission-issues-an-arrest-warrant-for-tulip-siddiq-a-un.md) _Context: MP_
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