The key figures in Andy Burnham's inner circle

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. The key figures in Andy Burnham's inner circle9 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleHenry ZeffmanChief political correspondentReutersAndy Burnham is expected to seek the Labour leadership after his resounding victory in the Makerfield by-election. If Burnham succeeds in gaining the keys to Number 10, here are some of the MPs and advisers who could be given key roles. Louise HaighGetty imgesLouise Haigh and Anneliese Midgley at Burnham's by-election victory rallyThe former transport secretary was the first of Sir Keir's cabinet ministers to quit, after it emerged in November 2024 that she had a fraud conviction prior to entering parliament.

On the backbenches she emerged as a crucial power broker on Labour's "soft left", and was at the heart of the huge rebellion which scuppered the government's welfare cuts in 2025. She has been a major figure in Burnham's Makerfield campaign, basing herself in the constituency, and is line for a big cabinet job. Anneliese MidgleyMidgley has only been the MP for Knowsley, not far from Makerfield, since 2024 but she has been an influential force in the Labour movement for much longer than that.

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She worked for Sir Keir's office in opposition following stints at the TUC, Unite and in former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's team. She is seen as a plausible candidate for chief whip or even to be political secretary in Downing Street, not a job usually held by an elected politician. Miatta FahnbullehFahnbulleh resigned as a junior minister for communities in the aftermath of the May elections, but unlike most of those who quit the government she is from Labour's soft left, not its right.

Since then she has been working on policy ideas for a potential Burnham government. She was previously a civil servant and ran the New Economics Foundation think tank. Josh SimonsReutersJosh Simons and Miatta Fahnbulleh in the front row at Burnham's victory rallyThe man who gave up his seat for Burnham - and who was praised for his "selflessness" by the new Makerfield MP, in a speech to supporters on Friday morning.

Simons is said to have been helping Team Burnham on policy, though he has a different ideological background to Fahnbulleh. He has been on a rapid political rollercoaster: he worked for and then fell out with Jeremy Corbyn; ran a pro-Starmer think tank; became an MP and quickly a minister, from which he had to resign over accusations about his conduct at the think tank. He is seen as a likely candidate for a role in a Burnham Downing Street.

Kate GreenCurrently Burnham's deputy mayor for policing and crime, Green has been canvassing MPs about their opinions on what a Burnham government should do and is seen as a possible candidate for a role in Downing Street. Before taking up her current role in 2023 she was an MP for 12 years, including a stint in Sir Keir's shadow cabinet.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.