Burnham’s provocative challenge to Starmer shows he is seriouspublished at 11:00 BST
11:00 BST
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Sometimes politicians of all parties flirt with the possibility of one day becoming leader in suggestive, coy, almost deniable ways.
This is not an example of that. Andy Burnham is being more overt.
To the Telegraph, the Manchester mayor gave a straight answer to a straight question: yes, he had been contacted by Labour MPs “throughout the summer” about the prospect of him returning to Westminster, where he was an MP for 16 years, to lead Labour and replace Starmer as prime minister.
Burnham said this was “more a decision for those people than it is for me”. He repeated that line in an interview with BBC Manchester.
Well, up to a point.
Burnham is not an MP. He would have to decide to become one if he wants to be Labour leader and prime minister.
Burnham knew that he would be asked questions about his national ambitions, and that they would create a stir in the days before a crucial party conference for Starmer.
In government, there is frustration and no small amount of bafflement that Burnham has decided to make these interventions now.