A Labour Party member of the UK House of Commons announced his resignation on the 14th, allowing Manchester Mayor Burnham to return to the Commons as an MP and thereby become eligible to challenge Prime Minister Starmer for the Labour Party leadership.
Labour MP Symonds represented the Macclesfield constituency in Greater Manchester.
On social media, he said that the UK Parliament and government often become obstacles to progress; the current government has failed to advance the reforms needed in his constituency. He decided to 'make way' for Burnham, whom he described as upstanding, honest, and trustworthy.
Soon after Symonds announced his resignation, Burnham confirmed on social media that he would apply to the Labour Party National Executive Committee to run in the byelection for the Macclesfield parliamentary seat. He stated that what he could accomplish in Manchester was limited, and greater change was needed at the national level, hence his intention to return to Parliament.
Burnham served as an MP from 2001 to 2017 before becoming the Mayor of Manchester. He had previously sought to return to Parliament via a byelection, but his application was not approved by the Labour Party National Executive Committee. If he successfully returns to Parliament as an MP, Burnham will gain the basic qualification to contest the Labour Party leadership.
Prime Minister Starmer has recently been caught in a governing crisis. According to UK media statistics, more than 90 Labour MPs in the House of Commons have called for Starmer's resignation, but several cabinet ministers and over a hundred MPs have publicly voiced their support for him.
Starmer Regrets the Health and Social Care Minister's Resignation
On the 14th, Starmer wrote to Health and Social Care Minister Streeting, expressing his regret over his resignation.
In the letter released by the UK Prime Minister's office that day, Starmer stated that last week's local election results in the UK were extremely tough, with opponents more threatening than ever before. The Labour Party must devote itself to a 'battle for the nation's soul' in order to fulfill its promises.
Starmer said he regretted that Streeting would no longer attend Cabinet meetings, but believes he will continue to play an important role in the Party in the future.
Earlier that day, Streeting announced his resignation. In his resignation letter posted on social media, he said he had accomplished the goals set by Starmer, reducing waiting lists for the UK's National Health Service, but he had lost confidence in Starmer's leadership. Starmer, he wrote, would not be leading Labour into the next UK general election, and it was with regret that he left the government in this manner.
Previously, several UK media outlets cited sources close to Streeting as reporting that he was preparing to resign and run for the Labour leadership, and had already begun seeking the support of Labour MPs.