Sir Keir Starmer has been told to resign with dignity by Monday or face a revolt, as the Labour Party risks descending into civil war following the Makerfield by-election.
Burnham's Landslide Victory
Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, won the key Makerfield by-election on Thursday with 55% of the vote, decisively seeing off Reform candidate Robert Kenyon by more than 9,000 votes. His victory paves the way for him to challenge the Prime Minister as party leader, although he will need the backing of 81 Labour MPs to join the race.
The Prime Minister said Labour should “pull together” and insisted that he “will stand” in a contest and won’t “walk away”. However, he has reportedly been warned he faces a coup in 72 hours unless he resigns with “dignity”. Ministers were reportedly trying to pass the message that he should set out a departure timetable as fears grow of cabinet resignations from the start of next week.
Backbencher Calls for Orderly Transition
One Labour backbencher told the Daily Mail: “Andy Burnham has exceeded all expectations and I’m absolutely sure that there’ll be an orderly transition of leadership now. Keir would be unwise to try and stop it.”
Mr Burnham described his victory as “the change moment”, claiming he and his team hoped to “lay out a new path for Britain”. He told a rally at Ashton Town FC in the constituency: “It is our last chance to change, but we’re going to take it, aren’t we? We are going to take that opportunity and we are going to lay out a new path for Britain.”
Mr Burnham, who served in government under former Labour PMs Gordon Brown and Sir Tony Blair, added: “The word Makerfield in the future must be known as a byword for the change that came to British politics. This is the moment. We’ve been on a path for 40 years that simply hasn’t worked for people and places in this part of the world, and this now is the change moment.
“We have an opportunity to turn the tide, to make the country feel like it’s working again... to make people feel hope again. I think we need in this country right now for people to feel a sense of hope that there is something better to work towards on the horizon.”
Leadership Rivalry and War Chest
Leadership rival Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, said Mr Burnham’s victory is “proof” the party needs “to change”. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is believed to be the next minister most likely to resign, as he’s “very tight” with Mr Burnham.
But the PM has a six-figure war chest to fund his campaign to see off a leadership challenge after securing the support of private donors. Yet Mr Burnham continues to be the public’s preferred choice to replace Sir Keir, according to major Ipsos polling. The public are clearer on what Mr Burnham stands for than Sir Keir and think he is more likeable and in touch with ordinary people, it found.
Two-thirds of those polled think Sir Keir should not lead Labour into the next general election, with 38% saying he should go now. Unions were unanimous in calling for a change in political direction, with one saying Mr Burnham’s victory meant Sir Keir had to step down.
Union Reactions
Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright said Sir Keir has “continued with the disastrous Tory approach of trying to cut our way to a better future”. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the result offered a glimmer of hope for workers after they had “fallen out of love” with Labour. She said: “It is clear there now needs to be an orderly timetable for a leadership election and Keir Starmer must do the right thing and step down.”
