Andy Burnham is facing huge pressure to honour his word and pay compensation to Britain's WASPI women if he becomes Prime Minister.
Mr Burnham has been an outspoken supporter of the campaign to reimburse women born in the 1950s, who argue they were not properly informed about planned increases to the state pension age.
After years of campaigning to secure a payout that could cost taxpayers over £10 billion, the WASPI campaign now appears hopeful that an Andy Burnham premiership will help them finally secure victory.
A spokesman for the group highlighted the Makerfield candidate's previous warning that anything less than full and immediate compensation would be 'morally indefensible'.
And while Mr Burnham has flip-flopped on key policy areas in recent days, including rejoining the EU, a spokesman failed to dampen expectations that a Burnham premiership would meet the WASPI women's demands.
They said: 'Andy has supported the WASPI campaign throughout, and will continue to do so'.
The Manchester mayor's support for the cause stretches back years, when as an MP in 2016 he criticised government claims that the compensation demands would be unaffordable.
The then-Leigh MP told a minister: ''He has talked about resources, but what price justice? What price doing the right thing?'
Andy Burnham has been a long-standing supporter of paying out compensation
The WASPI campaign has said they look forward to working with Mr Burnham, highlighting his previous vocal support
More recently in December 2024, when the Labour government rejected compensation for another time, Mr Burnham blasted it as a 'clear injustice'.
His track record is already exciting long-standing WASPI campaigners, who believe they could now be on course for a major breakthrough should he become Prime Minister.
Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality, said: 'Andy has been a consistent and principled supporter of WASPI women for many years, and we are grateful for that.
'He has said himself that 'anything less than full and immediate compensation is morally indefensible', and we agree entirely.
'WASPI has had constructive conversations with Andy in recent months, alongside hundreds of MPs from all the main parties. We look forward to the opportunity to work closely with him, should he make a return to Westminster.'
The Mail also understands that Mr Burnham spoke with the campaign just six months ago, a conversation in which he reconfirmed his support.
Labour MPs supporting Mr Burnham have also warned he will have to set out a plan to compensate those affected by the changes to state pension age.
Andy Burnham condemned the current government's refusal to pay out compensation, slamming the decision by welfare secretary Pat McFadden (pictured)
Mr Burnham said failure to pay immediate compensation would be 'morally indefensible'
Rachael Maskell, the MP for York Central, said she still hopes to see the 'injustice' done to women by the previous Tory government will be addressed, adding: 'An incoming Prime Minister needs time to determine how this is best achieved in the midst of so many pressing issues.'
But sticking to his calls for compensation, should he become Prime Minister, could turn into a fiscal nightmare for the currently popular Labour politician.
Official figures suggest that paying out a flat rate to all women affected by the changes to the state pension age would cost the government up to £10.5 billion.
The eye-watering sum is the equivalent of over 8,200 average British households' entire lifetime tax contributions.
The Taxpayers' Alliance think tank warned that voters will be 'alarmed' over Mr Burnham's support for spending so much money to WASPI women.
William Yarwood, campaigns director, said: 'If he becomes prime minister, the public should brace themselves not just for soaring borrowing costs, but for more reckless tax-and-spend policies as well.
'Burham should rule out compensating the WASPI women just as this government has already done.'