Andy Burnham Meets MPs In London As Manchester Mayor Sets Sights On No 10
Manchester mayor and Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham is meeting with MPs in London to plan a route to Number 10. (Alamy)
3 min read
Exclusive: Manchester mayor and Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham will meet Labour MPs in London today ahead of plans to announce a potential seat that will give him a route to No 10.
PoliticsHome understands that Burnham, who was sighted in London on Tuesday, is meeting with MPs to get out ahead of Health Secretary and leadership hopeful Wes Streeting – as well as ensure there is a timetable that allows Burnham to stand.
It comes as pressure grows on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign following a disastrous set of local election results, which saw the party lose around 1,500 councillors and lose control of the Welsh Senedd for the first time.
Almost 100 Labour MPs have now called for the Prime Minister's departure, with Streeting and Burnham among Labour MPs favoured candidates to replace Starmer.
And a growing number of ministers have announced they are stepping down and calling for the Prime Minister's departure. Ministers Jess Phillips and Alex Davies-Jones are the latest to resign.
Burnham, who currently serves as Manchester's mayor and was blocked from standing as a parliamentary candidate in January, is not a sitting MP, making his route to No 10 more complicated.
PoliticsHome understands Burnham's camp is set to make an announcement on a potential seat for the mayor to stand in, paving a route for him to No 10.
It comes after deputy Labour leader and former deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said it had been a "mistake" for Labour to block Burnham from standing as an MP - but stopped short of calling for Starmer's departure.
"This is bigger than personalities, but it is time to acknowledge that blocking Andy Burnham was a mistake," said Rayner.
"We must show we understand the scale of change the moment calls for - that means bringing our best players into Parliament - and embracing the type of agenda that has been successful at a local level, rather than reaching back to an agenda and politics that has failed people."
Burnham, who is currently the bookmakers favourite to replace the Prime Minister, is the most popular Labour politician with the public according to polling by YouGov, followed by Rayner.
A growing number of Labour MPs have publicly expressed support for Burnham as Labour leader.
Elsewhere on Tuesday Labour MP Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned as a minister today calling for Starmer to step down, told the BBC she would also being backing Burnham.
"We can't have a stitch up," she says. "If he [Burnham] was in parliament today, I'd be supporting him. He's not and he should be allowed to be."
Other Labour MPs supporting Burnham publicly include Rachel Maskell, Clive Lewis, Paula Barker, Richard Burgon, Connor Naismith, and Sarah Owen.
Additional reporting by Harriet Symonds.
