Andy Burnham Says Latest Labour Leadership Stories Are 'Rubbish'. But MPs Aren't Convinced |
Andy Burnham the Mayor of Manchester arrives a fringe meeting during the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, England, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Andy Burnham has described reports he wants to become an MP again before May as “rubbish”.
However, Labour MPs are convinced the Manchester mayor is eyeing a speedy return to Westminster so he can be in position to run for the party leadership if Keir Starmer is ousted.
Voters will go to the polls on May 7 next year for elections to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd and councils across England.
Opinion polls suggest Labour is heading for a catastrophic result, which could trigger a leadership challenge to the prime minister.
Burnham, who quit Westminster in 2017 so he could run to become mayor of Greater Manchester, would need to be an MP again to stand for the top job.
He was accused of plotting to replace the PM during the Labour conference in September, when he made a number of criticisms of the party leadership.
According to newspaper reports today, Burnham has held talks about standing in a by-election before May.
Although Burnham passed up the opportunity to comment before the stories were published in the Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday, he did post a reaction on X this morning.
He said: “Quite a........