Andy Burnham has sought advice from Sue Gray, Keir Starmer's former chief of staff, on managing a potential transition to Downing Street if he returns to Westminster and succeeds the prime minister. Lady Gray is understood to have advised Burnham on forming a future Labour government as internal succession chatter intensifies before the Makerfield by-election.
The discussions highlight how seriously senior Labour figures are treating Burnham's path back to Westminster, following weeks of speculation about Starmer's long-term future after poor local election results. Burnham and Gray have known each other for decades, dating back to Burnham's time as a minister under Tony Blair while Gray worked in the Cabinet Office. Gray is not expected to take any formal role in a future government.
Gray resigned from Downing Street in October 2024 after hostile briefings and tensions within Starmer's operation. She was accused of 'control freakery' and creating a bottleneck in No 10 that delayed policy decisions and appointments. Allies of Burnham said he remains focused on the Makerfield by-election, which is likely to be pivotal for Labour's future direction.
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, criticised the internal jockeying, telling the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show: 'There's a lot of fantasy politics going on right now inside the Labour party.' He said a debate must happen but must not distract from the party's primary focus on the country. Jones, a senior ally of Starmer, called Burnham a 'brilliant politician' and confirmed he would campaign for him in Makerfield.
Pressure on Labour has intensified with a Survation survey showing Labour on 43% and Reform UK on 40% in Makerfield. A More in Common poll put Labour on 30% nationally under Burnham's leadership, ahead of Reform UK on 27% and the Tories on 20%. Senior Labour figures, including Wes Streeting and Lucy Powell, have campaigned for Burnham, while David Miliband said Labour needed to 'get on to the pitch' and deliver more change.
