Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster, once treated as an internal Labour headache, now looks like a direct test of Keir Starmer’s authority. It is easy to see why. The Greater Manchester Mayor remains one of Labour’s most bankable figures with the wider public, and he continues to command real affection across a large section of the parliamentary party. A 2021 YouGov poll found 69% of Labour members preferred him as leader over Mr Starmer. By comparison, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who resigned yesterday but did not go…

Keir Starmer faced mounting pressure over his leadership after a Labour MP stepped aside to give Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham a route back to parliament — and a possible platform to challenge for the top job. Mr Burnham said he wanted to return to Westminster to "make politics work properly for people" after Josh Simons, the Labour MP for Makerfield, announced he would resign his seat so Mr Burnham could "drive the change our country is crying out for". Sources said Mr Starmer does not plan to stand in the way of Mr…

Labour MPs from northwest England will gather amid rising speculation that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham could seek to stand in a forthcoming Westminster by-election in Gorton and Denton — a move that would test the Prime Minister’s authority and reshape Labour’s internal dynamics. The meeting comes as party figures weigh whether Burnham, long viewed as a potential rival for the party leadership, will enter the race triggered by the resignation of Andrew Gwynne, the former MP for the Greater Manchester seat. Burnham…