Andy Burnham reported to police over 'breach of rules' on eve of by-election

But with just hours remaining until polling stations open, a major row has erupted between Nigel Farage's party and the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Reform claims it has been told that Mr Burnham may have broken Covid restrictions by holding a gathering at his Warrington home in the summer of 2021.

On Sunday, the party reported the bombshell claim to the police.

Then, Greater Manchester Police confirmed it was assessing the allegation.

The claim is said to centre around the number of teenagers present at a property when the fire service arrived to tackle a blaze on the in the early hours of June 10, 2021.

Sources familiar with the incident told The Telegraph that "at least two" teens were in the house alongside Mr Burnham, his wife and their two daughters.

As firefighters put out the inferno, the teenagers were collected - apparently by their families, they said.

At the time of the fire, Covid rules said a maximum of six people were allowed to be in a property at one time, unless they came from two households.

In that case, more than six people could meet - but breaking those rules would risk punishment via a fine of as much as £200.

Paul Watson, a Reform councillor in Wigan, urged officers to obtain Fire and Rescue Service logs which "should record the number of civilians present at the scene, observations made by attending crews, and relevant details recorded at the time".

In a letter sent to police on Sunday, Mr Watson said the matter was “time-sensitive and in the public interest".

"If there is evidence that Covid-19 rules were breached... then the public and the constituents of Makerfield have a right to know before they go to the polls," he warned.

At the time of the fire, Covid rules said a maximum of six people were allowed to be in a property at one time

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GMP later told Reform it could not investigate the claim as the time limit for assessing such allegations had expired.

It said no further action would be taken.

But sources close to Mr Burnham accused Reform of circulating "completely baseless allegations".

"On the eve of poll, these are desperate attacks from Reform that are completely unfounded," they added.

Mr Watson's letter said concerns were raised that there may have been "more people present at the property than were permitted under Covid restrictions then in force".

'On the eve of poll, these are desperate attacks from Reform that are completely unfounded,' sources close to Mr Burnham raged

REFORM UK

He said: "I am not asking Greater Manchester Police to accept these allegations without investigation. However, I am asking that they are treated seriously and investigated properly."

Mr Burnham's team, in response, brought to light an email from the chief executive of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Combined Authority, sent on Wednesday.

That email said just six people were in the house at the time of the fire, which would have been within the rules.

"You have asked me for the number of people logged in the home from the fire service record of the incident. I can confirm the number from our records is six people," Caroline Simpson, the Group Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority wrote.

A spokesman for the Greater Manchester Mayor confirmed a fire had broken out at his home, but denied any breach of Covid rules had taken place.

While GMP's Assistant Chief Constable, Chris Sykes, said the force "concluded that this is not a policing matter" because of a time limit for bringing proceedings.

He said Covid rule breaches were covered by legislation saying legal action must happen within three years of the alleged offence.

"Since the allegation is that the Covid-19 rules were breached in June 2021, this has exceeded the maximum time within which legal action can be pursued," he said.

"I can assure you that we have carefully reviewed the legislation and we will not be taking any further action."

Mr Burnham's race to take Makerfield started after a string of ministers resigned from the Government after Labour's dire local elections results.

Wes Streeting quit in May in protest at Sir Keir Starmer's lack of "vision".

He blamed the "unpopularity of this Government" for Labour's May 7 wipeout, adding that the party needed a vision but instead "we have a vacuum".

The next day, Makerfield MP Josh Simons stood aside to hand Mr Burnham the chance to challenge the Prime Minister.

He said the area was "where Andy Burnham has lived for 25 years" and that he was "coming home".

Locals will now decide whether Mr Burnham will, in fact, come home - with polls suggesting Labour is locked in a neck-and-neck race with Reform.

Last night, the Greater Manchester Mayor delivered a last-minute attack on Reform UK's candidate Robert Kenyon.

"There is a path that carries on and makes Britain look more and more like the United States of America, and we do not, in my view, want to end up there, where people can’t talk to each other in the street," Mr Burnham bristled.

"That's not the Britain I know, and the Britain that I love, and that's not the path that we should be taking."

Reform leader Nigel Farage also issued a warning to voters with hours remaining until polls opened.

"If you vote for anyone else other than Rob, you're effectively voting for Labour," Mr Farage said.