{"id":450274,"date":"2026-05-15T13:35:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/450274\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T13:35:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:35:12","slug":"labour-needs-its-best-players-on-the-pitch-and-andy-burnham-is-one-of-them-says-streeting-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/450274\/","title":{"rendered":"Labour needs its \u2018best players on the pitch and Andy Burnham is one of them\u2019, says Streeting \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Main PointsA sitting Labour MP\u00a0resigned from his seat<\/a>, paving the way for Greater Manchester mayor\u00a0Andy Burnham<\/a>\u00a0to potentially return to Westminster and mount a challenge to prime minister Keir Starmer\u2019s Labour leadershipWes Streeting<\/a>, another likely contender for challenging Starmer, resigned as UK health secretary, saying he has \u201clost confidence\u201d in the prime minister as leader of their partyFormer deputy leader Angela Rayner has suggested\u00a0she could enter any leadership contest<\/a>. She has been cleared by tax authorities of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairsStarmer\u2019s position as prime minister has become increasingly tenuous since Labour\u2019s hammering in elections across Britain last weekKey Reads<\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 4 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Stormont leaders concerned by Labour \u2018distraction\u2019 amid budget talks request<\/p>\n

Northern Ireland\u2019s leaders have expressed concern that the British prime minister Keir Starmer has yet to respond to a request for talks on Stormont\u2019s under-pressure budgetary situation.<\/p>\n

First Minister Michelle O\u2019Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly called for the meeting with Starmer a month ago amid claims the powersharing Executive\u2019s budget was at \u201cbreaking point\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ministers have yet to agree a budget for the current financial year and have insisted they need more financial support from the Treasury to deliver spending plans that avoid dramatic cuts to public services.<\/p>\n

On Friday, the co-leaders of the Executive voiced concern that internal turmoil playing out within the Labour Party was side-tracking the prime minister from addressing cost-of-living issues in Northern Ireland, particularly those around the price of fuel.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill and Little-Pengelly, who spoke to the media separately as they visited the Balmoral agricultural show near Lisburn, said events at Westminster were hampering efforts to agree a budget in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a calamity happening in Westminster and for me that underlines the fact that why we need to take control of our own fortunes here at home,\u201d said O\u2019Neill, the Sinn F\u00e9in vice-president.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the continued mess in Westminster, whether it\u2019s this Labour government or the previous Tory government, shows that they never prioritise the needs of people here.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re here at the Balmoral show and the big issue on farmers\u2019 minds is the cost of fuel. This is something that we\u2019ve addressed directly to the British prime minister.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve asked them (UK Government) to intervene, because the levers in terms of being able to reduce taxes actually sits in Westminster, but there\u2019s so much happening there right now, this debacle, this crisis after crisis, means that they\u2019re not prioritised or focusing on the needs of people here.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe continue to make that case. We have not had a response from the prime minister in relation to the cost-of-living issues that we have raised directly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we\u2019re going to keep knocking on that door. We\u2019re going to keep fighting for people here, because people here deserve support to get them through these tough times.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I think there\u2019s a lot of distraction happening in Westminster, and therefore we\u2019re only able to get into our real, meaningful discussion with those that will be able to make a decision actually to increase the budget allocation that we have here (when the distraction recedes).<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember, what we\u2019re asking for is fairness for people here. We\u2019re asking for a budget allocation that actually serves the needs of all the people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re asking for support to get people through the cost-of-living crisis, but because of the debacle that\u2019s happening in Westminster, their minds aren\u2019t focused, but we\u2019re going to have to see what unfolds there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have to keep fighting the fight for our own budget here, and fighting for fairness, for a settlement that actually allows us to deliver for people in the here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little-Pengelly, a DUP MLA, said there was \u201ca lot of distraction happening at Westminster\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, of course, that\u2019s not good for Northern Ireland,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want there to be a stable government in the UK to be able to work with us on those very, very important issues. We do want there to be a budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a very sizeable gap in what we need in order to keep our frontline services running and what we have received in the budget this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always said this is not about running to London and simply asking for more money.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is about a collaboration with the Northern Ireland Executive where we are prepared to play our part driving that efficiency, looking at how we do public services better, but we need that support in order to invest in that type of transformation, to bring about those efficiencies of services, while making sure people can still get those improvements on the services that they need, for example, on health waiting lists, access to GPs and education.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, these are big and important issues. We do want the situation in London to calm down. We do want there to be, of course, that stable government that we\u2019re able to work with, and I\u2019ve said time and time again that I am willing to work constructively with the UK Government, with Treasury, to try to make sure we can get our finances onto a sustainable footing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if the situation at Westminster was diminishing the prospect of agreeing a budget at Stormont, Litte-Pengelly said: \u201cI think it\u2019s very difficult. We do need, as I\u2019ve said, that support from Treasury in my view to enable us to get that agreed budget. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo, the sooner that those discussions can happen, the sooner we can get to the position of taking a look at how we can get that budget in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

The UK Government has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n

\"FirstFirst Minister Michelle O’Neill (left) and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Photograph: Peter Morrison\/PA Wire <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 20 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Trump says it will a \u2018tough thing\u2019 for Starmer to survive as prime minister unless he shifts his position <\/p>\n

Donald Trump has said it will be a \u201ctough thing\u201d for Keir Starmer to survive as prime minister unless he shifts his position on energy and immigration.<\/p>\n

But the US president, who has had a fractious relationship with Starmer over Iran and has repeatedly criticised him, stopped short of saying the Labour leader should quit, and said he thought \u201che\u2019s a nice man\u201d.<\/p>\n

Trump was speaking to reporters on board Air Force One as he returned from his two-day visit to China.<\/p>\n

Starmer is currently fighting for his political life as he faces a challenge to his leadership after last week\u2019s disastrous local election results.<\/p>\n

Trump has already warned the British prime minister that he was \u201cgetting killed on energy\u201d by not boosting oil extraction in the North Sea, and accused him of \u201cwindmilling the country to death\u201d.<\/p>\n

He has also branded UK immigration policies \u201cinsane\u201d and claimed Britain was being \u201cinvaded\u201d.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Air Force One, Trump said: \u201cHe\u2019s in trouble for two reasons, energy and immigration.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s very bad on energy. He should open up the North Sea. He\u2019s got a gold mine and should open up oil in the North Sea, and he doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know they buy their oil, a lot of it from Norway. Norway gets it from the North Sea, not as good an area as Scotland and the UK, so they\u2019re paying Norway a fortune for oil that they take out of the North Sea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pressed over whether Starmer can survive, Trump said: \u201cIt\u2019s a tough thing unless he can straighten out immigration, where he\u2019s weak, and if he doesn\u2019t start drilling, stop with the windmills all over the place that are causing havoc.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost expensive form of energy, they kill the birds, they\u2019re unsightly, they\u2019re ruining the landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n

The US president added: \u201cHe\u2019s got to open up the North Sea, you know, he\u2019s got one of the greatest oil finds anywhere in the world, and he\u2019s not using it. I tell him he\u2019s not using it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe oil companies call me every day: \u2018Please, please, we want to go to New North Sea.\u2019 He doesn\u2019t allow it to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if Starmer should quit, Trump said: \u201cI don\u2019t say that. I think he\u2019s a nice man, actually.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t like what he said. \u2018We\u2019re going to send ships as soon as you\u2019re finished with the wars\u2019, but we are sort of finished militarily, pretty much.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was a reference to the planned defensive mission led by Britain and France to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz waterway once the Iran war is over.<\/p>\n

The proposed post-conflict operation has been criticised by the White House, with US secretary of state Marco Rubio arguing it \u201cdoesn\u2019t make sense\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"USUS president Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, for a two-day summit with China\u2019s leader, Xi Jinping. Photograph: Kenny Holston\/The New York Times <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 38 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Labour pressure group Mainstream has urged the party to allow Andy Burnham to seek selection as its candidate in Makerfield.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s interim council said in a statement: \u201cUniting behind the strongest possible candidate and running a positive, hopeful campaign with an offer of transformative change at its heart is how Labour will earn the kind permission to continue representing the people of Makerfield in parliament.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is why we hope Labour\u2019s National Executive Committee will ensure Makerfield CLP is free to choose from the widest possible field of candidates in this by-election, a field that should clearly include Andy Burnham.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet us seize this opportunity to show the Labour Party at its best and put country before party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Starmer is knowledgeable about Ireland\u2019<\/p>\n

Our London Correspondent, Mark Paul, has written a profile of Andy Burnham, and notes his knowledge of Irish politics. He writes:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is knowledgeable about Ireland. Burnham was an energetic campaigner for the families of the Hillsborough tragedy victims in their fight for justice against the British state. He appeared to compare their plight to the fight for justice of the families of the victims of Bloody Sunday: \u201cAnyone with an Irish background will know that places in Ireland have been treated in exactly the same way [as Liverpool and Hillsborough] in history.\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n

You can read more here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Labour needs its \u2018best players on the pitch and Andy Burnham is one of them\u2019, says Streeting<\/p>\n

Former health secretary Wes Streeting said Labour needs \u201cour best players on the pitch\u201d and \u201cAndy Burnham is one of them\u201d.<\/p>\n

In a post on X, he wrote: \u201cWe need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Makerfield by-election will be tough.<\/p>\n

\u201cVotes will need to be earned. Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Britain'sBritain’s former secretary of state for health and social Care Wes Streeting. Photograph: Neil Hall <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 4 hours ago<\/p>\n

British government bonds, stocks and sterling fall <\/p>\n

British government bonds, stocks and sterling fell on Friday, \u200cas domestic political uncertainty clashed with global worries about an inflationary shock, leaving UK assets in the mire.<\/p>\n

Sterling fell to a five-week \u200blow and is down almost two per cent against the dollar this week, set for its biggest weekly drop since November 2024.<\/p>\n

British prime minister Keir Starmer is in a battle to hold on to power after his health minister Wes Streeting resigned from government, \u200bwhile others positioned themselves to challenge his leadership, following disastrous local election results last week.<\/p>\n

Markets are concerned that a new leader \u2060may be willing to loosen fiscal policy more, with British government borrowing costs up sharply again and \u200cUK \u200cbank \u200bstocks selling off on Friday.<\/p>\n

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has been offered a path for a possible leadership challenge after another Labour lawmaker said he \u2060would resign his parliamentary seat. If \u200bBurnham were to win the seat, he could then \u200bchallenge for the party leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarket\u2019s fear is that Burnham would be more left leaning, and we could see \u200cfurther increase in deficits,\u201d said Jefferies economist Mohit \u200bKumar.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur base case is one of a managed exit for Starmer and Burnham likely becoming the \u2060next PM,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The domestic political \u2060drama has coincided with \u200banother rise in energy prices on Friday and growing evidence that the economic damage from the Iran war is hurting.<\/p>\n

US inflation data this week has shown consumers and factories are starting to see big increases in price pressures as a result of the war, which has pushed up the price of crude by over 50 per cent.<\/p>\n

The pound has tended to suffer against the dollar when tensions between Washington and Tehran flare or oil prices rise, given Britain\u2019s dependence \u200con energy imports and the \u2060economy\u2019s sensitivity to higher fuel costs.<\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 5 hours ago<\/p>\n

Housing secretary urges Labour colleagues to put \u2018country first, party second\u2019<\/p>\n

Housing secretary Steve Reed has been on the media round this morning urging Labour colleagues to put the \u201ccountry first, party second\u201d, even as he admits Keir Starmer is \u201cunpopular\u201d. <\/p>\n

When asked by Sky News whether replacing an unpopular prime minister is something the party should consider, he said: \u201cEach of the last four prime ministers, in turn, has been the most unpopular prime minister we\u2019ve ever had.\u201d <\/p>\n

He added: \u201cWhat we need to do is all of us come together behind the prime minister and focus on how we can deliver the change the British public want to see faster.\u201d <\/p>\n

A leadership challenge seems all but inevitable, with greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham potentially throwing his hat in the ring, but Reed rather bluntly stated \u201cthere is no leadership challenge\u201d and hit out at the \u201cinternal-facing nonsense\u201d plaguing the party. <\/p>\n

He told the BBC: \u201cIf people wanted to gather the nominations then it\u2019s open for them to do that \u2013 they would need to find enough Labour MPs that wanted to endorse them but nobody has done that. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a very difficult week but we need to take a breath now, take this weekend to reflect on what\u2019s going on, and come back next week and focus on the country we were elected to serve.\u201d <\/p>\n

Commenting on reports suggesting Starmer was considering his position last night, Reed told Times Radio \u201cthat isn\u2019t true\u201d. <\/p>\n

Labour MP Josh Simons announced yesterday that he would stand down from his constituency in Makerfield to make way for Burnham to stand as a candidate in a byelection.<\/p>\n

Simons said he believed Burnham could \u201cdrive the change our country is crying out for\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve. It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference,\u201d he told BBC Radio Manchester this morning. <\/p>\n

\"Britain'sBritain’s housing, communities and local government secretary Steve Reed. Photograph: Jonathan Brady\/PA Wire <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 6 hours ago<\/p>\n

Suave communicator and sharp dresser: who is Andy Burnham? <\/p>\n

Mark Paul, our London correspondent, profiled Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in 2024. This is an extract from his article:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might expect the mayor of a metropolitan area of 2.8 million people, one of the fastest-growing economic regions in the UK, to wear a jacket and trousers on the job. Burnham dresses well, but this is Manchester \u2013 he must reflect its vibe. Today he wears a fitted black blazer over a jet black T-shirt. His skinny black trousers alight on to black suede shoes. He has a bee \u2013 Manchester\u2019s civic emblem \u2013 tattooed on his right bicep.<\/p>\n

He is cool, collected and in control of his patter. He also knows his audience and, despite a carefully affected insouciance, is clearly well prepared. Burnham says he can\u2019t fathom the Dublin riots of last November with their racially tinged edge: \u201cI know Dublin, and that\u2019s not Dublin and its people.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can read the full article here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 6 hours ago<\/p>\n

Britain\u2019s new health secretary, James Murray, has arrived at Downing Street.<\/p>\n

Murray said \u201cgood morning\u201d to members of the press, but did not answer a question about Keir Starmer\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\"NewlyNewly appointed health secretary James Murray arrives in Downing Street on Friday. Photograph: Peter Nicholls\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 7 hours ago<\/p>\n

Uncertainty over Starmer future puts investment at risk, say CEOs<\/p>\n

Bosses of some of Britain\u2019s biggest companies have voiced dismay at the turmoil in Westminster, warning that uncertainty over Keir Starmer\u2019s future is putting at risk investment decisions and the country\u2019s reputation. <\/p>\n

Chief executives have told the Financial Times that calls for the prime minister to quit, Wes Streeting\u2019s resignation and Andy Burnham\u2019s move to return to parliament were a far cry from the stability and certainty promised by the ruling party in the lead-up to the 2024 general election.<\/p>\n

One FTSE 100 chief executive said the government had over the past week \u201cmyopically focused on its own infighting and scandals, rather than focusing on the long-awaited action it should be delivering\u201d.<\/p>\n

Another chief executive said days of jeopardy for Starmer since Labour suffered dire losses in local and devolved elections amounted to a \u201clost week in terms of any progress on objectives\u201d, while former J Sainsbury boss Justin King accused ministers of failing to learn \u201cthe lessons of the last years of the Conservative administration\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"BritishBritish prime minister Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 7 hours ago<\/p>\n

Labour\u2019s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, will say Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner should all be seen as \u201ckey players\u201d in the party in a speech on Friday.<\/p>\n

Powell will also repeat her support for Burnham\u2019s efforts to return to parliament after Josh Simons, the MP for Makerfield, said he would stand aside to let him run for the seat in a byelection.<\/p>\n

She will say she is confident Burnham will have the support of the \u201cvast majority of the party and movement\u201d to make a bid to come back to Westminster.<\/p>\n

Powell was the only member of Labour\u2019s ruling body to vote in favour of allowing Burnham to stand in a byelection in Gorton and Denton earlier this year, but he was blocked from doing so and the Greens took the seat.<\/p>\n

Starmer will not seek to block Burnham from standing this time around, it is understood, but it is not yet guaranteed that he will be chosen as the candidate.<\/p>\n

Powell is expected to tell the Fire Brigades\u2019 Union conference: \u201cThe election results last week were deeply painful and difficult for our party, and the aftermath has been unedifying for us all too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t do hostile takeovers in Labour for a reason. Keir is the leader, and I warned against bloody internal battles reflecting badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

But she will also warn that it is a \u201cmistake\u201d to think Labour does not have \u201cfurther to fall\u201d after dire election results for the party in local polls last week. <\/p>\n

Sarah Burns – 7 hours ago<\/p>\n

Good morning, and welcome to another day of political turmoil in Westminster. <\/p>\n

As we head into the weekend, moves are well advanced to challenge the leadership of prime minister Keir Starmer. <\/p>\n

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, confirmed on Thursday he would ask Labour\u2019s ruling national executive committee (NEC) to allow him stand in a forthcoming byelection \u2013 a necessity in running for the top spot. <\/p>\n

And, according to reports in the Guardian, allies of Starmer have confirmed he would not seek to block him doing so. <\/p>\n

It means, of course, that Burnham now has a potential route back to parliament and a chance to become Labour\u2019s next leader. It all comes after an MP said he would trigger a byelection by standing down from his seat. <\/p>\n

That move has ended days of speculation about whether Burnham could secure a possible path back into Westminster, and underlined the increasingly precarious nature of Keir Starmer\u2019s premiership. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Wes Streeting has stood down as health secretary after seemingly failing to get the numbers to launch a challenge against the prime minister. <\/p>\n

Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, has settled some tricky tax affairs, paving the way for her own return to frontline politics. Further developments on Friday should prove interesting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Main PointsA sitting Labour MP\u00a0resigned from his seat, paving the way for Greater Manchester mayor\u00a0Andy Burnham\u00a0to potentially return…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":450275,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[85530,42,1194,1193,43,40,38,41,39,1577,1192,74244],"class_list":["post-450274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-andy-burnham","tag-headlines","tag-keir-starmer","tag-labour-party-uk","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories","tag-uk","tag-uk-politics","tag-wes-streeting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/450274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=450274"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/450274\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/450275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=450274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=450274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=450274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}