Labour could lose the Greater Manchester mayoral election if Sir Keir Starmer does not step down or set out a timetable to go, allies of Andy Burnham have warned.
Burnham Team's Warning
Senior members of Burnham's team told the Manchester Evening News that if Starmer has not announced he is stepping down, it will appear to voters that the Prime Minister is on the ballot, potentially costing Labour the mayoral elections. Sources called on the PM to make an announcement because there is a 'visceral reaction' to him. "He doesn't need to say he is going straight away, just that he is planning to go. He needs to set out a timetable," the source said.
Burnham's By-Election Victory
Andy Burnham romped to victory overnight in the Ashton-in-Makerfield by-election, in a seat heavily contested by Reform following their landslide victory in local elections earlier this year. Mr Burnham defeated Reform UK's Robert Kenyon by 9,231 votes, up from 5,399 in 2024, and Labour's vote share increased by 9.61%.
In his victory speech, Burnham urged his party to act now, saying there would be no second chance. "Everyone knows that politics isn't working. Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point," he said. In a direct message to Labour MPs, he added: "I do say to my own party: this is a final chance to change. This is what people said directly to me on the hundreds of doorsteps that I stood on. We must hear it, we must act upon it and we must get it right. There will be no second chance."
Pressure on Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Mr Burnham, saying voters had chosen "Labour's campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate." The success of the Burnham campaign is likely to place more pressure on the PM to set out a timetable to step down and avoid what party members see as a damaging and divisive election contest.
Sources close to Mr Burnham said Sir Keir seemed undecided about fighting any leadership challenge, telling the MEN that "some people say he gives different answers on different days, sometimes he seems to want to go and sometimes not. He needs to go in a dignified way."
The MEN understands that Mr Burnham will not be having conversations about any challenge this weekend. However, several cabinet members are expected to withdraw their support for the Prime Minister. Burnham's team remained keen to facilitate a smooth transition into Downing Street, suggesting Mr Burnham could work with Starmer on getting the Hillsborough law passed.
There is frustration within the Burnham camp at what are seen as additional obstacles to prevent a leadership challenge. "They asked him to win by a big margin, now they are putting another obstacle 'focus on the mayoralty,'" a source told us.
Burnham's Return to Westminster
Mr Burnham gave up the Greater Manchester mayoralty by becoming Makerfield MP, winning the seat vacated by Josh Simons. Addressing assertions that he was only seeking to become MP to further his own ambitions, he said: "It will never be a stepping stone to me, but instead will be my touchstone. A Makerfield test at the heart of British politics will make sure that the places Westminster has neglected will now get fairness."
Cabinet Reactions
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she wanted Mr Burnham "back at the top table." She said: "What Andy's shown here is that there is something that he brings, a willingness to go out and fight for the change that people need, to take on any system and any person who stands in the way and to be bold and to wear his heart on his sleeve, and people have responded. I think that with him back in the top team, at the top table, helping to drive that change, I think we'll be in a really strong position."
As revealed by the MEN earlier this week, Mr Burnham has indicated he will not accept a job in Sir Keir's Government. Former cabinet minister Louise Haigh urged the Prime Minister to set out an "orderly and managed transition" of power. She told the BBC she hoped Sir Keir will "do what's best for both the country and the Labour Party."
But the Prime Minister has repeatedly insisted he has no intention of walking away from No 10 and is understood to have amassed a war chest to fund his campaign to fight any leadership challenge, as first reported by The Times.
Former health secretary Wes Streeting has suggested he would be willing to fire the starting gun for a contest if Sir Keir does not stand down. On Friday morning, he said Mr Burnham's victory "gives us all hope that Labour can still win, but Andy's campaign is proof that to do so we need to change."
Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer, said Labour should focus on winning the fight to succeed Mr Burnham as mayor of Greater Manchester, rather than a leadership contest. "We saw from the result in Makerfield this is going to be a straight Labour-Reform fight. We cannot risk the biggest regional politician in England going over to Reform because of all the division that they would want to sow across the north-west of England, all the damage that they will want to do," he told Times Radio.
