Allies of Sir Keir Starmer have initiated a 'Stop Andy Burnham' campaign to prevent the Labour mayor from returning to parliament following the resignation of a Manchester MP, which triggered a by-election. Multiple members of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) predicted it would be impossible for Burnham to navigate the selection process due to the number of Starmer loyalists on the body who are keen to avoid a leadership challenge.
The Labour machine mobilised after The Guardian revealed on Thursday that Andrew Gwynne planned to quit due to ill health, with officials and MPs warning about the financial cost and political risk of a subsequent mayoral race. However, allies of the Greater Manchester mayor suggested there would be significant disquiet among MPs, unions, and party members should the leadership attempt to block his return to parliament, where he served as MP for Leigh from 2001 to 2017.
Burnham has made no secret of his ambitions. He prompted outrage within No 10 and among cabinet ministers when he said last year that many MPs had urged him to run for Labour leader. He has long been believed to be seeking a return to parliament to stand for the leadership if there were a challenge to Starmer, but was thought to have limited options for a by-election in north-west England.
The government will have to move the writ for a by-election, which two well-placed sources suggested was likely to take place before the May elections, meaning Burnham could be in place for any aftermath. But his allies cautioned against overstating any planning, suggesting he was passionate about his current job and would only return to national politics if he felt he had something to contribute.
With polls suggesting Starmer is unpopular and many MPs despondent about Labour's fate at the next election, Burnham stands out as the only senior Labour figure with positive public approval ratings. However, should he decide to run, he would need to be selected by the NEC—where the odds are stacked against him—and win the by-election in Gorton and Denton against Reform UK and pro-Gaza independents, all before any potential leadership challenge.
Senior Labour figures told The Guardian that a 'Stop Andy' campaign was already under way, with party machinery tightly controlled by Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's chief of staff, and his allies. The prime minister himself said on Thursday that the by-election process was in the 'early stages' and that MPs must stop talking about potential leadership challenges. Burnham, speaking before Gwynne confirmed he was stepping down, told reporters: 'People shouldn't rush to conclusions. I have been very focused on my role as mayor of Greater Manchester.'
