The ‘King of the North’, Manchester’s popular mayor Andy Burnham, is preparing for his big return to London amid political upheaval in the .
Burnham now has an open route back to parliament and a chance to become the next Labor leader after an MP announced he would stand down to give him his seat. The move ended days of rumours, and underlined how precarious the prime minister’s position has become.
In a tense day, , after apparently failing to gather the support he needed to directly challenge the prime minister. At the same time, Angela Rayner was cleared of charges in her tax affairs, paving the way for her own return to the forefront of politics.
However, it was the announcement by a Greater Manchester MP that he would stand down, triggering a by-election, that finally brought some clarity to the chaos that has engulfed the Labor Party following last week’s painful election results. Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, Starmer’s allies confirmed they would not seek to block him, following concerns raised by MPs from across the party.
The need for national change
Burnham said “a lot more change is needed at the national level,” highlighting the cost-of-living crisis as a priority of his campaign.
“That’s why I’m now asking for people’s support to return to parliament: to bring the change we achieved in Manchester across the UK and make politics work right for people,” he added.
Burnham has been seeking a return to parliament for months but was blocked by Starmer earlier this year, angering his supporters. Starmer’s power has been seriously undermined in recent days, with around 100 MPs calling for his resignation. Several ministers now privately admit they believe Starmer will not lead them into the next election, believing he will be forced to oversee a smooth transition of power to Burnham.
Farage’s threat and the seat battle
The decision by Josh Simmons, MP for Makerfield, a seat Labor holds by just over 5,000 votes, opens the way for a crucial contest in which Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party came second last time.
Farage said his party would “give everything” in the showdown to derail one of Labour’s most senior figures. Reform sees Burnham as a much tougher opponent than Starmer, with greater appeal to voters of all stripes.
The battle will not be easy. While Burnham won the constituency in the 2024 mayoral election with 62%, in last week’s local elections Reform won 50.4% in those areas, with Labor trailing on just 22.7%. Simmons, in his resignation letter, said: “I do not believe this government is delivering the urgent, radical and bold reform we need. We need a new direction. I think Andy Burnham can deliver.”
Intra-party alliances
The by-election takes about five to six weeks, meaning Burnham could return to parliament as early as early July. With support from across the party, he could challenge a leadership election, which he is expected to win, possibly unopposed. Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband are said to be backing his candidacy, while Streeting has hinted he would back the mayor, saying the competition must include the best possible candidates.
A senior Burnham supporter said: “If people from Angela to Wes are saying the same thing, then the whole party is now on the same page. Andy should be given a chance. He is the person who connects best with the public.”
Meanwhile, Starmer has appointed James Murray as the new health secretary, declining the chance to bring in a left-wing figure after Streeting’s departure, the Guardian reports.
The time of unity and self-criticism
Angela Rayner said Mr Starmer should “consider” whether he should stand aside, adding that Mr Burnham should not have been prevented from re-entering parliament earlier. “If someone wants to come and help then absolutely we shouldn’t be blocking people. We cannot afford egos,” he said.
Lucy Powell, Labour’s deputy leader, is expected to describe the election results as “deeply distressing”, but warned against infighting. “We need to come together again as one team to fight Farage… This also means doing politics differently: no more information wars, no more factions. Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner should all be key players in our team.”
