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Andy Burnham has formally put himself forward to stand for parliament in the Manchester constituency of Gorton and Denton in what could be the first move in a campaign to replace Keir Starmer<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Greater Manchester<\/a> mayor has announced that he has applied to be a candidate in the upcoming byelection, having submitted an application before the deadline of 5pm on Saturday.<\/p>\n His application will have to be accepted by Labour\u2019s national executive committee (NEC) but some of its members have predicted that the party\u2019s ruling body, which is dominated by Starmer allies, will try to prevent Burnham\u2019s return to parliament<\/a>.<\/p>\n The byelection was called this week after the resignation of the former minister Andrew Gwynne<\/a>, who announced he was standing down because of ill health.<\/p>\n Gwynne was formally appointed the crown steward and bailiff of the Manor of Northstead on Friday, which allows him to give up his seat in the House of Commons.<\/p>\n The possibility of Burnham, 56, replacing Gwynne, 51, has long been rumoured, because he is considered one of the favourites to replace the prime minister were he to be toppled.<\/p>\n Speculation rose to a fever pitch at the party\u2019s conference in Liverpool last year, when Burnham told the Telegraph that Labour MPs had contacted him over the summer<\/a> to stand after becoming concerned at Starmer\u2019s unpopularity.<\/p>\n London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Labour\u2019s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, both told the Fabian Society\u2019s conference on Saturday that Burnham should be allowed to stand.<\/p>\n Khan told the event in central London: \u201cI\u2019m a firm believer in the best team having all the talent playing for them, and if Andy wants to return to parliament, I will try and make some time between now and the byelection to knock on some doors for him.\u201d<\/p>\n