Keir Starmer has made a decision that is barely believable, exposing his weakest moment yet. Despite Andy Burnham's attempts to undermine him, the Prime Minister has offered Burnham a place at the top table if he wins the Makerfield by-election.
Starmer's Erratic Behavior
Scorned Sir Keir Starmer's increasingly erratic behavior resembles that of someone who refuses to believe they have been dumped. No matter how many times he is told it is over, he continues making plans as if the relationship is plodding along.
The preposterous prime minister has now said he will hand Andy Burnham a place at the top table if he wins the by-election. Ordinarily, this would not seem unusual, but right now it is symptomatic of the basket case country we have become.
Burnham's Coup Attempt
Back in February, when Burnham was mayor of Manchester, he was banned by Starmer from running as a Labour candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election. Why? He wanted a fast route back to Parliament to knife the PM and stage a coup to become leader. Starmer's stormtroopers inside the National Executive Committee put paid to that.
Fast forward a few months, and the same man is now not only endorsed by Starmer in neighbouring Makerfield, but also promised a Cabinet job if he wins, as is almost certain. Has he lost his marbles?
Starmer's Political Nous
Starmer's political nous has always been suspect, his flip-flopping unrivalled, but his ability to say black is white and white is black is becoming legendary. With every utterance he becomes weaker and weaker. Here Starmer is pandering to a man who has explicitly said he wants to replace him. A more dysfunctional situation would be hard to find, and it would shame a banana republic.
On the eve of what is considered the most consequential poll in a generation, Starmer was asked if he would offer Burnham a Cabinet job. Call him clueless, brazen, or just plain dumb, but he said: "Yes, I want him to have a big role in government… I'm sure I'll talk to Andy after the weekend. Of course I will. I've spoken to him many times in recent weeks. And when I came into politics in 2015 it was Andy Burnham's team that I joined, and we worked very well together. He's a huge asset, he's been a fantastic mayor in Manchester, and [will be] if he comes back into parliament. I hope he wins in the by-election. He'll be a fantastic asset for our party and for the country."
Reaction from G7 and Labour Ministers
Quite what the rest of the G7 made of this assessment by the Walter Mitty of Westminster is anyone's guess. But if it is anything like the troops he led, they'll be sniggering. One by one Labour ministers have abandoned a sinking ship. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood have told Starmer to pick a date and go, but he refuses to listen. Defence minister Al Carns became the 22nd politician appointed by Starmer to leave government service since the general election in July 2024.
The calamitous PM, a Jonah who is cornered, facing checkmate, and seemingly oblivious to the not-so-subtle messages being delivered to him, has angered the country, alienated the party he still (on paper at least) leads, and now put a hoodoo on the England football team. England's last World Cup win in 1966 came when Harold Wilson was in power. And in what is almost certain to prove another appalling punt by the PM he said: "I'm not gonna jinx the World Cup but, you know, the last time we won the World Cup it was a Labour government. And so it's absolutely clear that we only win World Cups under a Labour government. So let's hope that this is the next opportunity."
Possibly. But Starmer is about to be sent off.
