Starmer facing Labour civil war over Burnham

Sir Keir Starmer is facing a growing mutiny after Andy Burnham declared his intention to return to Westminster.

Leading Labour figures, MPs and grassroots members came out in support of the Mayor of Greater Manchester in a co-ordinated campaign on Saturday after he announced his intention to run in the Gordon and Denton by-election.

A Labour committee controlled by the Prime Minister’s allies will decide on Sunday whether to block Mr Burnham’s return to Parliament, amid fears that he will use his return to the back benches to mount a leadership challenge.

Those close to Sir Keir are now faced with the dilemma of blocking Mr Burnham from standing as an MP – risking a backlash from his supporters – or permitting his return and effectively allowing a leadership challenge.

Loyalists on the NEC have suggested Mr Burnham’s return could be blocked by introducing rules that only allow women or ethnic minorities to be shortlisted for the by-election seat.

But any move to prevent Mr Burnham from standing as an MP will now put Sir Keir at odds with senior party figures.

On Saturday, Ed Miliband heaped praise on Mr Burnham, saying he would be a “massive asset in Parliament”.

Meanwhile Lucy Powell, the deputy Labour leader, and Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, also backed Mr Burnham’s return to Westminster.

Wes Streeting, who is seen as a potential leadership candidate himself, said that anonymous briefings against Mr Burnham were a “disgrace”, adding that he was “part of the team” and “should not be treated like that”.

It comes as the Prime Minister prepares to head to China this week, meaning he will be absent from Downing Street as his leadership is plunged into crisis and his party into a potential civil war.

Mr Burnham – who is known as the “King of the North” – has made no secret of his ambitions to become Prime Minister. In the run-up to the Labour Party conference last year he said many MPs had urged him to mount a leadership challenge against Sir Keir.

Andrew Gwynne, the suspended Labour MP, confirmed this week that he would step down from his north-west England seat of Gorton and Denton, opening the door for Mr Burnham to seek a return to Westminster via a by-election.

Announcing his intention to run, the Manchester mayor promised that he would not “undermine” the Prime Minister’s leadership.

As a current Labour mayor, Mr Burnham must seek the “express permission” of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to stand.

The 10-member committee is expected to announce its decision within the next 24 hours.

There was mounting support for Mr Burnham’s return to Westminster throughout Saturday, with Left-wing politicians and friends of Mr Burnham insisting he should be allowed to become an MP.

‘He will be a massive asset’

Speaking at the Fabian society conference, Mr Miliband said: “I think Andy has done an outstanding job in Greater Manchester.

“I think he will be a massive asset in Parliament, so my view on this is that I very much hope that the local party will have the option of picking Andy as a candidate.”

Asked whether it raised questions about Sir Keir’s leadership, he added: “Not in my view. I think it’s really important Keir needs the best team serving under him, and the Labour Party needs to look outwards and not inwards – and it needs to be loyal to Keir and it needs to get on with the job of serving the country.”

Speaking at the same event, Sir Sadiq said he would “knock some doors for him” if his Greater Manchester counterpart decided to stand in an upcoming by-election.

He added: “If Andy Burnham wants to be a member of Parliament, Andy Burnham should be a member of Parliament.”

Ms Powell told the socialist gathering: “I think it’s going to be maybe the most consequential by-election of this Parliament. And in that context, I would want to see the very best candidate to help Labour win in that very difficult by-election.

“I want the best candidate to come forward and someone who will be able to move forward to help us win.”

Shortly after he announced his candidacy Mainstream, a newly formed soft-Left group endorsed by Mr Burnham, launched a petition directed to Shabana Mahmood, the NEC chairman, calling for a “fair, democratic and open selection” in Gorton and Denton.

In an email sent to members, Mainstream said: “Local party members, and the people of Gorton and Denton, must have the opportunity to select and elect the strongest possible Labour candidate to take on Reform – with no qualified candidates excluded.”

‘It’s worrying. We must unite’

Several Labour backbenchers, including Karl Turner and Nadia Whittome, piled pressure on Sir Keir’s supporters not to block the northern Mayor’s return to Westminster.

In a series of social media posts, Labour MPs warned of a rupture in the party if Mr Burnham was blocked from standing.

“This idea of attempting to block Andy Burnham from standing is going to cause the most raving row by the reaction of some Labour MPs,” Mr Turner said. “It’s very worrying. We must unite.”

Ms Whittome said: “Sorry but if the most unpopular Labour government in history intervenes to block our only senior Labour politician with a net positive public approval rating – in doing so risking handing victory to a far-Right party – that’s putting petty factionalism before the country.

“The last person at Labour HQ had better turn the lights off on their way out.”

Ian Byrne, a Labour MP, said the party “should be begging” Mr Burnham to stand, adding: “Keeping Reform out of Gorton and Denton is imperative.”

‘Bring on the super sub’

Chris Webb, another Labour backbencher, added: “Blocking Andy Burnham from Gorton & Denton will have serious lasting consequences.

“When you’re 2–0 down at half time, you bring on the super sub to help the team win.”

Kim Johnson, an MP on the Left of the party, said: “Blocking Andy to satisfy factional interests would be a serious mistake & would have long-lasting consequences.”

Cat Smith, a former frontbencher, told the BBC on Saturday morning that party members – not Labour HQ – should decide who stood in the forthcoming by-election.

It would be “disappointing” if No 10 blocked “strong candidates” from standing, she concluded.

But the Prime Minister’s allies on the NEC have been ramping up their rhetoric about the Greater Manchester Mayor’s unsuitability to run as an MP.

“You can’t really find anyone on the NEC that thinks it is a great idea for him to stand,” one said. “There are innumerable reasons why it is a really terrible idea.”

They explained that the Labour Party was “absolutely skint” at the moment and it would be costly to run a mayoral election campaign, should Mr Burnham vacate the post to run as an MP.

However, the MP acknowledged that blocking Mr Burnham’s return could come at a hefty cost for Sir Keir.

“Nothing that you do in politics comes without a price,” a source said. “If we did this, what signals does it send? Is the publicity worse?”

A Labour insider told The Telegraph that there is no way Mr Burnham will be approved by the NEC as the “numbers aren’t there”.

Mr Burnham issued a lengthy statement on Saturday evening, explaining why he wanted to return to Westminster after nine years as Manchester mayor.

He said it had been a “difficult decision” but he had given “careful thought” to what was in the best interests of the Labour Party and of Manchester.

Praising Sir Keir, Mr Burnham said: “The progress already made on rail renationalisation, bus re-regulation, the housing crisis and devolution is truly impressive.

“My role in returning would be to use my experience to help it go further and faster, as well as communicate the difference it is making.

“I would be there to support the work of the Government, not undermine it, and I have passed on this assurance to the Prime Minister.”

Mr Burnham said he would run a “hopeful and unifying campaign” that would focus on “being honest about the alienation people feel from politics”.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]