Burnham to seek Westminster return after path opens to challenge Starmer

LAST UPDATE | 15 hrs ago

THE MAYOR OF Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has said he will ask for permission to stand for Labour in a byelection after an MP quit to make way for him to return to Parliament to challenge Keir Starmer.

Burnham said he wanted to return to Westminster to “bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people”.

It comes after Josh Simons, Labour MP for Makerfield, said he would stand down so Burnham can “drive the change our country is crying out for”.

Burnham needs a sitting MP to resign and trigger a byelection for him to stand. There’s no guarantee he would win, and even before that, Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee could block him from standing (like it did back in January). 

Earlier today Wes Streeting resigned as UK health secretary, paving the way for him to mount a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer.

He published a letter to the British prime minister just after 1pm following growing speculation that he would resign and announce a bid for the top job after Labour descended into open division at the start of the week.

In his resignation letter, Streeting criticised the “drift” at the top of the UK government and told Starmer that he had lost confidence in his leadership.

He outlined successes in the NHS and wrote that these were “are all good reasons for me to remain in post”, but said that “as you know from our conversation earlier this week, having lost confidence in your leadership, I have concluded that it would be dishonourable and unprincipled to do so.”

Streeting said Starmer needs to “listen to your colleagues, including backbenchers”, adding that the “heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices diminishes our politics”. 

Advertisement

He went on: “It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism.

“It needs to be broad, and it needs to be the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope you will facilitate it.”

Streeting’s team failed to deny claims he was poised to quit yesterday, after he spent just 16 minutes meeting with Starmer in Downing Street. Starmer’s spokesperson later said he had “full confidence” in him. 

Somewhat unexpectedly, Streeting did not immediately announce that he was launching a leadership challenge.

If he does, he will need the support of 81 Labour MPs to begin a formal contest – something allies of Starmer and some British political commentators have said he might not yet have.

Starmer has made it clear that he is focused on his job and has no plans to step down. He reportedly spent last night meeting MPs and ministers, telling them that a leadership contest would “plunge us into chaos”.

All eyes on Rayner 

Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, is another Labour politician who could announce a leadership bid in an effort to prevent Streeting from getting the keys to No 10.

Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, announced that she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing in an investigation over her tax affairs.

She stepped down last year after admitting that she did not pay enough stamp duty on a second home. She was reported to have saved £40,000 (€46,000) in stamp duty on the flat because she removed her name from the deeds of a family property in her constituency, meaning the Hove property is the only property she owns.

In a statement, Rayner said she has been “exonerated” of the accusation that she deliberately sought to avoid tax.

“I have always sought to act with integrity, and I believe politicians should be held to high standards – that is why I resigned from government and cooperated fully with HMRC,” she said.

“I wanted to ensure that I paid every penny that I owed, and have done so. I am relieved that my family can now move on – and that I can get on with my job.”

Related Reads

Keir's woes: Starmer may be weak, but his opponents are not strong

The people who could be the next UK Prime Minister if Keir Starmer goes

In an interview with the Guardian this morning, Rayner said the investigation into her tax affairs had “clipped her wings”.

I’ll play my part in doing everything we possibly can to deliver the change, because it’s not a personal ambition, I know the difference it makes.

In an interview with ITV, Rayner did not rule out running in any race but said she would not “trigger” a contest.

She also denied she had done a deal with Burnham, adding: “I am not doing deals.”

She said she wanted the party to “pull together” after days of turmoil but added she did not want to talk about “hypotheticals” when asked whether she would run in a future contest.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has questioned whether any of Starmer’s rivals can muster the necessary support to launch a contest.

This morning, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Labour MPs had an “important decision to make” as she spoke to reporters in Downing Street.

Asked if she was worried about the impact of a potential leadership race on the economic policies she has been working on these past few years, she said:

“Labour MPs have got an important decision to make today, but the numbers show that the economy is growing and that when we entered this conflict, our economy was growing strongly because of the decisions that I have made as chancellor, we shouldn’t put that at risk.”

Starmer will today seek to wrest back control of the political agenda with the introduction of legislation overhauling social housing and the “right to buy”.

Ahead of the introduction of the Social Housing Renewal Bill, intended to boost the supply of council homes, he said his government was “taking responsibility, rebuilding social housing, and delivering the change people voted for”.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal