The leadership crisis reached a new pitch as a Labour MP publicly offered to stand down and vacate their seat, allowing Mayor Andy Burnham to return to Parliament and immediately mount a challenge against Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This public act by a Burnham loyalist moves the speculation from gossip to concrete political maneuver.
The dramatic intervention follows Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s refusal in recent interviews to rule out a future leadership bid. This noncommittal position, combined with the public sacrifice offered by the loyalist MP, confirms that an active network exists and is prepared to facilitate a return to Westminster for the Mayor.
Starmer, while heading to the G20 summit, sought to de-escalate the situation by publicly praising Burnham’s regional work. He cited their successful co-operation after the Manchester synagogue attack, describing the Mayor’s crisis leadership as “really impressive,” aiming to minimize the significance of the loyalist’s offer.
Despite the Prime Minister’s efforts, he was forced to address the internal plotting head-on, forcefully dismissing claims of a coup involving Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Starmer warned that these aggressive internal moves and distractions are severely undermining the government’s essential efforts to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
For now, Mayor Burnham is allowing his loyalists to do the work, focusing his own energy on delivering his massive £1 billion Manchester growth plan. The offer of a parliamentary seat ensures that Starmer’s greatest uncertainty is no longer if Burnham will return, but merely when he chooses to accept the offer.