As the Prime Minister’s reset speech seems to have failed to reassure Labour MPs, all eyes are once again on Andy Burnham. In fact, it seems we are trapped in a loop. Burnham appears to be the most popular replacement for Starmer – both among Labour MPs and the public as a whole – but he’s still not in Parliament and Keir Starmer seems determined to keep him out.

While some might suspect that Starmer and Labour’s National Executive Committee had ignoble motivations when they stopped Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election (and any mooted future contests), their public rationale is that doing so would require Burnham to resign as mayor of Greater Manchester and risk Reform gaining power in England’s second city. But how real is that threat?

Across Greater Manchester, Reform topped the poll on Thursday – taking 31 per cent, followed by Labour on 24 per cent and the Greens on 19 per cent

Across Greater Manchester, Reform topped the poll on Thursday – taking 31 per cent, followed by Labour on 24 per cent and the Greens on 19 per cent

Last week’s local election results certainly were ugly for Labour in Greater Manchester. Reform won every single ward up for election in Wigan, and 18 out of 19 seats in Tameside, with 50-point swings from Labour to Reform. Labour were humbled in places like Oldham and Rochdale, while in the centre of the city, it was the Greens who........

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