Andy Burnham has said allegations from Reform UK that he broke lockdown rules are a ‘desperate’ smear attempt ahead of the Makerfield by-election on Thursday.
Reform has claimed it was told that Burnham may have broken Covid lockdown rules by holding a small gathering at his home outside of Manchester in the summer of 2021.
Reform was referencing an instance in June that year when the fire department was called to Burnham’s house and found Burnham, his wife, two daughters and at least two other teenagers.
After the fire was put out, the teenagers were collected, but rules at the time stated that a maximum of six people were allowed to be in the same property at once if they came from more than two separate households.
It’s unclear whether the other teenagers came from the same household, but breaking the rule carried a fine of £200.
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Greater Manchester Police said they were looking into the allegation before saying the time limit for investigating such allegations had expired, and they would take no further action.
Sources close to Burnham said raising the non-issue so close to the Makerfield by-election was a ‘desperate’ attempt at a smear campaign.
Polls have opened in Makerfield today, where voters are set to take part in what could be one of the most consequential by-elections in British political history.
Burnham, who is standing as Labour’s candidate in the Greater Manchester constituency with the hope of returning to Parliament to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, urged people to ‘vote to change politics’.
Sir Keir said on Wednesday he was willing to offer the Mayor of Greater Manchester a ‘big’ job in his Government, should Burnham win when Thursday’s votes are counted.
But allies of Burnham said he was not interested in the offer, insisting ‘the benefit Andy has is the wind of change for not having been associated with the Government’s failings’.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly made it clear he has no intention of standing down and says that he will fight any challenge to his leadership.
According to the Guardian, several Cabinet ministers have had to be talked out of resigning early by Burnham’s camp to prevent the government descending into chaos ahead of the by-election.
Burnham supporters within the government had intended to quit early to pressure the Prime Minister into making way for his rival, the outlet said.
Wes Streeting, the former health secretary who resigned to launch a prospective Labour leadership bid, is said to have met with Burnham while campaigning in Makerfield on Monday, the Guardian also reported.
The Prime Minister may face swift pressure to accept a leadership contest or stand down, as Streeting has indicated he would be willing to trigger the race.
Burnham’s biggest competitor in Makerfield is Reform UK.
But polls have suggested Nigel Farage’s party is losing voters to Restore Britain, with a more hard-line approach to migration and other issues.
Burnham on Wednesday urged voters not to back Reform’s candidate Robert Kenyon, as he claimed the party’s victory could lead to a ‘darker and more divided politics’.
‘There is a path that carries on and makes Britain look more and more like the United States of America, and we do not, in my view, want to end up there, where people can’t talk to each other in the street.
‘That’s not the Britain I know, and the Britain that I love, and that’s not the path that we should be taking,’ Burnham said.
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