Reform UK will beat Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham if he stands in a by-election in a bid to return to Parliament and succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, Nigel Farage’s party has boasted. Claims that Mr Burnham is preparing the ground for a leadership bid have fuelled talk he could stand for a local Westminster seat in a by-election – a contest Reform would relish.

Deputy leader Richard Tice said: “Bring it on Mr Burnham, Reform will take you on and defeat you on the electoral battlefield. The country wants Reform not a busted Burnham rehash.”

Reform came second in 14 of the 27 seats in Greater Manchester and since then the party has risen to the first place in the national polls and now commands a double-digit lead over its rivals.

A Reform spokesman said: “Reform’s recent results in Greater Manchester have proven that we are the party of working people and the only credible alternative to Labour in this area. We are always ready for every by-election, and look forward to taking the fight to this failed Labour government in their heartlands.”

The potential of a Westminster comeback by Mr Burnham was lent credibility when Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she would “support” him in “whatever he decides to do”. Labour deputy leadership contender Lucy Powell is considered a key ally of Mr Burnham, who ran for the leadership in 2010 and 2015, having served as Health Secretary under Gordon Brown.

Simon Danczuk, a former Labour MP who stood for Reform in the Greater Manchester constituency of Rochdale in last year’s by-election won by George Galloway of the Workers Party of Britain, warned a Westminster campaign by the Mayor would be “doomed to failure”.

He said: “I think Andy Burnham would struggle to beat Reform in any by-election in Greater Manchester.. I think Reform would storm it, actually.”

However, he did not think Sir Keir would remain Prime Minister until the next general election.

“I would be impressed if he manages to get past the local elections in May 2026,” he said.

The interest in Mr Burnham leading the party, he said, was evidence of “desperation” in Labour.

Former Conservative MP Marco Longhi also expects Mr Farage’s party would triumph in a by-election contest against the Mayor, with voters rejecting both Labour and the Tories.

“Labour and Conservatives are two sides of the same battered coin,” he said.

Former Work and Pensions Esther McVey said Mr Burnham would be a “disaster” as Prime Minister, telling GB News: “I would say Andy Burnham is Starmer with the northern accent. He’s a chameleon as well.

“He was a Blairite when he needs to be one, he was a Corbynista when he needs to be one… I think he’s going to be a disaster.”

A source close to the Mayor said: “This is pure speculation with no substance.”