Andy Burnham's team wants to avoid a damaging leadership contest, but Keir Starmer has so far insisted he will fight it out.
Victory Surpasses Expectations
It was a victory that surpassed the expectations of Andy Burnham's campaign team, of Labour MPs, and of everyone in Westminster. Not only did the former Greater Manchester mayor win the Makerfield by-election, but he almost doubled Labour's majority, taking it to 9,231. His triumph showed that a progressive Labour vision can beat the divisive politics of Nigel Farage, and gave him a springboard as he sets his sights on Downing Street.
Starmer's Support Ebbs Away
Across the Parliamentary Labour Party, allies of both leaders were on Friday banging the drum for their candidates. The Starmer camp argues the PM turned Labour from being an unelectable party to winning a landslide victory in 2024. Loyalist MPs see the furore over the leadership as 'unnecessary drama' and are furious at their colleagues for not giving Starmer more time to prove he can change Britain. 'We just need to leave the PM to get on with the job he was mandated to do,' one MP said. Another warned against appointing a leader who does not have a general election mandate. 'The moment you change leader, everyone will say: Time for a general election. The noise will be relentless,' they said.
But Starmer's support appears to be ebbing away, including in his top team. One Labour MP who signed a letter backing the PM back in May now believes he 'absolutely has to go'. Other names who had not previously called for him to resign also changed their position. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander became the latest Cabinet minister to privately tell him to set out a dignified route for his departure from No10. Other Labour grandees, including Harriet Harman and Alan Johnson, also admitted the PM's pathway out of Downing Street has been written for him.
Burnham's Team Lobbies MPs
The PM was on the airwaves on Friday morning to insist he would fight off a leadership challenge, but by the early evening the mood was shifting. Starmer will now spend the weekend having difficult conversations with his colleagues as he battles for his future. One Labour source said: 'I think what's going on is a debate is playing out in Keir's inner circle about whether to fight or not.' Burnham's team wants to avoid a damaging leadership contest, which risks uncomfortable echoes of years of Tory psychodrama. His supporters have been lobbying Labour MPs in the last few days as they try to secure 200 backers in a bid to force Starmer to stand down. The number is thought to be around 150 at the moment but is growing as junior ministers now privately take the leap.
Jubilant Victory Rally
At Mr Burnham's victory rally in Makerfield, the mood was jubilant, in stark contrast to the vibe among Labour MPs in recent months. Dozens of placard-waving activists and MPs gave Mr Burnham a hero's welcome as he strode onto Ashton Town's pitch with a huge grin across his face. York Outer MP Luke Charters told The Mirror it showed Reform could be beaten. He said: 'We've proved a secret recipe that we can beat Reform with Andy at the helm. He's going to take that course as far as it will go with his hope and his optimism.' Southport's Patrick Hurley said: 'I think what we need to learn from it is that there is a progressive bloc out there that will vote for a candidate that they think embodies the change message and that message of hope. Reform can be beaten and what we saw today is Reform can be beaten easily with the right people.'
Streeting Retreats
Despite his talk of challenging the PM as early as next week, the usually outspoken Wes Streeting retreated on Friday. His camp kept their heads down, calculating the best way forward after Burnham's impressive win. Allies were no longer insisting he is going to run, with rumours swirling that the former Health Secretary is trying to make a deal with Burnham. Jess Phillips, a Streeting ally who resigned as a Home Office minister last month, told LBC she hopes the pair do make a deal. 'I mean, look, I very much hope that, like I said, that they are talking to each other and coming to the conclusion that it is the best,' she said. 'They could do a deal. I'm not Lucy Powell in those rooms, so I'm not sure whether they are. All I want both of them to ask each other and themselves and Keir Starmer, the only question that matters is what do I do now in the next few days and weeks and months that means that the Labour Party can continue to progress, to improve the country and then beat Reform at the next election. Literally nothing else matters.'
