Labour's Deputy Leader Lucy Powell has sparked controversy by stating that the party should deploy its best players on the pitch, with many interpreting this as a veiled warning to Keir Starmer about Andy Burnham's intentions.
Burnham is reportedly eyeing a comeback into parliament, potentially sparking a leadership challenge against his rival. However, Starmerites are resisting the idea, fearing that removing their leader during such turbulent times would be ill-advised. They argue that running a city region and a country require vastly different skills.
Despite this, Burnham's popularity in the North West remains strong, with a +25 approval rating according to Ipsos. This could make it difficult for Starmerites to block his bid, should he even attempt one. However, several prominent Labour figures have pledged their support for Burnham, including former leaders Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner.
A significant hurdle would be the cost of a mayoral byelection campaign in Greater Manchester, which could divert £500,000 worth of party funding from other races across Britain. Moreover, some ministers are questioning Burnham's sincerity about supporting the government rather than undermining it, with one source describing his intentions as "unbelievable."
Meanwhile, Reform UK and pro-Gaza independents have expressed interest in running against Burnham in the byelection. The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, is also considering a bid.
The situation has sparked intense debate within Labour, with many MPs worried about their own chances of survival at the next election. A leadership contest could be brewing, and it's unclear whether Starmer would emerge unscathed or if Burnham's return would pose a significant threat to his position.
If Burnham does succeed in winning the byelection, he will have the opportunity to strike from within the government. However, some are warning that attempting to oust Starmer could cast Labour in a similar light as the Conservatives, who have seen five prime ministers in under 10 years.
In the end, it remains to be seen whether Burnham's intentions are genuinely driven by a desire to support the government or if this is simply a strategic move to undermine his rival. One thing is certain, however: the Labour party is on the brink of a potentially explosive leadership crisis.
Burnham is reportedly eyeing a comeback into parliament, potentially sparking a leadership challenge against his rival. However, Starmerites are resisting the idea, fearing that removing their leader during such turbulent times would be ill-advised. They argue that running a city region and a country require vastly different skills.
Despite this, Burnham's popularity in the North West remains strong, with a +25 approval rating according to Ipsos. This could make it difficult for Starmerites to block his bid, should he even attempt one. However, several prominent Labour figures have pledged their support for Burnham, including former leaders Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner.
A significant hurdle would be the cost of a mayoral byelection campaign in Greater Manchester, which could divert £500,000 worth of party funding from other races across Britain. Moreover, some ministers are questioning Burnham's sincerity about supporting the government rather than undermining it, with one source describing his intentions as "unbelievable."
Meanwhile, Reform UK and pro-Gaza independents have expressed interest in running against Burnham in the byelection. The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, is also considering a bid.
The situation has sparked intense debate within Labour, with many MPs worried about their own chances of survival at the next election. A leadership contest could be brewing, and it's unclear whether Starmer would emerge unscathed or if Burnham's return would pose a significant threat to his position.
If Burnham does succeed in winning the byelection, he will have the opportunity to strike from within the government. However, some are warning that attempting to oust Starmer could cast Labour in a similar light as the Conservatives, who have seen five prime ministers in under 10 years.
In the end, it remains to be seen whether Burnham's intentions are genuinely driven by a desire to support the government or if this is simply a strategic move to undermine his rival. One thing is certain, however: the Labour party is on the brink of a potentially explosive leadership crisis.
. The tension between Starmer and Burnham is like a soap opera, with people guessing what's really going on behind closed doors. I mean, +25 approval rating in the North West? That's no joke! 
Burnham seems to be pulling out all the stops, with those prominent Labour figures backing him up.
so burnham's approval rating in the north west is like 25 points higher than starmer? that's crazy! 
i think burnham's trying to make a move but it's hard to say if he's really got starmer's back or just trying to knock him off. 
and honestly, the cost of the byelection is a big deal - £500k could be used for other important stuff. 
also, reform uk and green party are already getting involved? that adds another layer to this whole thing. 
but at the same time, i'm worried that burnham's comeback could cast labour in a similar light as cons, who've had 5 pm's in under 10 yrs 
what if its just another strategic move by burnham to gain power? 
. I mean, on one hand, you've got Burnham's popularity in the North West, which is pretty hard to ignore 
. But on the other hand, some people are worried that if he gets elected as mayor again, it could be a slippery slope for Labour 
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. But at the same time, if Burnham does get elected as mayor, he'll be in an even better position to take on the government from within 
.
. Either way, it's clear that there's a lot of tension brewing within Labour right now 
. Can Starmer really navigate this storm without getting hurt? 
Only time will tell 
. I get why he's got a strong approval rating in the North West, but it's not just about him wanting to be leader, it's about how that would affect the party as a whole 
. I'm not sure what's driving Burnham's ambitions, but if he's trying to undermine Starmer from within the government, that's just gonna make things worse 
. It's like, can't we all just get along? 
.
. Burnham's sincerity will need to be tested if he wants to emerge from this as a trusted leader 
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. I mean, on one hand, it's great that Burnham has such strong support in the North West and his approval rating is through the roof 
. It's one thing to be a strong leader in your constituency, but it's another thing entirely to be in charge of the whole country 
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i mean, u gotta wonder if it's all just a big PR stunt to get more attention tho? and what would be the real gain for him if he does win? might be interesting 2 see how this all plays out
and yeah, it's crazy that some Labour figures are already jumping ship to support Burnham, especially Ed Miliband... what happened between them?! did he just feel like he was done with Starmer's leadership style? 
also, I don't get why people think a byelection campaign in Greater Manchester would be so expensive... £500k is no joke! 
. And can we talk about how expensive this whole thing is going to be? £500k just for a byelection campaign? That's wild 
but at the same time, it's crazy to think that labour could go from being super strong to total chaos in a heartbeat 
. And if he does win the byelection, it could totally flip the script on Labour 
. This leadership crisis is gonna be EVERYTHING