PRESS RELEASE: Burnham backed for next Labour leader following Andrew Gwynne departure

Andy Burnham has shortened with Star Sports to become the next leader of the Labour Party after today’s announcement that North West Labour MP for Gorton and Denton, Andrew Gwynne, would step down.

With a by-election set to be called, the news potentially clears the way for Burnham to return to parliament, and the Mayor of Greater Manchester has been backed into 11/2 joint-second favourite, from 13/2, to follow Keir Starmer as Labour leader.

Burnham now shares second place in the market with Angela Rayner, with only Wes Streeting a shorter price at 7/2.

Labour are 4/6 favourites to hold onto the North West seat, with Reform snapping at their heels at 6/4 and the Greens also in contention at 11/2.

William Kedjanyi, Political Betting Analyst at Star Sports, said: “The news that Andrew Gwynne is set to stand down and take medical retirement as the MP for Gorton and Denton has set Westminster alight, because this is now Andy Burnham’s best, and possibly only, opportunity to return to Westminster before a potential leadership challenge to Keir Starmer.

“Following the news, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester has shortened into 11/2 from 13/2 to be the next Labour leader and now has only potential coup-plotting Wes Streeting ahead of him in the market at 7/2.

“However, a by-election would be no walk in the park for Labour. According to the most recent data, this could be a three-horse race between Labour, Reform and the Green Party. The More in Common MRP, published early this year, had Reform leading Labour by a mere 1.7%, but that doesn’t account for a potential Burnham candidacy. We’ve put in Labour at 4/6, ahead of Reform at 6/4 and the Greens, making inroads under new leader Zack Polanski, are in at 11/2.

“A Burnham candidacy would bring those odds down, but even so, all the data suggests he’d have a hell of a fight on his hands.”

Star Sports – British Politics

Next Permanent Labour Party Leader after Keir Starmer*

Wes Streeting – ?
Andy Burnham – ?
Angela Rayner – ?
Shabana Mahmood – ?