After being thwarted earlier in the year, Andy Burnham is once again eyeing up a sensational return to Westminster. The Greater Manchester Mayor is understood to have a credible plan in place to run as an MP, win a by-election… and potentially challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
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Will Andy Burnham return as MP – and possibly become PM?
The sands appear to have shifted for the former cabinet minister in recent weeks. When the Gorton and Denton by-election was announced, Burnham explored the possibility of running as Labour’s candidate. This, however, was shot down by their NEC.
But now, it is understood that the Committee would not oppose Mr. Burnham should he try and run as an MP again. According to reports in The Telegraph, senior party sources believe the mood has soured further against Keir Starmer in the last few months.
Even some of the PM’s loyalists are no longer vehemently opposed to Andy Burnham swapping his mayoral seat for one in a red-friendly constituency. With this major hurdle cleared, the veteran politician would then have to find a suitable seat to contest.
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Apparently, this is also shaping up to be relatively achievable. The Guardian have stated that ‘several Labour MPs’ are so behind Burnham, that they themselves would be willing to stand down and trigger a by-election, allowing him to run in their constituency.
He also appears to have critical support from enough sitting MPs, with dozens ready to throw their weight behind a leadership challenge should the 56-year-old successfully find his way back to the House of Commons. Areas in Manchester and Merseyside are among those ripe for a by-election.
In recent years, Andy Burnham has overseen a developmental boom in Manchester, revitalising public transport and community developments in the region. He’s an outspoken critic of Brexit, and has also expressed his desire to introduce the ‘proportional representation’ voting system.
With Labour set for major losses at the 2026 Local Elections, Burnham’s return could well be expedited in the coming weeks.