Burnham prepares to challenge Starmer for leadership

Andy Burnham is laying the groundwork for a leadership bid amid growing speculation that Sir Keir Starmer will not last in post until the next election.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester has launched a new campaign group calling on Downing Street to introduce wealth taxes, nationalise utility companies and end the two-child benefit cap.

He is expected to explicitly criticise Sir Keir at Labour’s annual party conference later this month, calling for a “reset” to help Labour win the next election.

Mr Burnham has also thrown his support behind Lucy Powell in Labour’s deputy leadership race in what has been interpreted as an attempt to secure an ally at the top of the party.

Labour sources told The Telegraph that Mr Burnham was “setting out his stall” to become the party leader by launching Mainstream, a new network of members who are critical of Sir Keir.

A spokesman for the group did not deny that it could become a leadership vessel for Mr Burnham modelled on Labour Together, a grouping that helped win Sir Keir the party leadership five years ago.

The launch comes amid mounting criticism of Sir Keir’s political judgment over his handling of the Lord Mandelson and Angela Rayner scandals, as well as his loyalty to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, despite questions over her authority ahead of the Budget.

Sir Keir’s attempted “reset” of his Government has been overshadowed by the crises, which culminated this week in the sacking of his ambassador to the US. Emails revealing the extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein emerged, with messages showing that the peer urged the convicted paedophile to fight for early release from jail.

Labour MPs ‘despondent’

Emily Thornberry, the Labour chairman of the foreign affairs committee, wrote to Yvette Cooper, the new Foreign Secretary, demanding answers on vetting process before Lord Mandelson was appointed and the “potentially very serious” allegations that security warnings were ignored by Downing Street.

Ms Cooper insisted that the decision to sack him “was taken because new information came to light that wasn’t available at the time of the appointment” and backed “the Prime Minister’s strong leadership”.

However, Douglas Alexander, the Scottish Secretary, acknowledged on Friday that Labour MPs would feel “despondent” about the departure of a second government figure in as many weeks, following the resignation of Ms Rayner, which blew up the Prime Minister’s introduction to “phase two” of his Government.

Mr Burnham has launched several high-profile attacks on the Government in recent months, including over Sir Keir’s welfare reforms, which were abandoned after backlash from Labour MPs.

He has since called for a “more pluralistic” approach from Number 10 and a “reset” of relationships with backbenchers and Labour members.

His support of Ms Powell in the deputy leadership race, triggered by Ms Rayner’s departure, has fuelled speculation among MPs that she could swap jobs with Mr Burnham, running to replace him as mayor while he campaigns for her seat.

On Friday, Ms Powell called for a “change of culture” at Number 10 to make it more inclusive, and said ministers had made too many “unforced errors” that had pushed MPs away from the leadership.

‘This is someone with an agenda’

One ally of Sir Keir told The Telegraph they expected Mr Burnham to launch a leadership challenge as soon as next May, when Labour is expected to take a drubbing at the local, Scottish and Welsh elections.

“I assume he’s not just saying unhelpful things out of totally disinterested glee,” they said. “This is someone who has an agenda of self-promotion.”

Meanwhile, one Labour MP said a potential leadership bid had become the “talk of the tearoom” in the Commons, adding that Mr Burnham’s new group had been interpreted as a challenge to Sir Keir.

“What has accelerated its development is that the Labour Government’s in trouble with the public, and there is now a king over the water, in the shape of Andy Burnham,” they said.

“This is really about Andy setting his stall out to become leader of the Labour Party.”

Mr Burnham has never ruled out standing for the Labour leadership for a third time, but he has also pledged to complete his term as Manchester Mayor, which ends in May 2028. He cannot serve as mayor and MP at the same time.

Labour sources said he might attempt to return to Parliament as an MP before the next election by engineering a by-election in a Manchester constituency.

In the meantime, sources close to Mainstream said the group could stand candidates in internal Labour elections, for officer positions in local party groups or the national executive committee, giving Mr Burnham a power base.

Downing Street ‘slow on the chess moves’

An MP loyal to Sir Keir said Downing Street had been “slow on some of the chess moves” and should act to prevent a takeover of the party by Mr Burnham while Labour’s poll numbers were low.

However, a Government source said any attempt to re-enter Parliament to challenge Sir Keir would be seen as “cynical” by Labour members and would not be rewarded in a leadership contest.

Sir Keir is facing mounting criticism from Labour MPs in the wake of the Rayner and Mandelson sleaze scandals.

Clive Lewis, a Left-wing Labour MP who has joined Mr Burnham’s group, said on Friday that Sir Keir did not seem “up to the job” and described a “dangerous atmosphere” among Labour MPs who were disappointed with his leadership.

Downing Street said on Friday that Sir Keir still had confidence in his “top team” following questions over Morgan McSweeney, his chief of staff, who was said to have lobbied for Lord Mandelson’s initial appointment.

A spokesman said the Government was “getting on with the important work”.

Mr Burnham did not respond to a request for comment.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]