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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 Labour leader and prime minister.Andy Burnham has said MPs have privately called on him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer to become Labour leader and prime minister.
In the Daily Telegraph the Greater 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 Greater 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.
He said: "I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn't it?"He said: "I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn't it?"
Steve Reed, the housing secretary, said Burnham was entitled "to make his case" but pointed out he had previously promised to serve a full term as mayor.Steve Reed, the housing secretary, said Burnham 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".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".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."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 is not an MP and would need to become one, by winning a by-election, and resign as mayor before he could even begin the process of trying to challenge Sir Keir as Labour leader.Burnham is not an MP and would need to become one, by winning a by-election, and resign as mayor before he could even begin the process of trying to challenge Sir Keir as Labour leader.
But no by-elections have been called at the moment and there's uncertainty over whether he would be selected as a candidate if the opportunity did arise.But no by-elections have been called at the moment and there's uncertainty over whether he would be selected as a candidate if the opportunity did arise.
His critics have also pointed out Burnham, a former culture and health secretary, tried and failed twice to become Labour leader when he was an MP.His critics have also pointed out Burnham, a former culture and health secretary, tried and failed twice to become Labour leader when he was an MP.
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.
Burnham came fourth in 2010, and second in 2015, losing out by a wide margin to Corbyn, who won with almost 60% of the vote.Burnham came fourth in 2010, and second in 2015, losing out by a wide margin to Corbyn, who won with almost 60% of the vote.
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. 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 as the UK's ambassador to the US.
There has been disquiet among Labour MPs over the government's performance and the rise of Reform UK in national opinion polls.
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. Setting out policies he said would "turn the country around", Burnham called for 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.
His comments in the Telegraph come after his interview with the New Statesman, which was seen as a pitch for a Labour leadership bid.
In that interview, 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. Outlining his vision for the country, Burnham described his politics as "aspirational socialism".
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". His main policy ideas involved more public control of housing, energy, water and rail.
One of Burnham's most prominent policies as mayor of Greater Manchester was taking buses back into public control.
Burnham told the New Statesman he was ready to work with anybody with a "plan to turn the country around" - including the Liberal Democrats and Corbyn, who is in the proces of setting up a new left-wing party.
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.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.""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 No 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.
In the interview with the Daily Telegraph Burnham 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".
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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