Andy Burnham has provoked anger among Labour MPs by agreeing to speak at a progressive rally alongside Green and Liberal Democrat figures, just weeks after local elections that saw Labour battling the Greens in key areas. The Greater Manchester mayor is due to address the Change:Now event organised by the leftwing group Compass on 30 May in east London.
Labour MPs, including Luke Akehurst, have criticised Burnham for appearing on the same platform as Greens, citing recent antisemitism controversies within the Green Party. Two Green council candidates in London were arrested over alleged antisemitic social media posts, and the party is investigating others. Akehurst argued that any Labour figure promoting a progressive alliance with the Greens should reconsider given these revelations.
An unnamed Labour MP said: “Activists and candidates around the country are fighting for Labour seats on councils; now is not the time to talk about coalitions. It was bad enough when Andy said he’d work with Corbyn; now he wants to work with another party riddled with antisemitism? It’s unconscionable.”
A Burnham ally defended the mayor, stating: “It’s ridiculous to suggest Andy is supporting other parties. He is advancing progressive ideas to help the Labour party. Do people not want anyone sharing ideas or having a debate about where progressives should go?”
Compass founder Neal Lawson argued that the event represents a crucial route to progressive success in a multi-party political landscape, saying: “When the old politics of factionalism and hyper-tribalism are turning the public off politics, we need the space to think through the policies that will change the country for the better.”
Burnham is seen as a potential challenger to Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership, but unlike rivals Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting, he would need to win a Westminster seat—a move blocked by Labour’s national executive committee earlier this year.
