It\u2019s all very Shakespearean. A tale of ambitions long harboured and oft thwarted \u2013 sometimes even self-sabotaged. The tale of a flawed but ultimately loveable everyman hero and a journey that may yet end in triumph or peril and seemingly few options in between. His fate hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n
But enough about James from Traitors.<\/p>\n
I jest, but the addictive TV series \u2013 some much needed light relief in what has been a very bleak January \u2013 has many a backstabbing and murder with people who will cheerfully say one thing to your face, another behind your back and a third thing altogether to the TV cameras. It\u2019s no wonder everyone in SW1 is obsessed with the show. Nor is it surprising that overtones of the bard hang heavy in the air. Toil and trouble indeed.<\/p>\n
After the chaos of Davos, I thought the main character of the week might be Falstaff \u2013 with Starmer getting as close as he can (which isn\u2019t that close) to declaring \u201cI know thee not old man.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: What hurdles would Andy Burnham face to stand for Parliament?<\/a><\/p>\n But after\u00a0Andrew Gwynne\u2019s resignation<\/a>\u00a0yesterday, the only show in town is the modern day Macbeth \u2013 with Manchester\u2019s Heaton Park standing in for the \u2018blasted heath\u2019 and the man widely believed to have ambitions to rise through the kingly ranks is Andy Burnham.<\/p>\n My brilliant colleague Daniel Green yesterday\u00a0outlined the hurdles<\/a>\u00a0that still stand in Andy\u2019s way were he to take the leap and seek to be selected to be the Labour candidate in Gorton and Denton (and I think he will \u2013 this is Macbeth we\u2019re talking about not the dithering Hamlet).<\/p>\n The main hurdle is the NEC who may attempt to block Burnham\u2019s path. They might yet choose to block the ambitions of Burnham one last time by arguing that a by-election for Greater Manchester mayor would be just too much of an electoral risk and financial burden for the party to bear.<\/p>\n JOIN LABOURLIST \u2018IN CONVERSATION\u2019 WITH STEVE ROTHERAM ON 3rd FEB<\/a><\/p>\n But losing a by-election in Gorton and Denton, where Labour currently have a majority of over 13,000 would also be a serious blow to Starmer\u2019s leadership. And a loss to Reform would be a significant fillip to that party\u2019s momentum \u2013 which has appeared to be slowing of late. It\u2019s worth noting that Burnham won 61% of the vote in Tameside \u2013 the district where Gorton and Denton sits. His personal popularity might help Labour over the line \u2013 ironically assisting Starmer\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n I can understand why the NEC might not want to have to put the party through a metro mayoral by-election in Greater Manchester. On paper, the reasons given make sense.<\/p>\n But when I have tested these lines with party members from a range of factions, they all scoff mightily at the thought that this would be the \u2018real reason\u2019. After the last minute deselections and attempted deselections just prior to the election, party members simply do not trust that internal factionalism wouldn\u2019t be the key factor at play \u2013 and those I spoke to did not take kindly to that thought.<\/p>\n Party members are fractious enough as it is. And Labour needs its foot soldiers in better fettle as they head out on the doorsteps to fight a very difficult set of elections. Party unity isn\u2019t just about the PLP \u2013 morale is important at every level and if members \u2013 who\u00a0favour Burnham<\/a>\u00a0above nearly all other politicians \u2013 feel they are being denied due to factional machinations then mutinous mutterings might translate into a deeper malaise just as the party need the members to be energised.<\/p>\n Subscribe here to our daily newsletter<\/a> roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment\u2013 and follow us on Bluesky<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n And it isn\u2019t just Wales, Scotland and some of England having elections this year. An underrated factor in this game of 3D chess is that the CLP section of the NEC are up for election this year. So it won\u2019t just be the voters in Gorton and Denton \u2013 or even Greater Manchester they will be thinking about as they make this decision \u2013 but how it might affect their standing with their own electorate.<\/p>\n It all makes for high drama. All we need now is for the NEC sub committee in charge to turn up in green cloaks. Or for Claudia Winkleman to take over and chair the proceedings. As the Traitors on TV make way for political intrigue we may well find ourselves just as gripped by the twists and turns by the latest Labour version of the roundtable.<\/p>\n Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site.\u00a0Find out how to get your letter published<\/a>.<\/p>\n SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story \u2013 or any other topic involving Labour\u2013 contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>. Value our free and unique service?<\/p>\n LabourList has more readers than ever before – but we need your support. Our dedicated coverage of Labour’s policies and personalities, internal debates, selections and elections relies on donations from our readers.<\/p>\n
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