Burnham's dual candidacy exposes gap in devolution law

Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Mayor since 2017, is standing for the Makerfield parliamentary seat in today's by-election. His candidacy creates a constitutional puzzle: neither the devolution settlement nor the 2023 Levelling-up Act clarifies whether he can hold both roles simultaneously. Whether he intends to resign the mayoralty or combine both posts will define the immediate legal and political optics.