Andy Burnham is secretly plotting an election for next May, it has been claimed. The Prime Minister’s aides are said to be reviewing a spring vote to capitalise on Reform UK and the Tories splitting votes on the Right.
It comes after research found Labour could seal a comfortable majority on just 30% of the vote - just 4% less than Sir Keir Starmer won in 2024. A recent YouGov poll put Labour on 24%, Reform on 22% and the Tories on 21%.
Timing around the Bank Holiday
A senior ally of the PM told the Mail on Sunday: “The thinking is next May, around the time of the Bank Holiday. That’s where people are moving.”
The ex-Manchester mayor doesn’t have to go to the country until 2029. It comes after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage won the by-election in Clacton, Essex, but his main rival Count Binface secured nearly 30% of the vote.
Labour’s confidence and Farage’s absence
One Labour official said: “Farage is going to have to spend more and more time and resources trying to solidify his base, and will just keep driving more and more soft voters away nationally.”
Meanwhile, Mr Farage left the nation baffled by vanishing straight after the result was announced last week. One unnamed minister said: “I can understand why he didn’t go to the count. He didn’t want the optics of standing next to a bin. But why no victory speech later? Or rally with supporters? He literally had the opportunity to set the narrative. And he didn’t take it. It’s weird.”
Downing Street response and summer tour
Downing Street said on Sunday (August 16) that it does not comment on speculation. Last month, Mr Burnham dismissed calling an early general election and insisted he is going to work to Labour’s 2024 manifesto.
Meanwhile, Downing Street said Mr Burnham will look at issues “ignored by Westminster for too long” during the second week of his summer tour of the UK. These issues include ending rough sleeping and resolving the “toxic dump, fly-tipping and environmental vandalism scandal”. He will also be at Number 10 North during the week, marking a month since it was established.
In his first week of travelling around the country, the PM visited Derbyshire, the West Midlands, Devon, and Cornwall to hear from local people and businesses. He also announced a series of policies, including “easy to exit” rules to help consumers cancel subscriptions and a ban on retailers making misleading claims about discounts.
