Taxpayers are facing a bill likely exceeding £5 million as Labour manoeuvres to bring Andy Burnham back into Westminster ahead of a possible leadership challenge to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

According to ITV News Granada, the combined cost of the Greater Manchester Mayoral Election and the forthcoming Makerfield by-election could “reach £5 million”. The report cited official Greater Manchester Combined Authority figures showing the 2024 mayoral election cost £4,719,754, while the Makerfield by-election has an administrative budget of £226,208 before additional freepost and campaign-related public costs are included.

However, that estimate did not include the earlier Gorton and Denton by-election, where Andy Burnham had also sought a route back to Parliament before Labour’s NEC blocked his candidacy.

Government figures previously showed the average cost of running a Westminster by-election was £228,964 as far back as 2016, meaning the real modern-day cost is likely considerably higher once inflation and operational pressures are accounted for.

Using the publicly available figures, the estimated taxpayer cost linked to Labour’s attempts to return Andy Burnham to Westminster is therefore likely to exceed:

• £4,719,754 for the Greater Manchester mayoral election
• £226,208 for the Makerfield by-election administration
• approximately £228,964 or more for the earlier Gorton and Denton by-election

This produces a combined estimated total of at least £5.17 million, before accounting for inflation-adjusted by-election costs, Royal Mail freepost entitlements for candidates, staffing overtime, policing, venue hire, and associated election administration costs.

Surely, at a time when families are struggling with rising bills, councils remain under financial pressure, and public services are stretched, taxpayers should not be expected to foot a multi-million-pound bill to make up for Labour’s poor internal succession planning.

Democracy has a cost, and elections are essential. But voters are entitled to ask whether repeated electoral contests triggered by political career calculations represent good value for money.

The situation also raises wider questions about Labour’s stability. The original ITV report explicitly linked the planned Westminster return of Andy Burnham with speculation over a future challenge to Keir Starmer’s leadership and ambitions to become Prime Minister.

Whilst the issue is not Andy Burnham personally, it is certainly legitimate to question how he might view taxpayers’ money when he is prepared to use it in this way, paying millions to facilitate internal Labour Party power struggles while communities continue to wait for action on health care, social care, housing, potholes, and the cost of living.

* Iain Donaldson is the treasurer of the Rochdale Liberal Democrats.