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Labour MPs are privately urging me to challenge PM, says Andy Burnham Labour MPs are privately urging me to challenge PM, says Andy Burnham
(32 minutes later)
Andy Burnham has said MPs have privately called on him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer to become prime minister.Andy Burnham has said MPs have privately called on him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer to become prime minister.
In the Daily Telegraph the Manchester mayor, who is not currently an MP, said he was not "plotting to get back" to Westminster but in the interview he did not rule out running again for the leadership.In the Daily Telegraph the Manchester mayor, who is not currently an MP, said he was not "plotting to get back" to Westminster but in the interview he did not rule out running again for the leadership.
"I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn't it?""I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn't it?"
His latest interview comes ahead of Labour's autumn conference, and after Sir Keir faced pressure from some MPs following the resignation of his deputy Angela Rayner and his sacking of Peter Mandelson. Steve Reed, the housing secretary, said Burham was entitled "to make his case" but pointed out he had previously promised to serve a full term as mayor.
Reed suggested Burnham had been taking "potshots" at the prime minister and dismissed discussion of the Labour Party's leadership as "tittle tattle".
The housing secretary said Sir Keir had "picked this party up off the floor and led us through a record general election victory".
"Our job now is to talk to the country, not ourselves about how we're going to change the things they care about," Reed said.
Burnham's latest interview comes ahead of Labour's autumn conference, and after Sir Keir faced pressure from some MPs following the resignation of his deputy Angela Rayner and his sacking of Peter Mandelson.
The mayor also told the Telegraph that Number 10 had created a "climate of fear" among some MPs.The mayor also told the Telegraph that Number 10 had created a "climate of fear" among some MPs.
"People have contacted me throughout the summer", he said when asked if other MPs had urged him to run for the Labour leadership."People have contacted me throughout the summer", he said when asked if other MPs had urged him to run for the Labour leadership.
"I'm not going to say to you that that hasn't happened, but as I say, it's more a decision for those people than it is for me.""I'm not going to say to you that that hasn't happened, but as I say, it's more a decision for those people than it is for me."
His comments, likely to be seen as a pitch for a leadership bid, come after his interview with the New Statesman on Wednesday where he criticised the prime minister's approach, saying there needed to be "wholesale change" to see off an "existential" threat to Labour.His comments, likely to be seen as a pitch for a leadership bid, come after his interview with the New Statesman on Wednesday where he criticised the prime minister's approach, saying there needed to be "wholesale change" to see off an "existential" threat to Labour.
Burnham said he was not attracted to going back to the old way of doing things in Westminster but added: "I'm happy to play any role. I am ready to play any role in that. Yes. Because the threat we're facing is increasingly an existential one."Burnham said he was not attracted to going back to the old way of doing things in Westminster but added: "I'm happy to play any role. I am ready to play any role in that. Yes. Because the threat we're facing is increasingly an existential one."
Burnham said he was ready to work with anybody with a "plan to turn the country around" - including the Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn.Burnham said he was ready to work with anybody with a "plan to turn the country around" - including the Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn.
The challenges in his way are massive. He would need to become an MP before he could even begin the process of trying to challenge Sir Keir as Labour leader.The challenges in his way are massive. He would need to become an MP before he could even begin the process of trying to challenge Sir Keir as Labour leader.
That would entail resigning as mayor of Greater Manchester in order to fight a Westminster by-election – a by-election which isn't necessarily on the cards as it stands.That would entail resigning as mayor of Greater Manchester in order to fight a Westminster by-election – a by-election which isn't necessarily on the cards as it stands.
And that is before you even get to the question of whether ultimately he is an improved politician to the man he was when he tried to become Labour leader twice and failed twice.And that is before you even get to the question of whether ultimately he is an improved politician to the man he was when he tried to become Labour leader twice and failed twice.
Emma Burnell, editor of the independent news website LabourList, says Burnham has a "strong record of delivery" in Greater Manchester, but it is "not risk-free" for him to discuss the party's leadership in the way he is doing.Emma Burnell, editor of the independent news website LabourList, says Burnham has a "strong record of delivery" in Greater Manchester, but it is "not risk-free" for him to discuss the party's leadership in the way he is doing.
"The fact that he's speaking so publicly and so openly about this means that he has decided to take that risk," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "If it pays off, it pays off. If it doesn't, this is probably his last shot.""The fact that he's speaking so publicly and so openly about this means that he has decided to take that risk," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "If it pays off, it pays off. If it doesn't, this is probably his last shot."
But Labour MP Callum Anderson accused Burnham of "wishful thinking" on economic policy, for saying in his New Statesman interview the government has to "get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets".
Anderson, who is a parliamentary private secretary to the cabinet minister Liz Kendall, wrote on X: "To lead a Labour government – and a Labour Treasury – you can't just dismiss the bond markets.
"Every pound spent on schools, hospitals and infrastructure depends on credibility with those who lend to the UK. Real change requires fiscal discipline, not wishful thinking."
Those around Burnham say his comments have nothing to do with leadership ambitions, dismissing that as "Westminster speculation".Those around Burnham say his comments have nothing to do with leadership ambitions, dismissing that as "Westminster speculation".
But they also say that Burnham felt that something needed to be said about the "factional" way Number 10 was operating, as well as the need for the prime minister's team to listen to a wider range of voices.But they also say that Burnham felt that something needed to be said about the "factional" way Number 10 was operating, as well as the need for the prime minister's team to listen to a wider range of voices.
"What we need is a plan to defeat Reform," one ally said."What we need is a plan to defeat Reform," one ally said.
A Labour source said: "I've heard of a stalking horse, but this guy is going to get hoarse from his endless stalking."A Labour source said: "I've heard of a stalking horse, but this guy is going to get hoarse from his endless stalking."
In the interview with the Daily Telegraph he said higher council tax on expensive homes in London and the South East; £40bn of borrowing to build council houses; income tax cuts for lower earners; and a 50p rate for the highest-paid would "turn the country around".In the interview with the Daily Telegraph he said higher council tax on expensive homes in London and the South East; £40bn of borrowing to build council houses; income tax cuts for lower earners; and a 50p rate for the highest-paid would "turn the country around".
In previous leadership campaigns Burnham lost out to Ed Miliband in 2010 and Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.In previous leadership campaigns Burnham lost out to Ed Miliband in 2010 and Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.
Sir Keir has faced mounting pressure from within his party over his handling of the row over Peter Mandelson, who was eventually sacked as the UK's ambassador to the US following more details emerging about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.Sir Keir has faced mounting pressure from within his party over his handling of the row over Peter Mandelson, who was eventually sacked as the UK's ambassador to the US following more details emerging about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
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